[NEohioPAL] Berko review: CONNI'S AVANT GARDE RESTAURANT @ Cleveland Public Theatre

[Roy Berko]

CONNI’S
AVANT GARDE RESTAURANT, back by audience demand, at CPT
 
Roy Berko
 
(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)
 
--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--
Lorain County
Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times                  
 
--cool cleveland.com—
 
It’s
dinner and theatre, but not traditional dinner theatre.  It’s a play, but not a play.  It’s avant garde, but not avant
garde.  There is male nude
streaking and lots of references to various body parts, but it isn’t raunchy or
lewd.  It’s ad-libbed, but
scripted.  What is it?  It’s one hell of a good time!  It’s CONNIE’S AVANT GARDE RESTAURANT,
now being performed at Cleveland Public Theatre.
 
The
inspiration for this evening of bizarre, delightful, and a little thought
provoking theatricality, was supposedly brought about by the accidental
sighting by the cast of a touring Shakespeare company with a sign over an
abandoned diner in a small town where they were performing.  It read, “Conni’s Restaurant.”  The group, bored, and in a creative
mood, started to fantasize about what it would be like if they owned and
operated such an establishment.  Voilá, the inspiration for the mayhem that presently fills the flexible
CPT main theatre.
 
As you
walk into the lobby, you are met by a number of “nurses” who take your coat
(don’t worry, you’ll get it back), costumed performers, hors d’oeuvres and
wine.  You get to chose your name
for the night.  You can be “Not so
Tiny Tim,” “The Abdominal Snowman,” “Sweet Child of Wine,” or something as
mundane as “Nice.”  That’s your i. d.
for the rest of the evening.  
 
During
the cocktail party you are entertained by the performing troop, who sing, emote
and serve.  A minor incident
requires a doctor, who is whisked away into the bowels of the theatre.  You are tempted by performance tidbits
of what is to come and exposed to who is going to present it.  
 
You are
ushered into a banquet hall decorated with chandeliers made of plastic champagne
glasses and utensils.  Tables of 8 are
set with “fine” plastic dishes and silverware. There is an operating kitchen,
where much of your “gourmet” dinner will be prepared by a “chef.”  (The quote marks are very
relevant!)  You self-seat, meet
your table mates.  
 
Then
all hell breaks loose.  The
“doctor” charges through the audience, sans clothing.  During the next four hours there is continuous eating (of surprisingly
tasty food), entertainment and mayhem.  The cast continues to remind you, through a series of elaborate
vignettes and songs, that the evening is devoted to “the ongoing celebration of the
work of Conni Convergence, the beloved (fictional) icon of stage and screen.

”
 
As the evening
proceeds, members of the audience are involved in contests, interactions with
the performers, viewing of a baby being transferred from the insides of one
woman to another (I kid you not!).   There’s a ballet interlude by a pregnant ballerina interpreting The
Black Swan.  There’s the shooting
of a deer, which then is transformed before your very eyes into a salad (well,
not really).  You are entertained
by the company’s interpretation of Hans Christian Anderson’s THE LITTLE MATCH
GIRL.  You’ll learn the secrets of
the rhythm method of acting.  Then
there’s the “Dance of the Kitchen Utensils” and the making of an erotic fruit
salad. 
 
I could go on, but
why ruin the experience for those who are going to partake?  
 
Capsule judgement:  For the non-up tight, those willing to
let lose and go with the chaotic and often hysterical flow, CONNI’S AVANT-GARDE
RESTAURANT is a hoot.  This is not
your traditional theatre production.  It is one evening of unbridled fun and mayhem.
 
The production runs through December 18.  (The company’s appearance in Cleveland is unique as they
usually perform only one or two nights in various theatres.  Having played to sold out houses in
their last area visit, they will be doing 12 CPT performances—several are
already sold out.)  For tickets
call 216-631-2727 or go on line to www.cptonline.org.
 
Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info.  His reviews can also be found on www.coolcleveland.com and www.NeOHIOpal, while special features appear at http://artsamerica.org.
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