[NEohioPAL] Review of "Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo" at Ensemble Theatre

[Bob Abelman via NEohioPAL]

Ensemble Theatre's 'Bengal Tiger' prowls rather than pounces 

Bob Abelman

Cleveland Jewish News, The News Herald, The Morning Journal

Member, International Association of Theatre Critics

 

At the center of the Ensemble Theatre performance space is a mangled, metallic cage in what is the bombed-out Baghdad Zoo during the Gulf War.   The cage's lone inhabitant - a grumbling and profane Bengal tiger (played by a captivating Michael Regnier, sans animal costuming) - reflects upon the senseless slaughter of the lions.  They were recently killed by gunfire upon their foolish but instinctive attempt at escaping confinement.   Upon his own meaningless demise, the result of an equally foolish and instinctive act, the tiger discovers that his cage extends into the afterlife.  He remains earth-bound to lament all the killing his primal urges inspired and ponder existential thoughts. In fact, all the characters in Rajiv Joseph's 2010 Pulitzer Prize nominated drama "Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo" are trapped within their own personal cages from which there is no escape.  Despite a fine script, this production's many solid performances, and Ian Hinz's simple but effective set/projection design and Andrew Eckert's lighting, much of the play's tenacity and tension never surface.  This is due to director Celeste Cosentino's velvet-glove handling of the material.   For more of this review, go to:  http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/columnists/
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