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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Palatino">POOR LITTLE LULU, Theatre
of the Absurd at Cleveland Public Theatre</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Roy Berko</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Palatino">(Member, American Theatre Critics Association &
Cleveland Critics Circle)</span><span style="font-family:Palatino"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">POOR LITTLE LULU, Matthew Earnest’s play, which is getting
its world premiere at Cleveland Public Theatre where it<span style> </span>is being produced in association with
The Lunar Stratagem, is a classic Theatre of the Absurd creation.<span style> </span>The absurd movement, which was at
its high during the turbulent mid-to-late twentieth century, centered on the
existential question, “why do we exist?”<span style>
</span>Plays by Edward Albee and Eugene Ionesco put individuals in absurd
situations, where the ridiculousness and horrors of life, and of the decisions
made, were paramount.<span style> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Earnest has taken the words of Frank Wedekind, who wrote
PANDORA’S BOX (1904) and EARTH SPIRIT (1895), controversial plays which
examined women under siege, and developed a work that allows for seeing a group
of people who are depraved, selfish and foolish.<span style> </span>People, who clearly are acting out the meaning of existence.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Placed in a stark white setting, with harsh glaring lights,
the work takes on the look of absurdist art, often letting the viewer figure
out what is being portrayed and its meaning. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The script is as relevant today as it was at the turn of the
century, maybe even more so because of the constant availability of electronic
media. <span style> </span>Vitriolic conservatism in
the present day has broadened the field.<span style>
</span>Religious fanatics, their political spokesmen, and right wing media moguls
attack anyone that doesn’t agree with their narrow views by name calling,
verbal, and litigious assault.<span style>
</span>Women, gays, liberals and humanists, among others, are castigated as the
enemy and attacked.<span style> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lulu, in Earnest’s play, is doing what she has been taught
to do.<span style> </span>She is a femme fatale, the
only route open to her.<span style> </span>As
Earnest, who is also the play’s director states, “We were interested in her as
a blank canvas that everyone in her life felt free to paint on whenever they
liked, even to the point of renaming her at their pleasure.<span style> </span>Renaming her by calling her names and
alluding to her in vulgar terms.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Earnest paints not only on Lulu, but on the entire
stage.<span style> </span>Men are dressed in
revealing women’s underwear doing “womanly activities,” such as moving
furniture, moving daintily through lives, changing characters to fit the needs
of others.<span style> </span>The real is often not
presented as real.<span style> </span>Actors change
characters so often that keeping track of who is who becomes an exercise in
futility.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The cast of POOR LITTLE LULU seems to understand their
purposes.<span style> </span>Some, of course, carry
out their mission more proficiently than others.<span style> </span>Katie Nabors (Lulu) moves easily from mood to mood, role to
role.<span style> </span>Karl LaMarca, is cute,
effeminate and believable as Alva Sch<span style>ö</span>n.<span style>
</span>The rest of the cast has high and low moments, sometime feigning roles
that require believability.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Benjamin Gantose’s lighting design and Will Bezek’s set
design add to the absurdity of the production.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Capsule judgement: <span style> </span>POOR LITTLE LULU is not a play for
everyone.<span style> </span>It is abstract and
existentialistic in nature, which makes it a niche production which will
attract those who like the Theatre of the Absurd and enjoy verbal gymnastics.</span></i><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">POOR LITTLE LULU runs
through March 24.<span style> </span>Be aware that
the curtain goes up at 7 PM.<span style> </span>For
tickets call 216-631-2727 or go on line to </span><a href="http://www.cptonline.org/"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:windowtext;text-decoration:none">www.cptonline.org</span></a><span style="font-family:Palatino">.</span></p>