Hammer
Written and Directed by Stephen Gawrit
at RBP Rorschach, 4001 N. Ravenswood (map)
thru Nov 9 | tickets: $15-$20 | more info
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An audacious realization of purgatory
The Right Brain Project presents
Hammer
Review by Keith Glab
The stage is set quite early in Hammer, a world premiere musical both written and directed by Stephen Gawrit. A rustic southerner named Judd (Joshua Harris) languishes in purgatory for murdering his wife Shelly with a hammer. He had previously left Shelly after having knocked her up while they were dating, and Shelly drowned the infant rather than try to care for him on her own. Judd’s rationale for his actions? He thought that the apocalypse was coming (though I’m not 100% clear on how being brutally beaten to death by your spouse is preferable to whatever tribulations the apocalypse would bring).
Gawrit and his ensemble realize this ethereal realm extremely well, however. The veiled fragments of Judd’s soul move about in meticulously slow yet interesting ways, and those actors do a great job of synchronizing their lines with Harris’ where appropriate. Props pulled from the depths of their off-white togas combine with creative lighting effects help create some powerful imagery, though the bulk of this imagery is crated through physical tableau. The musical numbers prove atmospheric as well, and do not overstay their welcome despite the show being billed as a musical. The ensemble is a little uneven as far as the strength of their voices.
Loads of credit goes to Joshua Harris, who somehow makes a pretty horrible character on paper both likeable and relatable. He and Potanos are well-matched actors who each manifest clear, interesting characters through honest choices. Even without fully understanding what was going on all of the time, I remained engaged watching their relationship develop.
While the show’s conclusion itself is clear, it isn’t quite earned by the preceding sequences. A number of the production’s elements can be interpreted in a myriad of ways, most notably the Christ imagery associated with the drowned infant. It’s cool that audience members (of different religious backgrounds, especially) will come away with varied takes on Hammer. Personally, I’d prefer a little more structure to hang my hat on and a tighter show overall to prevent important details from escaping notice. But whatever your interpretation of the narrative or preferences on theatrical styles, you can’t help but be impressed by this audacious, unique, artistic, and well-acted piece.
Rating: ★★½
Hammer continues through November 9th at The RBP Rorschach, 4001 N. Ravenswood (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm. Tickets are $15-$20, and are available by sending and e-mail to [email protected]. More information at RBP.org. (Running time: 2 hours, includes an intermission. Note: The show contains nudity, extreme violence, and adult themes)
All photos by Nathan Robbel
artists
cast
Nicholas Caesar, Liz Goodson, Josh Harris, Todd Herman, Colin Jackson, Tyler Pistorius, Alex Potanos, Joseph Ramski, Andrew Taylor, Sarah Thompson
behind the scenes
Stephen Gawrit (director), Trevor Watkin (music director, arrangements), Tina Godziszewski (costume design), Liz Goodson (mask design), Mikah Berky (set design), Michael C. Smith (lighting), Carole McCurdy (movement director), Rush Marler (tech director), Krista Reeves (stage manager), Zev Valancy (dramaturg), Nick Edelberg (video), Nathan Robbel (producer, photographer)
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