R.U.R.:
Rossum’s Universal Robots
Written by Karel Čapek
Directed by Brad Gunter
at Side Project Theatre, 1439 W. Jarvis (map)
thru Oct 6 | tickets: $18 | more info
Check for half-price tickets
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Strangeloop melds sci-fi and social commentary
in flawed but engaging production
Strangeloop Theatre presents
RUR: Rossom’s Universal Robots
Review by Joy Campbell
When Karel Čapek coined the word “robot”, he was not envisioning the sleek synthetic hominids or intricate machines that the word conjures for us today. Čapek’s preoccupation was with social ethics, particularly as they apply to the effects of early 20th-century machinery on workers: the word “Robot” is drawn from an old Church Slavonic word, robota, for "servitude," "forced labor" or "drudgery." (sciencefriday.com)
It is in RUR: Rossum’s Universal Robots that the word “robot” made its debut, and the play is a good study of what the world looked liked to a social science fiction writer whose imagination wasn’t influenced by HALs or Robbys or Datas. Stories about animating matter into people were not new (Pygmalion’s statue, the Golem), but unlike these, Čapek’s creations are born as a study on social justice and the ultimate fallibility of a master/servant society, even one in which the servant is not fully human.
Helena Glory (Holly Robinson) shows up as a representative of the anti-robot movement, objecting to the exploitation of the robots; she rejects the notion that the creation of robot slaves is a victimless crime. All the good ingredients of a cautionary tale are here: corporate greed, science untempered by humility, social indifference, the pursuit of leisure at the expense of a meaningful life, and passionate idealism. Dr Gall (Rory Jobst) represents scientific curiosity; Busman (Tim Lee), the justification of actions by profit; Dr. Hallemeir (Matthew J. Lloyd) is the academic voice of observation, and Domin is the unflinching apologist for the beauty of progress; that is, the removal of work and the creation of leisure. Mr. Alquist laments the elevation of the machine , which robs humanity of its meaning by removing its work.
Sure, these are not new themes to us, but it’s interesting to see that the same concerns have been with us for a long time, that long before Citizens United, people worried about overweening corporate influence on the everyday man. Yes, the characters are rather two-dimensional, but that’s part of the fun, like watching an old black-and-white scifi movie on Svengoolie.
Staging on the tiny Side Project stage is tricky, but even with a half-dozen characters, this production never feels crowded, and the characters manage to convey a lot of action in a very small space. The entire robot revolution is brought to us through the comments and observations of the characters, to very good effect. The attack on the house is portrayed via a shadowbox projection on a scrim lowered in front of the performance area. At the performance I saw, there were some hefty technical difficulties: the scrim rod didn’t turn properly, substantially delaying the drop, and then didn’t rewind, leaving two valiant cast members to doggedly tug at it until they got it pulled out of the way. In addition, the sound that accompanied the projection was too soft, failing to deliver impact as it competed with the on-set noise behind it. If they’re able to correct these shortcomings, this device will be very effective.
The cast is fairly solid; standout is James Sparling as Domin. Sparling shows real stage skill in his ability to use economical movement and gesture to create a sense of excitement and tension as he moves about in the small space. And his character is very well played as Domin goes from gleeful certainty to utter despair.
The one real problem is Holly Robinson as Helena Glory. Helena is supposed to be a passionate woman committed to her cause, one so winning that all the men fall in love with her. Unfortunately, Robinson is not up to the part; her portrayal is so sullen and one-note that she had me wondering whether she’d turn out to be a robot herself. While Sparling and crew did a great job of infusing compensatory energy into their scenes, Robinson’s lack of affect and her unsmiling delivery puts a damper on an otherwise engaging show.
If you are looking for some classic scifi ancestry, though, this is a good show to check out. As with many early such stories, the science is thin and subverted to the purpose of the larger social commentary, but it’s good fun all the same.
Rating: ★★½
RUR continues through October 6th at the Side Project Theatre, 1439 W. Jarvis (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm. Tickets are $18, and are available by phone (800-838-3006) or online through their website (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at StrangeloopTheatre.org. (Running time: 2 hours, includes an intermission)
Photos by Peter Robards
artists
cast
James Sparling (Harry Domin), Holly Robinson (Helena Glory), Becca Kravitz (Sulla), Michael Wagman (Marius, Radius), Rory Jobst (Dr. Gall), Matthew J. Lloyd (Dr. Hallemeir), Paul Tinsley (Mr. Alquist), Tim Lee (Consul Busman), Patricia Tinsley (Nana, Robot)
behind the scenes
Brad Gunter (director), Keith Gatchel (stage manager, sound designer), Letitia Guillard (stage manager, production manager), Carrie Campana (costume designer), Jaclyn Jensen (costuming assistant), Glen Anderson (scenic, lighting, and production design), Lisa Uhlig (prop designer), Mike Wozniak (graphic designer), Peter Robards (photos), Maria Burnham (marketing director)
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