Disorientation of Butterflies
Written by Alaska Reece Vance
Music by Nathan A. Schmidt
Directed by Kelly Levander
Irish American Heritage Ctr, 4626 N. Knox (map)
thru Feb 19 | tickets: $10-$18 | more info
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Bleakness without end
Uncovered Theatre Company presents
The Disorientation of Butterflies
Review by K.D. Hopkins
There is much irony in the fact that I just covered the brilliant Peace in This House from Erasing the Distance before reviewing this production from Uncovered Theatre. The former is a wonderful set of monologues taken with permission from people who were dealing with depression and suicidal despair. The Disorientation of Butterflies is an endless dirge of despair. There have been many musical dramas with serious themes. Assassins comes to mind as an example of doing it well. It can be accomplished but it was not with this production.
The blame for this cannot all be set at the feet of the cast – a great deal, but not all. With the exception of "Breath on My Skin", the lyrics and libretto, from Alaska Reece Vance, are just awful. The counterpoint device using duet and trio is overused and unintentionally comical. The interjections of ‘tick tock’ and ‘poof’ are a motif that seems like a cartoon punch on the Batman show. Atonal music can elicit a chilling or dark mood instantly, but in Butterflies it is just another layer of matte-shaded moodiness. It’s dull and listless.
The characters have no spark. Every character is a study in neurosis without any expository background. It is alluded that depression runs in the family and that everyone recognizes Death as some looming ever-present force. It does not help that Death is named in the program as Mara but that name is never uttered on stage. It very well could be a cultural reference that I don’t get, but bad writing seems a more likely cause.
The performances are another level of hell. This is a purported musical, and yet it is filled with reedy vocals and missed notes. The exceptions are Bill Chamberlain as Granddad and Melonie Collmann as his daughter Ariel. It is never good to be tentative about a musical performance – the singer has to have strength and projection. Chamberlain and Collmann are really good vocalists, which makes the other performances glaringly painful to hear.
Katie Cheely plays the role of the suicidal character Jessie. It is intended as a tour de force performance of a woman tortured by suicidal thoughts. It churns on as a one note still life rather than a star turn. Nicole Lanier plays Jessie’s fraternal twin Johanna in what is the closest to a variation on a theme. She has a scene with Adam Hurst, who plays Jessie’s husband Tyler, that has potential to part the clouds and offer hope. Johanna is written as the opposite of Jessie in energy and demeanor. Lanier plays the role with a manic pace forcing a stark contrast without nuance. Her vocals, like most of the cast, come off like a grade school recital – no projection or strength.
Hurst has a solo that is his prayer to save his wife from suicide and madness. Having heard Hurst, it should have been just dialog. Hurst has no business singing. His voice is reminiscent of the sensitive and breathy boy songs on AM radio in the 70′s. There is not even one hit wonder potential such as Richard Harris singing ‘MacArthur Park’. His character is an example of codependence but the portrayal is another flat note in every way.
In this play, Death (Mara) is a woman in a purple cocktail dress and stilettos. Kelly Hegelson slinks about the stage like a model. The part needs an actress who can sing. The helpless attraction that Jessie has to Death is further marred by a pseudo-erotic overtone. The Disorientation of Butterflies has potential, with better direction, to set the pacing and modulate the Grand Guignol hysteria given as angst. This is Kelly Levander‘s first go as a director and it shows. Lighten up on the ham-fisted metaphors and take some singing lessons, please.
Rating: ★
The Disorientation of Butterflies continues through February 19th at the Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox (map), with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 3pm. Tickets are $10-$18, and are available online at BrownPaperTickets.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at UncoveredTheatre.com. (Running time: 2 hours, which includes one 10-minute intermission)
