RSS 2.0 FeedSeptember 23, 2009, Theatre
Terrifyingly electric
Spine-tingly sights and sounds kick off the Coterie Theatre's season opener "Tell-Tale Electric Poe." Upon entering the darkly lit theatre from the mid-day hustle and bustle of Crown Center, the atmosphere noticeably changes. Grim and ambient metallic music fills the room.
In this thrilling amalgamation by Jeff Church presented by the Coterie Theatre, six Edgar Allan Poe pieces explode into dynamic and murderous life as one actor and one electric guitar-toting performer rock the theatre with passion and awesome talent.
Upon entering the darkly lit theatre from the mid-day hustle and bustle of Crown Center, the atmosphere noticeably changes. Grim and ambient metallic music fills the room. One can imagine the 200 years that have passed since Poe's birth as one's eyes adjust. The Burton-esque set designed by Rex Hobart is a masterful piece of art in itself, which was inspired by the 1953 animation of Tell-Tale Heart and which promises to set the stage for fright.
Straight-jacket clad Bruce Roach (what an apropos last name for this production) begins the performance with the poem Alone, a short work that transitions easily into The Bells, a more daunting piece, that Roach rushed through a bit. However, he happily found his way out of the straight-jacket (and gained his footing) by the lesser-known short story Wilson Wilson. Roach's extraordinary performance of The Raven led into the hair-raising enactment of The Pit and the Pendulum, given entirely and skillfully from the tabletop. The humor he brought to Tell-Tale Heart put a personal spin on the well-known classic. Roach's breadth of skill is fully showcased in his depiction of six separate narrative characters.
Composer, set designer, and technical director, Rex Hobart accompanied Roach with electric guitar. Hobart's own twangy style and dark electric riffs acted as an instrumental narrator, a transitory device, and even as the pendulum in The Pit and the Pendulum with a flashlight cleverly affixed to the neck of his guitar. Georgianna Londre's gothic costume design fitted Hobart perfectly for the sometimes wandering, sometimes lurking electric specter.
To top it off, SeifAllah Cristobal's projection design was superb and added to the sophistication of the dark atmosphere, expertly casting eerie images of floating skulls, ravens, and more. The morbid and downright frightening Poe themes moved many young patrons to find the laps of their escorts where they stayed through the duration - a testament to the horrifying performance.
This thrilling and unique rendition of classic Poe may not be for the very young, but it is for everyone else. Tell-Tale Electric Poe is a visual and musical spectacular - a must-see this season.
REVIEW
The Coterie Theatre
Tell-Tale Electric Poe
Runs September 15 - October 9 (Reviewed: September 20, 2009)
2450 Grand Boulevard, Suite 144, Kansas City MO
For tickets call 816-474-6552 or online www.coterietheatre.org
Top Photo:
The Coterie Theatre's Tell-Tale Electric Poe
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