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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 2004)
October 1 .2QQ4 * J U S t O U t out L o r c a in a G r e e n D r e s s Miracle Theatre “In Spain, a dead man is more alive as a dead man than anywhere else in the world," wrote Lorca, who today continues to live, speak, love— and be loved— in A Green Dre:s. “Ay, la vida!” 1 1 1 t would’ve been so much easier in the world I if I could’ve loved a woman.” Such is one reflection from the heart of — Timothy Krause Spain’s most celebrated poet, Federico Garcia Lorca, whose fascination with death and scuffled Kiss I t ! passions in life are poignantly examined in larrea I Stark Raving Theatre in a Green Dress, onstage at Miracle Theatre through Oct. 16. o unto others as you would have them do Often writing against oppression, Lorca was tar unto you, and love yourself as you are. T he geted an intellectual threat to the rising Spanish golden mle of the Bible and the golden rule regime. The song of this outspoken gay bard was o f the queer community kx:k lips in the new play quelled when in 1936 he was killed at age 38 by Kiss It! by Seattle lesbian Amy Wheeler, onstage Nationalists at the start of the Spanish Civil War. at Stark Raving Theatre through O ct. 16. In Lorca, Pulitzer-winning gay playwright Nilo Cruz Set in Portland, this modem comedy concerns turns that assassination into a somber and surreal two G en Yers: June, a freethinking sex worker “seduction of reality” that is altogether transfixing. who dreams of exploring her masculine side, and T he play begins upon Lorca’s murder, when her cross-dressing twin, Henry, who struggles to the bkxxlied poet awakes to various incarnations suppress his homosexuality through Christianity. of himself. A young Lorca with Bicycle Pants cat But when June crosses paths with trans woman alogs his childhcxxl dreams. Lorca as a Woman Vivien, and Henry is flatly challenged by clown- represents his muse. Lorca in a W hite Suit, Lorca i ish old-fag Dominic, the siblings are spurred to re in a Green Dress and a flamenco dancer.. .each examine the definitions they hold of themselves interprets portions of his life, revisiting dark super and others, including a pansexual, kiss-hawking stitions. Together, the six are jailed in purgatorial street idealist named Orlando. quarantine ruled by two guards bent on carrying Om nipresent is an observant W ild W oman the poet through death and onward. who, in a third-act twist, leads the queer quin- From sultry gypsy flamenco to lurid Dali land ! tet— and the play— in a very different direction scapes, Cruz culls memories for the fertile vernac for a quick existential lesson on how actions ular of Lorca’s writing, his mind, his kxly and speak louder than words. what it means to be alive, artistic, gay, thoughtful. Stark Raving artistic director Matthew B. 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She has skillfully composed oastage the romantic cadence of Lorcas story in which dialogue is music, action is dance, rhythm is life. O ne man’s story becomes bigger than the tiny Miracle stage, embracing Kith a wide land scape of ideas and minute details o f presence. In the pivotal Lorca role, Neal Starbird’s trademark intensity plays well against Meg Savlov’s evocative flamenco, while Darius Pierces actor who sheds the role of Lorca in a Green Dress blends as subtle counterpoint. But what’s more impressive is how this tightly woven ensem ble as a whole projects harmony in dissonance by balancing grand theatricality with simple honesty. T he same tune is carried by set designer José E. Gonzalez, lighting designer Peter West and composer/sound designer Rodolfo Ortega, togeth er creating a wonderfully strange, chilling, cata comb-like netherworld. Zrehski makes a noble pass at navigating a pre cariously disjointed landscape that is as ambi tious as it is altruistic. But this three-hour Kiss collapses into more o f a dry, self-conscious, closed-lip swipe than a passionate, revealing, full- on spit swap. It’s sort o f a contrived “after-school special” for the queer set in which W heeler only gets to first base on issues o f gender identity, sex uality, spirituality, incest and same-sex marriage. Any depth o f character is unfortunately dis placed by a defensive angst, one often harshly spotlighted in hackneyed songs that leave gaping holes o f disinterest rather than insightful nuance. Still, the ensemble tries to pucker up to the material. Jam ie Lee Currier, for example, opens wide to share a visible sense o f June’s own self- discovery upon learning o f Vivien’s past as a man. And Gabriel Forrest licks an intense rev elation in his portrayal o f Henry’s surrender to sexuality. But when all is said and done, there just isn’t enough chemistry in W heeler and Zrebski’s Kiss to want to stay the night. — T f C jH . :|l kitchen KP Open 7 nights GCS- * S u n d a y -T h u rsd a y 5:30-9:(Ml/rm F r id a y -S a tu rd n y 3:30-1 pm 1230 nw hoyt I portland 5 0 3 - 2 4 1 -» B O O tcu ic.frn tp U icu c in n .co m PL f e a s e tom us Soon to sn a re ou r p a s s io n jo r ( fo o d ÿ o o d a n d fr ie n d s h ip in th e y jew C O rleans m a n n er. M , I c I lo n d J ö ii)- O ^ S a t u r d a y 5 -IO p m Jay | _unch 11:30-7:30 www crec lapdx.com
