by Nathan Jacquez
Daily Lobo
Does this sound like your family?
Mom converses with the voices for advice about love and the future. Sis yearns to become a Castrati and live in her world of sweet 16, where she is the star forever. Son consults an alien from Lepton for insight into life. And Dad? Well, the voices just won't answer dad.
The Tricklock Theatre started its run of two one-act plays over the weekend - "Wasp," by Steve Martin, and "Our Daily Bread," translated and directed by Michael D. Blum. Both plays deal with the yearnings of the everyday person regarding family affairs and work in a hauntingly surreal way.
Adding to the allure of these already fascinating one-acts are off-stage sound effects which provide ambience - the sound of pouring drinks, ethereal voices and even delightful lapses into what can only be described as the dreamscape of a love struck 16-year-old girl. Despite the play's short length, an amazing amount of characterization is achieved. Within the span of 45 minutes the audience is able to really feel what is going in each character's head, and sympathize, even if frightened and confused by what they see.
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"Wasp" focuses on the inter-workings of an American nuclear family, and examines aspects of modern life: religion vs. science, genetics vs. human-will, the logic of the lie and whether salad is better with mango. The play manages to dissect the characters to their very cores, allowing the viewer to draw their own conclusions about what they want and creating a few frightening moments of personal introspection of their desires.
Richard Boehler plays the inattentive Dad who will not hesitate to tell you that heaven is exactly 17 miles above the Earth - which has existed 4,325 years. Sarah K. Simons is Mom, who has the best intentions but is just a little crazy. Elizabeth Mayhew provides the voice Mom looks to for advice. Bennett Rapson is Son, who is visited by his friend from the planet Lupton and is given the will to work among other visions. And then there is Sis, played by Jen Stephenson, who waits for divine impregnation in a frighteningly funny scene involving a strict choir teacher, played by Howard Kaibel, and pink bunny ears.
In "Our Daily Bread" our focus is shifted to the world of enterprise and personal worth in relation to our position on the corporate ladder. When an angel, played by Elizabeth Mayhew, bearing a carrot visits a downtrodden worker, played by Richard Boehler, known only as The Man, he thinks that he has gone insane. And when the angel follows him home he is quite sure of it. This play is littered with symbolism and examines many aspects of life in the corporate jungle, and pulls no punches or makes any apologies about its staunch and frank portrayals of the greed, self-interest and terrible sacrifices people make in order to advance their positions.
"Our Daily Bread" plays out in a dramatic, but hauntingly oppressive way, culminating in an invisible wrestling match with The Man's supervisor and a mysterious mannequin representation of Mrs. Smith, the head of the company where they both work. Either you are a Cog or an Axle. Cogs are easy to replace.
"Wasp" and "Our Daily Bread" will run Sept. 6-29 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 6 p.m. For ticketing information and reservations, call 254-8393 or go to www.tricklock.org.
