Monday, November 2, 2009

"Bleeding Through"

The writing/producing team of Theresa Chavez and Rose Portillo have been creating exciting and innovative theater experiences here in L.A. for many years, so any chance to see new work by them is a treat. Working from Norman Klein's novella "Bleeding Through" has given them some intriguing material to work with but also saddled them with a difficult conceit: finding a theatrical correlative for Klein's blend of cultural criticism, personal obsessions and sociological commentary. Hence, the presence of the "Unreliable Narrator" in this environmental enterprise. It's a conceit that works occasionally but never completely meshes with the rest of the production...actually a pretty accurate description of much of Klein's writing which has always worked far better as provocation, posing more questions than answers. Onstage, however, the double vision encouraged by this blending of fictional narrative and historical commentary only occasionally creates the kind of theatrical connection one might hope for. As a result, this is a production that engages the mind far more than the emotions, unlike earlier memorable collaborations by Chavez and Portillo.That said, however, there is much to like and admire about this production, beginning with its environmental setting designed by Akeime Mitterlehner. Rarely has the fourth wall been more porous, and the opportunity at intermission to actually explore the setting is a particular pleasure. Live music and video projections help create a dream-like atmosphere, and the cast, led by Lynn Milgrim and Elizabeth Rainey do their best to integrate narrative strands from the past, the present and, less engagingly, the personal quest of the narrator. The local neighborhood of Angelino Heights as it exists in its present incarnation, its past heyday and as it is preserved as a cinematic backdrop for countless cinematic crime dramas, is the real protagonist here, and I suspect one's investment in this production will be in direct proportion to one's interest in the history of the local community. Still, I recommend this production not only because of the earnest dedication and obvious talents of its creators, designers and cast, but also because it's a show that's unafraid to be ambitious. It takes real and often tantalizing risks in search of new ways of forging connections between who we are, where we live and the collective memories, and sometimes fantasies, that unite us.

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