Thursday, March 17, 2011

What is The Color of Love? "Disco Pigs" @ Silver Meteor Gallery

Pig and Runt were born on the same day. In the same hospital. This event is vividly acted out by them at the beginning of the play. Their lives are entangled by birth, location, class, and more. Like twins, they have developed their own language. Add to that the thick Irish accent, and it takes a few minutes at the beginning to adjust to it. For me, it was a positive, in that it left me with the emotional subtext of the exchanges, which define their relationship at the start. They live in a consensual bubble, but poised on the edge of adulthood, they're growing apart. Their lives rely on history, momentum, closeness, extreme physicality, techno-music dance clubs, drinking, and for Pig, violence. His world is almost solipsistic, save for Runt, but she has a wider social view. He makes her the object of his strong sex drive, but she does not reciprocate. They live brutalized lives in a brutally sparse environment, with the shadow of the IRA, being a defeated/occupied culture, economic hard times, etc.

There are incredibly funny moments in this play, and lots of them, including the characters watching Baywatch (until recently the most-watched TV show in the world) but it's not a comedy. It is a rite of passage. The intense, white-water rapid torrents of energyof this excellent one-act play are hard to convey.

Ms. Dahlia Legault, who plays "Runt", brings simultaneous multiple levels of existence to her character and ample energy to a physically demanding role. Nic Carter, "Pig", is at times almost unbelievably frenetic, giving depth to his character's conflicted, violent life. The costumes, by Mike Buck are beautiful, embody the spirit of the characters, and are convincing. Kathy Buck's dilapidated set is brilliant, in how it figuratively morphs from one location to another in the viewer's mind. It appears and disappears at the drop of a line. Megan Lamasney's direction brings it all together, in a play where a mistimed moment or gesture would stand out. Lauren Libretti's lighting will surprise you in the best of ways.

This is a rare, uncommon, beautiful, strong play and great theater experience. Treat yourself.   Silver Meteor Gallery, 2213 E. Sixth Avenue, Ybor City. 813.300.3585. Today through Saturday, doors open at 7:30, play starts at 8 PM (runs for a little over an hour, non-stop). Starts at 3PM on Sunday. $15 for adults, $12 Students & Seniors.

--- Luis

No comments:

Post a Comment