Burning Bluebeard – Hauntingly Riveting

Featuring the full cast of last season’s successful run, Pam Chermansky returns as the alluring Fancy Clown, Anthony Courser plays both Henry Gilfoil and Bluebeard, Molly Plunk shines as the Faerie Queen, Jay Torrence entertains as Robert Murray, Leah Urzendowski bewitches as Nellie Reed and Ryan Walters puts his unique spin on Eddie Foy. These remarkable vaudevillian troupe members tumble, dance, clown and create moments of soaring acrobatics that captivate, entrance and touch the heart. “Sometimes in this life, there is just evil. No one knows why?” is uttered as the cast slowly unveils the unfortunate series of events that lead to the demise of the theatre and the premature, tragic ending of so many lives. Morbid fascinations and natural curiosity are simultaneously on display here within the poetic prose.

Bluebeard crafts elements of circus stagecraft with an unstructured narrative reaching a creative nirvana-like level of spirit. Set to a score of Icelandic techno music and pop hits, including a sample from Amy Winehouse’s chart topper, Rehab, this boundary pushing piece of performance art will make the viewer say “no, no, no” upon its climax. Jessica Kuehnau Wardell’s costume design blends big top frivolity with singed accents, ever the reminder of the inspired production’s fateful day. Lizzie Bracken’s scenic design transports the audience from high a top center stage to the literal graveyard of its performers and theoretical graveyard from which the story rises like a beguiling phoenix.