A Weekend of Theater

This weekend I went to see two shows, "Paper Angels" , directed by Victoria Linchong, and "Pretty Theft", directed by Twin Towers' own Anglea Astle. Both shows explored contemporary social issues in a concrete setting. "Paper Angels" deals with racism, unlawful internment and the nature of identity (are we more than what is written on our documents?) while "Pretty Theft" deals with idolization of the female form, the lack of justice for the rich and privileged, and the loss of innocence - to name a few. Paper Angels closed this weekend, but the University Settlement Performance Project has a great Spring Lineup, and I'll keep you informed as to what Direct Arts plans next. Pretty Theft runs through May 17th, check out the review in the New York Times.
Both productions made me realize how talented and creative the directors were, brining together all the costume, sound and lighting resources available to them. Paper Angels uses live music to accentuate some of the dramatic moments - I particularly liked when, during one conversation that takes place in Chinese, an ominous drumroll rises from nowhere as the Angel Island interpreter tells the lead character of her husband's suicide. The multimedia flashforward to present day San Fransisco, with live music and projected images, is also quite powerful. In Pretty Theft, the the female ensemble characters are all dressed as ballet dancers, mirroring the world inside Joe's head. Other characters have touches of pink beneath their clothes. The dancers are used in all the scene transitions, reminding us of the world we are in. Both plays use the space and the bodies of their actors with intent. In Paper Angels, the men and women are divided, the men inhabiting the left half of the stage, the women, the right. Both directors took the script and realized it in a unique way, leaving me thinking, "I never would have done it that way." I can't wait to see what Angela has in store for Twin Towers.