InstaPlay
The Universe

Remaining performances:
Wednesday, July 23 @ 7 PM; Friday, July 25 @ 10 PM

They say: “InstaPlay is an improvised one act play. No props. No costumes. No Script. You write the first line, and we’ll make up the rest. Right there. On the spot. Our story takes place in [location] where every day [main character] begins [his/her daily routine]. InstaPlay. Instant Gratification.”

Marianka’s take: First, full disclosure: I am a director and practitioner of movement and multimedia improvisation (though obviously not of this group). I love the form and know how challenging it is. The beautiful part, for both the performers and the audience, is walking that tightrope and taking those risks.

On Saturday, the members of 5-6-7-8 stayed on the tightrope with aplomb.

Before the show, the audience was asked to write some trigger words on cards. The cast, of fascinatingly varied shapes and sizes, picked one at random and created hilarious characters, situations, and relationships within a story of a human trip to Mars, the Martians being less than pleased.

The ensemble was obviously having fun tuning into each other and rolling with the punches. To varying degrees they were fast on the pickup and facile with dialog (often multilog–two scenes playing simultaneously or overlapping), although I did wish for more character in the way of defined movement during static conversations and confrontations (beyond the fake face-slapping).

You will not see this play when you go. What you will see is 5-6-7-8’s balancing act of on-the-fly decisions and in-the-moment reactions to a spontaneous dramatic situation. There’s no doubt they’ll be having fun while doing it.

In scripted plays every nuance must to be carefully crafted and shaped. In improvisational performance, as in life, we all take our chances. When it works it is a satisfying conversation. And even when it doesn’t.

A scientist might say, “there is no such thing as a failed experiment; we learn something from any outcome.”

See it if: You’re a cultural risk-taker.

Skip it if: You’re afraid of failing.

Lebensraum
Studio Theatre

Remaining shows:
Sunday, July 20 @ Noon; Wednesday, July 23 @ 7 PM; Sunday, July 27 @ 4 PM

They say: “Using a cast of three to play 40 characters, this work is based on the explosive idea that a German Chancellor might, as an act of redemption, invite 6 million Jews to Germany. The logical progression of this artfully drawn script raises the terrifying possibility that history may repeat.”

Marianka’s take: If theater’s genius is to transport you to a different but still plausible world, this play fits the bill. Written by multi-awarded playwright (and screenwriter of the movie “Sunshine”) Israel Horovitz, Lebensraum projects real history into the fictional present and brings “terrifying possibility” into the intimate lives of forty characters with poignancy.

The very young 3 person cast–Sarah Shook, David Olson, Chase Helton–is absolutely dynamite. With minimal but iconic costumes and props, director Cory Ryan Frank deftly maneuvers them through fluid role changes into Germans and Jews of various persuasions, unreconstructed Nazis and clueless adolescents, assimilated Americans and Israeli revolutionaries, plus many more. In a Brechtian turn, each actor also rotates through as narrator during seamless character transitions without ever skipping a beat. The delineation between characters is clear in their lovely, nuanced interpretations–truly a tour de force.

One small quibble: the team should get help on their German and French pronunciation.

Even at 90 minutes, the play moves with lightning speed, but the afterglow hasn’t faded yet.

See it if: You want to be engaged emotionally and intellectually long after it’s over, to experience virtuosic performances (that includes the sound, light, and technical elements), and to be able to say, “I saw them when…”

Skip it if: The above leaves you cold.

How I got Rich in a Year, Using That Secret
Flashpoint Mead Theatre Lab

Remaining performances:
Saturday, July 19 @ 4:30 PM; Sunday, July 20 @ 7 PM; Thursday, July 24 @ 7:30 PM

They say: ”Last year, writer/performer Laura Zam wowed audiences with a sold-out show the Washington Post called ‘Smart’…’Funny’…and ‘Beautiful.’ This year, Zam is back with a new solo play about synchronicity and extreme success. Can our heroine manifest wads of cash? Can she cure her friend’s cancer? If not, heaven help us.”

Marianka’s take: Woman in a man’s dress suit plays 6 one-dimensional characters defined and distinguished only by their ACCENTS:

• Sleazy Southern motivational speaker Ken who likes to speak “fake German,” and his unseen, unheard wife.
• Diffident second-generation holocaust survivor and quirky performance artist Laura, lusting for a luxury apartment in Betty Friedan’s building.
• Noo Yawk heckler and his sickly new-age wife.
• Prissy British cult competitor.

Guess what? All except Ken achieve their dreams!

There’s no set, no costumes, no props (sorry, I forgot about the little bongo drum and a couple of chairs), no heft, no “saft” (look that up in your German dictionary), only some forgettable soundtrack for character transitions.

According to the program, this writer-performer has an impressive bio, glowing endorsements, and many helpful friends, but that’s so last year. Her technique is as tight as her drum, but this year’s material is as thin as a fringe.

See it if: You are a believer, skeptic, slob, and/or a friend of Laura’s.

Skip it if: You are not, and you have other choices.