The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
Reviewed by Angie Hoover
City Garage Theater
Through August 12
There are jokes in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, but you wouldn’t know it if you’ve seen City Garage’s rendition.
The play is meant to satirize Hitler’s rise to power through the allegorical narrative of small time gangster, Arturo Ui, as he exploits working class people in the wake of the Great Depression.
Director Frederique Michel has a unique vision which includes an innovative marriage between video and stage, surreal dance numbers meant to symbolize the social changes catalyzed by Ui’s rise to power, gender non-specific casting and, not least, a strange scene in which Ui drops trou, tucks his penis between his legs, and imitates a trashy woman walking down the street.
Had these elements come together as planned, the show’s tone might have ventured into dreamlike spaces to foster a deeply disturbing perception of Hitler as a man and a legend. However, it seems as if Michel’s intents were communicated but never fully understood or (more importantly) felt by her ensemble of actors, who know what to say and where to stand, but don’t seem to understand the intent behind any of it.
This isn’t the fault of any one actor, director, or script; it is just what can happen with a highly collaborative art form such as theater. In this case, the lack of cohesion in tone and the robotic, often emotionless recitation of dialogue puts the production in league with the local high school’s performance of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The awkwardly performed choreography, ill-fitted costumes, and lack of attention to details like hemlines and time-appropriate hair and makeup further reduce the show’s professionalism and often distract from the action taking place on stage.
As Brecht writes in the second act, “Not dead ain’t the same as living,” a sentiment which seems particularly resonant in a production that manages to tread water, but is always in danger of drowning.
City Garage Theater, 2525 Michigan Ave, Santa Monica; (310) 453-9939. Running Time: approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes with a 10-minute intermission.
