Theater review: ‘HYPERBOLE: origins’ at the Ford

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If you’ve ever wanted to see sperm puppets, here’s your chance: Weird science meets commedia dell’arte in “HYPERBOLE: origins,” the Rogue Artists Ensemble’s freewheeling mime show now at [Inside] the Ford. Prepare yourself for minimal story, a lot of painted leotards and some unusual puppets.

This exuberant if scattered event unfolds around the Origin Machine, a kitschy console manned by a scientist (Thu Tran) and his son (Alex Levin), who perform in masks without spoken dialogue. Upstage, a round screen displays photos of the cosmos and other way-out images. Warning: You may experience flashbacks to early science fair projects.

Short, wordless skits unfold — the creation of music, the first fire — using dance, masks and puppets: The towering moon wears a glittering purple kimono; a woman’s dress catches fire and envelops her lover with silk flames; a shivering silver blob balloons to giant scale in front of us.

Directed with daffy flair by Sean T. Cawelti, “HYPERBOLE” purports to explain beginnings, but we don’t learn anything new in these riffs on the Big Bang, the creation of Los Angeles or even the origin of sin (although Kristopher Lee Bicknell and Julia Garcia Combs work their naughty Adam and Eve costumes to excellent effect). What we do get is a succession of ingenious mask and puppetry work (by Katie Polebaum, Caitlin Lainoff and Dan Rae Wilson), set to a soundtrack of alt-pop. And there are those swimming sperm puppets. Which are really cute. -- Charlotte Stoudt

“HYPERBOLE:origins,” [Inside] the Ford, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. E., Hollywood. 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sundays. No performance Nov. 25. $20. (323) 461-3673 or www.FordTheatres.org. Running time: 2 hours.