‘Goose Girl’ Story Theater Without a Story to Tell
Allegory is a rarefied form riddled with dangerous potholes. When it’s combined with “story theater,” a popular ‘60s form that has thankfully receded into its proper sphere as theater for the young (with the sole exception of “Nicholas Nickleby”), it’s as chancy as skateboarding across Death Valley.
In “Goose Girl” at Theatre of NOTE in Hollywood, Matthew J. Wells blends both idioms to describe the horror of Nazi Germany filtered through Grimms’ fairy tales. He brings no original thought to the subject--and not much horror. The simplistic treatment robs the piece of any power it might have had. The playwright simply got lost on his way into the woods.
Director Marianne Simon stages the action effectively but hasn’t been able to infuse the work with much strength. Only Michael Cudlitz as Wulf, the Nazi symbol, and Andrew DeAngelo as the several sons of Wulf’s victims stand out in the cast for earnestness and elan in the face of dramatic defeat.
The Grimms were grimmer.
At 1705 N. Kenmore Ave., Hollywood; Wednesday and Thursday, 8 p.m.; $10; (213) 666-5550.
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