‘Blood! Love! Madness!’ is freshly reconceived
How cagey of the Actors’ Gang to revisit “Blood! Love! Madness!” at its new Ivy Substation venue. Cagier still, director Brent Hinkley, some superb designers and a brilliant cast attack this 1992 omnibus of Japanese one-acts as full-scale reconception, to mesmerizing effect.
The original notion -- to wed Kabuki traditions to modernist energies with a little Noh and much moxie -- remains unchanged. Yet its realization feels as newly vital as the austere contours of Sibyl Wickersheimer’s slatted set.
For the record:
12:00 a.m. Sept. 17, 2005 For The Record
Los Angeles Times Saturday September 17, 2005 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 52 words Type of Material: Correction
“Blood! Love! Madness!” -- A photo caption with a review in Friday’s Calendar section of the Actors’ Gang’s production “Blood! Love! Madness!” at the Ivy Substation in Culture City identified the photo as being from the one-act play “The Razor.” In fact, it showed another of the one-act plays, “The Dressing Room.”
One change is the finale, Shimizu Kunio’s “The Dressing Room,” which replaces Yukio Mishima’s “The Damask Drum.” This backstage look at three actresses who dissect their profession and one another produces guffaws and gooseflesh. Beth Tapper is marvelous as the central aging ingenue. Vanessa Mizzone and Lindsley Allen are outstanding foils, and if Angela Berliner has ever been finer than she is as the pivotal prompter, I missed it.
However, you cannot miss the titanic force that Silas Weir Mitchell brings to his vengeful barber in “The Razor,” which opens the show. Kichizo Nakamura’s existential political parable inspires group cohesion, the stances and glances deftly coordinated with Adam H. Greene’s ripe lighting. Kaili Hollister’s wife, Chris Schultz’s county official and Simon Anthony’s treacherous cabinet member are standouts.
The centerpiece, Kan Kikuchi’s “Madman on the Roof,” richly fulfills its comic function. Ann Closs-Farley’s costumes and John Zalewski’s sound run riot in this commedia-masked allegory.
Sienna McCandless’ roof-sitter and Daisuke Tsuji’s brother have effortless panache. Steven M. Porter and Toni Torres make hilarious scenery-chewing parents.
Nathan Kornelis’ fan-battered servant, Anthony’s drag neighbor and Aimee Billon’s caterwauling priestess are priceless. Such vivid theatricality makes “Blood! Love! Madness!” a satisfying cross-cultural coup.
*
‘Blood! Love! Madness!’
Where: The Actors’ Gang at Ivy Substation, 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City
When: 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturday, 2 p.m. Sundays
Ends: Nov. 19
Price: $25
Contact: (310) 838-4264 or www.theactorsgang.com
Running time: 2 hours, 35 minutes
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