A method to ‘Hamlet’s’ madness

There are more things in “Hamlet” than are dreamt of in conventional staging philosophy, as the Outlaw Style Thrance Company demonstrates in its offbeat rendition of “Hamlet, a Tragic Thrance.”

Director-choreographer Jessica Schroeder coined the company’s name to represent not only its signature commingling of theater and dance but also the frenetic intensity and alternate reality of its performances -- qualities that enliven Shakespeare’s classic drama of psychological angst and social upheaval, though not without some friction.

That the traditionally indecisive and introverted Nordic prince is portrayed by a gutsy, leather-clad black woman (Atim Udoffia) is the least of the production’s surprises, given Schroeder’s penchant for casting against type and gender. Frailty thy name is anything but woman here, as Udoffia gives physical voice to Hamlet’s rage, frustration and grief in a series of muscular dance numbers set to the music of Elvis Costello, Fiona Apple and other rockers (contrasting musical interludes use the more contemplative compositions of Olivier Messiaen).

Udoffia’s similarly gender-bent nemesis is Hamlet’s usurping aunt Claudia (Konima Parkinson-Jones); the physical resemblance between them suggesting their characters are fellow outcasts with more in common than either would care to acknowledge.

The sex-reversal conceit is bound to give genealogists fits, however. To capture the throne, the nefarious Claudia has murdered Hamlet’s father (Scot Shamblin) and married his royal consort, Duke Gerard (Joseph Beck), who is -- stay with me here -- also Hamlet’s father. This preserves Hamlet’s opposite sex dynamic with the surviving parent, but it’s a genetic improbability to say the least. A pox on cloning, if this conundrum be the result.

The supporting cast, pared to 10 characters, takes this quirky universe in stride -- capably handling choreography focused more on dramatic expression than acrobatics. They’re less adept with the language -- only Morgan Peter Brown’s witty Polonius navigates the scansion with ease.

Unfortunately, Schroeder’s adaptation often lacks the courage of its convictions, retaining lengthy passages of the text where a few carefully chosen phrases would be sufficient to set the scene. This overly respectful approach doesn’t play to her performers’ strengths and marginalizes the truly innovative aspects of the production.

-- Philip Brandes

“Hamlet: A Tragic Thrance,” Studio/Stage, 520 N. Western Ave., Los Angeles. 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 7 p.m. Sundays. Ends April 9. $20. (323) 860-6503. Running time: 2 hours, 35 minutes.

‘Fish’ a plethora

of parodies

“A Fish Without His Flippers,” the late-night show at Theatre of NOTE, is flat-out inane -- and we mean that in the nicest possible way.

Playwright Bill Robens and director Kiff Scholl -- who teamed on previous romps “A Mulholland Christmas Carol” and “The Poseidon Adventure, the Musical,” also at NOTE -- are proven goof-meisters who know their way around a parody. The formula for “Flippers” is simple: Assemble a company of comically gifted actors, cobble together a freewheeling spoof, and let the chips fall.

Here, the sketches are linked by a utilitarian framing device. An elderly writer (Carolyn Hennesy), sifting through a box of theatrical mementoes, reflects on some of her past potboilers -- providing a slight but sufficient pretext for a series of parodies that range in tone from Raymond Chandler to Erskine Caldwell, with a little disco-era camp thrown in for good measure. The conceit is tissue-paper thin, and the comedy is occasionally so far-fetched and broad that it elicits groans instead of laughter. But that’s all part of the package.

In the “Maltese Falcon”-esque “Steaming City,” fast-talking Dean Lemont and sultry Kirsten Vangsness simmer their hard-boiled characters to a rubbery turn as a tough private eye and the conniving nightclub singer out to make him her patsy. Other offerings include a sultry Italian film, complete with silly “subtitles” and a deadpan western parody, both of which feature amusing Darrett Sanders, a man who really knows how to take a pratfall -- high praise intended.

But the most sidesplitting segment of the evening is “Fireflies in the Lake,” a Southern parody that is so close to the bone it could almost pass for the real thing. All the familiar Southern archetypes are present, but it is Phillip C. Curry as Tiberius, an obnoxiously sagacious old black man who dispenses cornpone wisdom with syrupy abandon, who steals the show. And when the guys in the cast strip to their skivvies and do a full-blown musical number in “San Francisco Firemen,” the closing sketch, the humor reaches a low -- and we also mean that in the nicest possible way.

-- F. Kathleen Foley

“A Fish Without His Flippers,” Theatre of NOTE, 1517 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood. 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Ends April 1. $12. (323) 856-8611. Running time: 1 hour, 20 minutes.

Autobiographical adventures

Asian and Latino cultures interface in “Foreword: A Housewarming,” and the common ground achieved by this collaborative performance piece is, if not quite unique, then certainly notable and appealing. A joint venture between hereandnow theatre company and Teatro Nueva Alma, “Foreword” is their first co-production at Pasadena’s Armory Center for the Arts Northeast.

Using the central notion of a book’s introductory passage, “Foreword” runs a performance art course familiar to habitues of Highways and CalArts. Director John Miyasaki weaves the personal anecdotes and histories of two endearing casts that rotate between two different programs with a total involvement that generally outweighs the academic aspects and some playing more determined than polished.

The reviewed performance began with “Generations,” an accelerating laundry list of family ephemera that never goes where you expect. “The Eel” converts Hawaiian creation myth into a striking parable of sibling devotion, and “Waltzing With Stephen Hawking” upsets more than one preconceived notion. Latino serenades and Asian dances, tales of lost innocence and confronting prejudice spin through a kaleidoscope of cultural perspectives that conjoin in America’s melting pot and turn on the universal need for connection and identity.

Miyasaki’s adept direction of his youthful players and their autobiographical data holds interest, though the effect is more sincere than searing. There are some technical drawbacks, most involving sightlines and vocal projection. Moreover, the Armory is drafty, so dress accordingly, although the unforced warmth of this promising inaugural effort should offset any serious chills.

-- David C. Nichols

“Foreword: A Housewarming,” Armory Center for the Arts Northeast, 965 N. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena. 7:45 and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Ends Saturday. $12. (626) 744-0380. Running time: 1 hour, 15 minutes.