Review: DURANG DURANG Entertains Theatre-lovers in East Austin

DURANG DURANG, written by the historical theatre writer/director/actor Christopher Durang, is a farce presented by Oh Dragon Theatre Company. Directed by Dillon Yruegas, this creatively staged play and lively cast of players to a curious group of onlookers trying to piece together what the collection of stories and scenes mean. True to the theatre company's message of "creating authentic performance in both new and classic works...", DURANG DURANG does not disappoint. The writing style of Christopher Durang is a key element in bringing his plays to life, specifically within the genre of comedy. In the unconventional type of story telling that theater-goers expect from Mr. Durang, this show uses a collection of explosive parody and entertaining scenes, which are presented through farce and energetic execution by the cast. The scenes consist of 6 short one-acts presented with a solid 7 players. They represent unapologetic theatrical references that theatre fans will enjoy - understanding the punchline to the inside jokes. The endearing and exasperating scenes help some members shine and leave others trying to stay afloat. This cheerfully profane and crass comedy will confuse and excite the audience members trying to make sense of the farce.

The opening monologue with "Mrs. Sorken", delivered by the lively and entertaining Kristin Hall, sets the tone for the rest of the evening. Her biting and entertaining rant, regarding how things and coincidences can 'magically' lead us to something, introduces the audience to the concept of and eventual acceptance that random acts and events are about to take place upon the stage.The female dominance continues with Ashley Sauls' hilarious portrayal of a Southern Belle. Through the scene she is dealing with her problem children and her faltering willingness to go on. Theatre-goers will know this is clearly a parody, taking on the likeness of Tennessee Williams' "The Glass Menagerie". The scene offers a frail young man Lawrence, neurotically played by Kevin Hippler, possessing a weird obsession with bar swizzle straws/stirring devices, and his coping with the expectation of southern "aristocracy". The farce is hilarious and the scene is carried well by the many acts of players, poking fun at the historical writer. Moving into "A Stye Of The Eye", a parody in the style of Durang's colleagues, mimics the melodramas of Sam Shepard and David Mamet. The surrealism is strewn through the hilarious split personalities and farfetched characters. With the straight-forward style of story telling present, Mr. Durang harkens to the writing style of his peers while parodying the drama. Nicholaus Weindel, hilariously playing Jake/Frankie, a two toothed/very leveled headed set of "brothers". His physicality is fabulous in his execution of being two people at once, with quick wit and malleable skin.

Moving into Act II, the show quickly switches styles and transitions into the unknown - original funny scenes, standing alone. "Nina In The Morning", showcasing Nina, an incredibly vain and lounging woman, played by Kate Clark, slowed the tone of the show with an intentional lack of activity. Narrated by the likes of Donald Evans, the style switched to something more along the lines of a modern Wes Anderson film, keeping in mind, Wes Anderson wasn't a "style" when Christopher Durang published this play in the late 90's. The slowed momentum travelled through the rest of the show, into "Wanda's Visit" and "Business Lunch At The Russian Tea Room". Although funny in smaller doses, the fluidity was lacking and these scenes were choppily portrayed. Chelsea Beth, given the opportunity to steal the show with the outlandish, crass, and in your face character of Wanda, was rather flippant in her performance without landing the comedy completely. However, the comedy from Kevin Hippler, the rough-hewn playwright with laundry to do at the "Russian Tea Room", continued to be a highlight throughout the show, performing admirably in most scenes while keeping the straight-faced comedy in check. In addition, he was a lifeboat in specific scenes keeping the energy moving and most importantly entertaining.

Overall, Oh Dragon Theater Company presents fantastic theater with uncompromising execution. DURANG DURANG is no different. If you want to be entertained, see this show and laugh away! If you are a theatre lover, see this show and revel in the jokes other audience members don't get - it feels fabulous. Oh Dragon Theater Company are professionals of their craft and this show definitely did not disappoint with its lively characters and charming execution.

DURANG DURANG:

Director- Dillon Yruegas

Assistant Director- Carl Gonzales

Stage Manager/Graphic Design - Julie Savage

Sound Design - Lacey Cannon Gonzales

Lighting Design - Corinna Browning, Carl Gonzales, and Dillon Yruegas

Set Design - Corinna Browning

http://www.citytheatreaustin.org/

http://www.ohdragontheatre.org/

To post a comment, you must register and login.