Review: CABARET NOIR Presents Hardboiled Theatre, Cinema Style

Happenstance Theatre Serves CABARET NOIR Hardboiled With A Side Of Laughs At Theatre Project

I've written before about Theatre Project and its highly interactive entrance route before, and nothing's changed about that. I've written before about Soup's On, the lovely eatery just half a block away on Preston Street which is back to winter hours of M-S 11-8 and Sunday 12-6, so pre-show on regular days, but both pre- and post-show on Sundays. I've written before about parking challenges, but this time, due to our arrival for the 2pm Sunday matinee, we find close street parking pretty quickly, and it's free.

I am charmed before I even enter the theatre: when I request the ladies' room, a lovely 'porter' offers me her arm and invites me to "saunter this way." I've been to many shows in many venues and am startled to discover that there are still 'firsts' for me: this is the first time I've been escorted to a washroom. We enter the theatre to soft uplights and smooth, smooth jazz. There is no bad seat in the house, which is arranged stadium-style.

If you've encountered the tropes of Film Noir, much of CABARET NOIR will resonate. Stark lighting illuminates, creates shadows and mood and has a touch of clever unexpectedness. Live sound effects suggest setting with few actual set pieces. Costuming, which is easy to get just slightly wrong, is dead on target, varied and gorgeous.

Happenstance Theatre Ensemble is astonishingly multi-talented, so CABARET NOIR incorporates mime, dance, singing, dramatic dialogue, puppetry, four pair of red heels, windblown newspapers, dueling Femmes Fatale and a slow-motion mele that elevates fight choreography to combat ballet.

If you saw CABARET MACABRE and liked it, you'll be pleased by CABARET NOIR. The best likening I can make is to how you feel when a favorite musical artist releases a new album: it's familiar but fresh. The Cabaret is a series of film-like clips, presented possibly in chronological order... or perhaps not. It's hard to tell. There is a glimmer of story, a hatful of characters, a whisper of atmosphere, a smorgasbord of music and a scent of mystery. Those who love Film Noir will be delighted, those who don't care for it will be charmed and amused, and those who don't know about it will never hereafter be able to take it seriously. A sheet of newspaper 'blows' across the stage, courtesy of Alex Vernon's puppetry. The costume changes to represent character demonstrate Sabrina Mandell's understanding of the relationship between costume and character (and an extensive collection in Wardrobe), and if any costume changes are hurried, it doesn't show, not even a little. Karen Hansen creates music and songs specifically for the clips, or adapts and interprets old favorites, also providing ambient sound effects. The soundscape is easily as fascinating as the visual moments- but wait. It's not a contest. The visual and auditory happenings support and complement each other beautifully, and are performed by masterful artists. The choreography of the finale must, might, almost means something, but hovers on the edge between metaphoric and representational, teasing, and refuses to say. Was that pretentious? Sorry- that's me. The show certainly isn't.

As I exit, another first surprises me. The lift at Theatre Project- and this is remarkable because I've never before witnessed it in operation- makes a horrifying mournful sound as it descends, shuddering its complaint while giving every indication of sturdy soundness. It seems a perfect endcap to the afternoon.

Treat yourself to a mystery of comic tragedy, lighthearted darkness and variety genre. You may not be certain what happened in the story, which means you get to take it with you to ponder later. That's theatre, with extras. CABARET NOIR is at Theatre Project Thursdays through Sundays until the 15th. Weekday and Saturday showtimes are 8 pm, Sunday matinees are 2 pm, with bonus matinees at 2 pm Saturdays.

For tickets, visit www.theatreproject. org or call Theatre Project's Box Office: 410-752-8558

Theatre Project is located at

45 West Preston Street

Baltimore, MD 21201

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