BWW Reviews: Crazy Russian Adventures in Imaginary Beasts's KNOCK!

In general, I quite enjoy abstract and devised pieces. I think it takes an incredibly creative eye to patch together moments, images, and words that can tell a story absurdly, outside the confines of a realistic narrative. Imaginary Beasts consistently puts out what they call "adventurous" and I would call "ludicrous" theatrical productions, pushing boundaries, disregarding conventions (gender bending is a staple of their shows), and twisting reality. Their most recent production was Knock, a devised premiere combining upwards of twenty-five plays, short stories, and poems by Russian author Daniil Kharms.

Following their tradition of producing works that have a "tendency towards the obscure", the piece is fragmented and odd, with recurring characters, sharp visuals, and random bits of different stories. The play was a collection of seemingly meaningless vignettes, snapshots, and moving images, all of which seemed to have an early-1900s, vaudeville, old-timey circus feel to them. It was stylized, specific, and weird, and while it was very enjoyable, I was not entirely certain what I was supposed to take away from it.

Visually, I was very impressed with what I saw. The scenic design, by Christopher Bocchiaro and Director Matthew Woods, transformed the little black box space, consisting of tired wooden floorboards and a sea of weathered doors, providing many opportunities for hidden actors and surprise entrances. Old-fashioned lanterns burst up haphazardly through the floorboards, which were a really nice touch, until one of the actors knocked one over and shattered it mid-show, as then I could not think of anything else. The lighting design, also by Bocchiaro, was really beautiful, with sharp colors and shadows. There was also a gorgeous effect where the floor was lit from below, sending ominous rays up through the floorboards, and I only wish it was utilized for more than just scene changes.

Costume design, by Cotton Talbot-Minkin, was wonderfully period, filled with top hats, overcoats, and headscarves. All of the actors had white face paint, which is an Imaginary Beasts staple, which I do not understand. But I thought the clothing itself was quite lovely. And the sound design, by Chris Larson, was my favorite, with lots of quasi-ominous, accordion filled, oom-pah-pah music that helped paint the 1900s circus picture. The cohesive design elements, together with a lovely snow machine, made for a really nice and specific aesthetic.

The ten-person ensemble played many roles, with some recurring characters, a substantial amount of costume changes, and lots of stage combat. The actors seemed to be clowning, both in an obvious, visual way (with red noses and giant shoes) and simply in their choreographed, highly physical, and over-the-top movements. For the most part, I had no doubt that the actors knew exactly why they were doing what they were doing, even if I, as an audience member, couldn't figure it out. The stand-out for me was William Schuller, who was odd, energetic, and surprisingly nimble, presenting his pieces almost as a graceful and incredibly weird dance. I liked him a lot.

My biggest issue with the piece was its structure. When putting together an abstract work, you need some driving force: a line of cohesion that creates an arc, even without realistic narrative. There were many opportunities for this to happen. Perhaps the whole show could have been framed by the ringmaster or could have been in the head of the struggling author. But instead, these recurring characters simply popped up here and there, had a scene, and then moved on. I had a hard time sensing the "why" with this show and then it ended on a song, which seemed so out of place when compared to the piece as a whole. I really liked the content of what Knock had to say, but I think it could definitely use some work in its form.

Even though I left the work questioning why I saw what I saw, I really did enjoy myself. The piece is incredibly weird and funny, both in its language (I was not familiar with Kharms's writing prior to this evening) and in its physicality (which is undoubtedly Director Woods's strength). I commend the company for creating an aesthetically beautiful and compelling piece out of this obscure writer's canon. I might be baffled, but I'm still thinking about it, and that's probably a pretty good thing.

Directed by Matthew Woods; Adapted by Matthew McMahan and the ensemble; Costume Design by Cotton Talbot-Minkin; Lighting Design by Christopher Bocchiaro; Sound Design by Chris Larson; Scenic Design by Christopher Bocchiaro and Matthew Woods; Stage Management by Deirdre Benson

Featuring (in order of appearance): Joey Pelletier, Noah Simes, Sarah Gazdowicz, Michael Underhill, Michael Chodos, Mariagrazia LaFauci, Kaitee Tredway, Libby Schap, William Schuller, and Molly Kimmerling.

Imaginary Beasts's production of KNOCK! The Daniil Kharms Project runs through October 18th at the Plaza Black Box Theatre at the Boston Center for the Arts. For more information, visit imaginarybeasts.org.

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