Review: MR. BURNS, A POST-ELECTRIC PLAY at Unicorn Theatre

"Mr. Burns," the new joint offering from Unicorn Theatre and UMKC, is a glimpse through a funhouse mirror darkly at life as it may progress in a future not so very far away. An excellent cast has been assembled to tackle some very difficult material. They succeed beyond what any audience could reasonably expect.

The first act opens on a bare stage; save for a campfire, a battered couch, and assorted backpacks. Five actors inhabit this desolate scene. These folks are refugees of a sort. One woman appears to be silently traumatized. One man stands on the alert for possible threats. The remaining two women and the man attempt finding common experience while warming by the fire. The unlikely story that they bond over is the odd "Cape Feare" episode from the outlandish television cartoon series, "The Simpsons."

We soon discover that an unknown apocalypse has occurred. Nuclear power plants (like the one owned by Simpson's character Mr. Burns) have spiraled somehow out of control and radiation is everywhere. Millions have died. The electric grid is destroyed. But there are survivors. These folks are among them.

A new tradition has been founded. Wandering refugees have not yet given up on their loved ones. With each new arrival, group members present the names of ten loved ones in hopes that the newcomer has encountered them on their personal journeys.

It is like being suddenly kicked back into the nineteenth century, but with full knowledge of everything that has happened in the years since.

Act II: Seven years have passed. Storytelling around a campfire has progressed to a new stage. The group that we previously met has morphed into a traveling theatre company similar to traveling tent shows from the old west. Memories of "The Simpsons" have lost context and meanings have shifted. Old commercials from "Simpson's" episodes are now performed as an integral part of the storyline. Other similar groups have formed in competition for audience. The troupe members argue over the best way forward.

Act III: Seventy-five more years pass. "The Simpsons" has morphed again over time. It now resembles something of a passion play. Costumes are better crafted and more formal. Graven images of Homer and Marge and Bart are placed carefully around the stage. Mr. Burns reappears as kind of a devil figure who is ultimately triumphed over in the framework of "Cape Feare." The simple music of the commercials has become operetta and dance. Head dresses call to mind the masks of a "Simpson's" Greek chorus. The never ending search for survivors continues.

Kind of sounds like a downer, but this play is funny and clever and not so far-fetched. It depicts how storytelling may have developed over a very long time. It shows how dependent we have become on all our electrically operated gadgets. And how it may develop again. This is not a completely new idea. Think the conclusion of the "Planet of the Apes" movies.

A tremendous amount of dialog, song, and dance has been mastered by this very good cast. They seem always in the moment. No one waits for their cue. The situations and disputes seem real no matter how outlandish the setting and the costumes. Costumes and sets become more and more complex as the distance from the apocalypse widens. Director Ted Swetz has done a great job of building a team and getting them to put convention aside for this absurdist jaunt into a maybe tomorrow. According to previous accounts of other interpretations of this rather new play, Swetz has steered a course not previously charted for Anne Washburn's Drama League nominated dark comedy.

The actors shift roles and personae each act, but it would be remiss not to mention them by name. Matt Rapport, Tim Scott, and Matthew King are all exceptional. Maya Jackson, Manon Halliburton, Mariem Diaz, and Jessalyn Kincaid shift character identities seamlessly. All are excellent musicians and bring off the numerous dance numbers and sight gags. This group works as a team. It is a voyage into the surreal that keeps us interested and serves as a huge kudo for the mind that put the team together.

When you see it, keep you mind open and your "Simpson's" and popular culture antennae attuned. "Mr. Burns" continues its run through December 27. Tickets are available at http://www.unicorntheatre.org or by telephoning 816-531-PLAY (7529).

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