Review: THE SUPERHERO AND HIS CHARMING WIFE Told Via Emotionally Expressive Physicality

The premiere of THE SUPERHERO AND HIS CHARMING WIFE as presented by Not Man Apart, the amazing Physical Theatre Ensemble, was born from a dream in which heroes, villains, witches and a changing wife fill the stage with incredible athletic movement performed by a cast of ten. As are most dreams, it is an absurd and deeply philosophical hero story dramatized in the world of the graphic novel, an entertaining wild journey into our fear of the unknown.

Written and directed by NMA associate artistic director Aaron Hendry and choreographed by Michelle Broussard, it is an original story of a career SuperHero whose marriage collapses when his wife develops the surprising ability to transform into other women. Devoted to security and order, the Hero discovers that he is terrified of change and struggles to defend his sense of identity, to hold his ground at any cost, and finally to accept the loss, collapse, and revelations that come to pass. "It is a play about fear of the unknown and how that fear can control our lives, growing into all sorts of terrors and anxieties that may not be real. It seeks to be wildly ridiculous and at the same time deeply human," explains Hendry.

Like most of us, The Hero (Jones Welsh) expects there to be order and is thrown into an emotional tailspin when any situation forces him to face and overcome chaos. As a member of the Justice League, his courage in the face of danger is well known. But here, the battle is a more personal one when his wife Julie (Joanna Bateman) in search of her own identity, discovers a dark side of herself that neither one of them is prepared to face when Julie The Changed One (Laura Covelli) appears and attempts to convince the Hero that she is really his wife. It is a wild journey into our fear of the unknown in our relationships, ourselves, and ultimately an exploration of fluidity versus consistency in our lives.

Rooted in NMA's passion for the classics, THE SUPERHERO AND HIS CHARMING WIFE is modern mythology. A mix of the Jungian archetype with the Eastern spiritual warrior, a Hero's tale for a pop-culture age. Ultimately, it is a philosophical and psychological journey balanced with modern action, music, graphics, and absurd humor.

Unfortunately, it's the type of staged presentation that requires more than one viewing to catch all the meaning and themes that pass by in the blink of an eye, often leaving the viewer wondering exactly what is really going on with the story. I encourage you to relax and let the dream float by, accepting whatever occurs as another facet of the dream you are experiencing. After all, when do dreams really make any sense?

Not Man Apart is a collaborative artistic endeavor in which all choreography and movement is created by the Ensemble with the leadership of the Director and Choreographer. So kudos around to all for the emotionally expressive movement that is presented throughout the play. The women's ensemble creates movement scenes using large sheets of plastic under which they appear to create fearful renderings of horrible beings and blobs, complete with the wind-like noise that will send shivers up your spine as they exit the stage.

And watch with amazement between scenes when the entire cast swiftly carries many table-like platforms, raised to shoulder height, swooping them back and forth across the stage while one of the characters is elevated off the ground, jumping back and forth from one platform to the other to create a fun, action packed roof top chase scene, seemingly from the pages of a comic book.

Anne-Marie Talmadge portrays The Dark Creeper, that evil monster in most dreams who attempts to keep you from having things work out. Jessica Carlsen is The Evil, Dirty Witch who lives next door to the Hero and his wife, and screams from offstage at them to keep the noise down - even when there isn't any being made. When we finally meet her late in the play, Carlsen is exactly the type of harbinger you never want to meet in your dreams or anywhere else.

So but your notions of logic aside, sit back and enjoy the roller coaster ride into the dream world of THE SUPERHERO AND HIS CHARMING WIFE through May 15 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. and two Sundays, May 8 and 15 at 3:30 p.m. at Highways Performance Space at 18th Street Arts Center, 1651 18th Street, Santa Monica, 90404. Tickets are $30; Seniors and Students are $20. For reservations and information, call (310) 315-1459 or go to http://highwaysperformance.org/.

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