Review: Radial's WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT Takes a Visceral Emotional Journey

Dear Readers, there's not much I can tell you about Nassim Soleimanpour's searing play, "White Rabbit Red Rabbit" currently having it's Northwest Premiere at 18th and Union from Radial Theater Project. I'm unable to tell you about the play not because I don't remember but because you shouldn't know in advance. That's part of the show. I urge you not to Google any information about the show. But I also equally urge you to move hell or high water to catch this one, as it's a thrilling emotional journey unlike anything you're likely to have seen before.

Let's start with a little history about the show. I can at least tell you that. In 2010, Nassim Soleimanpour was an Iranian playwright whose plays could not be seen in his own country. As a conscientious objector, his work was censored and he wasn't allowed to travel. He shared the play by email with producers at a few international festivals. In 2011, the play had a dual premiere at the Edinburgh Festival and at the SummerWorks festival in Toronto. Since then, there have been over a thousand performances around the world and the play has been translated into 22 different languages.

It's currently the darling of New York Theater with big named celebrities taking their turn with the script for single performances. If that's a little confusing let me explain. Each night the show is performed with a new, lone actor. Said actor walks out onto stage and is handed a manila envelope with the script. They have never seen the show or read the script and are basically presenting to you and hour plus long cold read of the piece. This would be a daunting task to the most seasoned performer by itself but add into that the emotional complexity of this piece and what results is a herculean effort in theater that demands to be seen. Just as the audience is hit with the piece with no foreknowledge, so is the actor.

Last night, I was fortunate enough to see Kate Jaeger in the piece. If you don't know Kate then you really should get out more. She's a powerhouse of a local actor who shines in anything she's given and last night was no exception but rather a shimmering example of how good she naturally is. She was, in a word, sublime and you, Dear Readers, will never be able to see her in this role. Sorry. As I said, different actors every night since they can't have read the script. But not to worry as Radial Theater has lined up several other local power players for subsequent nights such as Ben Putnam (aka BenDeLaCreme), Paul Budraitis, Andrew Lee Creech, Rebecca Davis, Peggy Gannon, Sara Porkalob, Stan Shields, Kathy Hsieh, and José Amador.

Now if you still want to know more about the show itself, Dear Readers, I will say that the show is about humanity and different people will take away different things based on their own interpretation of humanity as well as the interpretation of whichever actor they see on any given night. You May Laugh, you may cry, but you will certainly think both during and after this show, as this superb and evocative piece will stick with you long after you leave the theater. Again, I cannot urge you enough to make it a point to see this one and so, with my three letter rating system, I give "White Rabbit Red Rabbit" a very emotionally affected and emphatic WOW, my highest rating. So go get your tickets now lest you miss your chance. The theater is not that big and if there's any sense in this world this one will be packed.

"White Rabbit Red Rabbit" from Radial Theater Project performs at 18th and Union through November 19th. For tickets or information visit them online at www.18thandunion.org.

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