The Happiest Medium » Chris Harcum

Rabbit Island: No Man Is A Rabbit (2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)

Karen Tortora-Lee — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 19:24:10 +0000

“How long does it take to become a true New Yorker?”

Obviously playwright Chris Harcum goes right for the tough questions in his play, Rabbit Island, currently playing in the Kraine Theatre as part of the 2012 Frigid Festival.

When we first meet Alex (Ethan Angelica) he is nervously pinging around his therapist’s office, a desperate Canadian transplant who simply wants to feel like he belongs in this town. “Some say it’s when you have your first private moment in public …” he goes on to explain, but I would offer that simply unleashing this tirade of neuroses to a therapist qualifies him for at least one click on his “True New Yorker” Punch-card.

After all, isn’t every New Yorker seeing a therapist? Well, apparently not. “Therapy is for suckers!” declares Karen (Carrie Heitman), Alex’s straight-forward, fast-talking, fast-moving girlfriend. Karen does not have a therapist, she has a Life Coach – some one to help her zero in on her mission and attain her objectives. “You need to set goals or else you drift and die!” she rails at Alex who is kind, “nice” but a bit too laid-back for his own good. Or make that HER own good. She sets out to bend Alex – an actor and mime by trade – to her will, first by insisting that after 9 weeks of dating he should move in with her, then insisting they do the Master Cleanse together (If we can survive all our stuff coming out together, we can survive anything!). Alex doesn’t so much agree as get carried along on Karen’s tidal wave of Goals and Lemon Juice.

At an audition he meets Barbara (Mel House) who’s another aggressive woman, but seems to focus less of her aggression on him in particular, which is a subtle but welcome change. A strange but intense relationship with Barbara ensues, but not without moments where he still explores his feelings for Karen.

Joel Nagle (as Dr. Bob) puts Ethan Angelica (as Alex) in a headlock. Photo by Cathryn Lynne

In between juggling the women in his life Alex continues to visit his somewhat unconventional therapist, Dr. Bob (Joel Nagle) whose methods of treatment include taking Alex to a bar (to instruct him on how to pick up women), and assigning public defecation as homework (see “first private moment in public” for context). Throughout it all Alex continues to struggle with feeling out of place, misunderstood, left out, undervalued, and unappreciated. Ultimately, however, Alex finds himself on Rabbit Island – literally and then figuratively – and while some things still continue to confound him he begins to realize that there’s a place for him in this life he’s creating for himself.

Rabbit Island is first and foremost a comedy … there is no way to mistake this as you file into the theatre and are greeted by the pre-show performers (Phineas T. Haricot and Mariko Iwasa) who have either hailed you warmly as they directed you to your seat, or (if you’re a little late) have already taken the stage and are performing a physical comedy routine that is almost too beautifully executed to be called clowning, but is too funny to be anything else.

The duo later become an inside-out, more colorful version of Kuroko; rather than attempting to blend in, they purposely stand out. They do all the heavy lifting in terms of re-configuring the set, pinch-hitting as extras when needed, and adding a bit of up-stage comedy by turning themselves into props such as framed certificates and lamps. It’s both a light touch as well as a constant reminder that this is all in good fun.

That’s an important reminder, for there are moments when Rabbit Island tackles weighty issues. Director Aimee Todoroff understands this; by continually framing each scene with the purest of human emotions she allows elements of humor to reach a level of absurdity that never topples over into senseless foolishness.

The cast of four is powerful; each embodying complex characters and finding the dualities so that the audience is able to both identify with them as well as inwardly breathe a sigh of relief at how different we are (one would hope). Ethan Angelica’s Alex is hapless and malleable but his core of inner strength is never far from reach. When Angelica finally shares a display of his talents as a mime with the audience there’s no doubt that he has a gift for this unspoken medium and it is one of the most touching moments of the play.

From left: Joel Nagle (as Dr. Bob), Carrie Heitman (as Karen), Mel House (as Barbara), and Ethan Angelica (as Alex). Photo by Cathryn Lynne

Carrie Heitman’s Karen is a beautiful swirl of strong and weak, needy and independent, dominant and submissive. That Heitman can play it all so convincingly is astonishing – she truly reaches a place of raw emotion and lays bare the soul of this character. Rather than playing Karen as an overbearing harping shrew who then deflates when challenged she finds the inner core of her and elevates Karen to a much richer, complex individual.

Similarly, Mel House gives us a Barbara who is more than simply an in-your-face performance artist slash burlesque dancer slash impetuous crazy girlfriend. House gives Barbara the depth of a woman who has lived in a city that invites softer spirits to be squashed, so she has toughed up on the outside to protect what she has to offer on the inside.

And finally Dr. Bob – unethical, yes. Narcissistic? Absolutely. Duplicitous? Without a doubt. But in the hands of Joel Nagle he’s got that bad-boy charm that came with the ’70s version of Warren Beatty. Of course you know he’s bad news, but for a moment, don’t you want to try and be his headline? Nagle plays Bob without a scrap of self-doubt or apology. If you can find some room to squeeze in next to all that self-love you might get the chance to love him too. Just be ready to debase yourself.

Rabbit Island - the title – alludes to Coney Island. Come to the Kraine during this Frigid Festival and spend an hour seeing a play that has as many twists, spins, highs and lows as any ride you’ll find at the amusement park. And as you’re deposited safely on the ground later, you’ll understand why, in this town, no man is an island.

~~~

Rabbit Island

Company: Elephant Run District

Directed by: Aimee Todoroff

Feb 27, 7:30PM

Mar 01, 6:00PM

Mar 03, 5:30PM

$16.00

The Kraine Theater

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The 2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL will run February 22-March 4 at The Kraine Theater & The Red Room (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Ave and Bowery) and UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place between 1st Ave and Ave A). Tickets to all shows may be purchased online at www.FRIGIDnewyork.info or by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444.

Rabbit Island: 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)

The Happiest Medium — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:41:57 +0000

Five Questions. Five Answers. And One Big Decision: Rock, Paper, Or Scissors?

Rabbit Island

Company: Elephant Run District
Directed by: Aimee Todoroff

Alex zigzags irregular relationships with an erratic therapist, his off-again/on-again girlfriend, and an untamed burlesque dancer. What more will it take to become a Real New Yorker? “When life sucks as bad as your mental health, go to Rabbit Island.”

Show Times:

Thur 2/23 @ 9:00pm
Sat 2/25 @ 8:30pm
Mon 2/27 @ 7:30pm
Thur 3/01 @ 6:00pm
Sat 3/03 @ 5:30pm

Answers by Chris Harcum

(Playwright)

Karen Tortora-Lee’s Question
That’s some title. How did you come up with it – and what does it mean?
Chris: Oh, I bet you say that to all the Frigid Festival shows.

My friend, and brilliant costume designer, Kathryn Rohe, suggested I develop a character named Alex from my solo show Gotham Standards for a full play. He’s a Canadian in New York City and always slightly out of place, which is my default setting. I was looking at a Not For Tourists Guide and saw that Coney Island came from the Dutch “Konijn Eiland.” In English, that’s “Rabbit Island.” I also found out that Coney Island isn’t actually an island, it’s a peninsula. Something about that is fitting for the characters in this play who are freakshows on the inside and not all they seem on the outside. Plus, come on, rabbits. (You should ask me sometime how we came up with the company’s name, Elephant Run District. It’s a far more entertaining answer.)

Diánna Martin’s Question
If you were going to invite five people, anyone from past and present, to see your FRIGID show – who would you invite and why?
Chris: After Diánna Martin, I’m not sure. Probably Karen Tortora-Lee, Antonio Minino, Michelle Augello-Page, and some dude named Paddy. I consistently ask thousands of people to come to my shows but I don’t think these 5 have seen any of my pieces. That’s a damn shame and I hope we can fix that with this one.

Antonio Minino’s QuestionWhat is the biggest sacrifice you’ve ever made for your Art and was it worth it?
Chris: There’s an alternate reality in which I’m a professor of something respectable somewhere with a little league team litter of my progeny living in various parts of my 16,000 square foot McMansion.

Geoffrey Paddy Johnson’s Question
Was there any unexpected discovery made during the development of this production and, if so, can you share it?
Chris: We had over 1700 actors submit for 5 roles. The role Carrie Heitman is playing was sought by over 650 actresses. The one Melissa House is doing, over 450. One of the next projects for Elephant Run District will be an evening of monologues I write for women. We had a difficult time deciding who to cast in this show and I will write pieces for some of the strong actresses we had read for Rabbit Island.

Michelle Augello-Page’s Question
What do you hope the audience receives from the experience of seeing this show?
Chris: I hope you get a more-than-sufficient quota of laughs, gasps, shocks, and that good kind of devastation. And maybe the world will seem a little less crazy and more bearable.

Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament of DEAAAAATH

THM Bonus Question – We’re serious this year!
In the THM virtual Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament of DEAAAAATH which FRIGID Show do you take on? And what do you throw?
Chris: In the words of Michael Jackson, “I’m a lover, not a fighter.” So whatever will make me lose to Bricken Sparacino’s show, Death, It Happens: A Girl’s Guide to Death. She directed me in my solo show American Badass the last time I was in the Frigid Festival. She’s been a big sister to me for nearly 7 years.

Well, Chris – first of all that has to be the sweetest answer I’ve ever heard. SECONDLY, we haven’t run their Q&A yet but I have inside info (ahem — I AM the editor) so I happen to know that Death, It Happens: A Girl’s Guide to Death threw ROCK. For you to lose to Bricken, you’ll have to throw scissors. So! Predictably, you LOSE there. You were also challenged by Love In The Time Of Chlamydia who threw a rock at everyone. That’s 2 for 2, Chris. Don’t worry, we still love you so!

Thanks Rabbit Island for participating in The Happiest Medium’s FRIGID New York Festival 2012 Q&A. And for playing our game! You’re officially SCISSORS in any and all challenges. You may win, you may not – who knows! This is how it works in the crazy world of the Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament of DEAAAAATH!

For the rest of you don’t forget to check out Rabbit Island!

~~~

Rabbit Island
Company: Elephant Run District
Directed by: Aimee Todoroff

Feb 23, 9:00PM
Feb 25, 8:30PM
Feb 27, 7:30PM
Mar 01, 6:00PM
Mar 03, 5:30PM
$16.00