Initium / Finis: Bold From Beginning To End (2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)

Michelle Augello-Page — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 03:30:57 +0000

Initium / Finis is “a sensual tale of violence and revolution born in a futuristic metropolis. Theatre Reverb combines media, red-light cabaret, live music, Judeo-Christian and Hindu myth, and classical Indian dance-theatre to envelop spectators in a lush sci-fi noir.” This Frigid Festival performance is an excerpt from a larger work, which will be two hours in length and is scheduled to be presented in 2013.

Initium / Finis is an ambitious project, carried by Kristin Arnesen’s performance throughout, as the story expands in many layers, as well as many directions, including an interesting sci-fi premise, sub-plots of intrigue, and cabaret-style entertainment. The play is supported by live music, visual images and written information in montages of video, and the use of screens to paint pictures with light and shadow. Kristin Arnesen pulls all of these elements and more into a riveting performance; she is a delight to watch on stage as she illustrates the story, demonstrating her evident talents as a performer.

There are many visually stunning moments throughout this play. In the beginning sequence, a video montage of the beginning of creation, as told through Hindu myth, is displayed as backdrop on the screen. In front of the screen, Kristin Arnesen performs a ritualistic dance, retelling the myth in the spirit of classical Indian Dance-Theatre. Her facial expressions tell the story as much as her body does, engaging the audience with allure and humor, taking them through both light and dark. Towards the end of the dance, a scroll of canvas screen is held in front of her, illustrating the remainder of the myth in song and shadowed movement, creating a mesmerizing effect.

A series of cabaret-style performances are woven into the play and comprise some of the most interesting and engaging moments throughout; the role of fetishistic entertainment in this futuristic metropolis is demonstrated and explored, and Kristin Arnesen shines, revealing her amazing ability to hold the audience in her thrall, rapt, willing to go wherever she is going to take them. Initium / Finis is a multi-sensory, funny, serious, erotic, and fascinating piece of theater, which takes the audience on a journey into the complex landscape of a futuristic world.

~~~

initium / finis

Company: Theatre Reverb

Written by: Kristin Arnesen

Radoslaw Konopka

Feb 28, 8:00PM

Mar 02, 8:00PM

Mar 03, 2:00PM

$15.00

The Red Room

~~~

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.

Initium/Finis: 5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go (2012 FRIGID NEW YORK FESTIVAL)

The Happiest Medium — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:10:16 +0000

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

Initium/Finis

Company: Theatre Reverb
Written by: Kristin Arnesen and Radoslaw Konopka

A sensual tale of violence and revolutions born in a futuristic metropolis. Theatre Reverb combines media, red-light cabaret, live music, Judeo-Christian and Hindu myth, and classical Indian dance-theatre to envelop spectators in a lush sci-fi noir.

Show Times:

Wed 2/22 @ 8:00pm
Sat 2/25 @ 9:30pm
Tues 2/28 @ 8:00pm
Fri 3/2 @ 8:00pm
Sat 3/3 @ 8:00pm

Answers by Kristin Arnesen

(Co-creator, Designer, Performer)

Karen Tortora-Lee’s Question
That’s some title. How did you come up with it – and what does it mean?
Kristin: Initium-beginning; Finis-end (Latin). When it’s connected it means “the beginning of the end.” We put a “/” in between the two words to imply a connection in their meaning and a reversibility of the terms. Our piece explores the connection between creation and destruction in a journey through East/West mythology and science fiction media. This piece is a section of a larger production we are developing so it comes at the beginning of our end times project and the title also fit the subject matter so that’s why we picked it– though it’s hard to pronounce so we are having second thoughts! The larger project we are working on is called “Reliquum” which has a double meaning: mortal remains, and things yet to be. We are hoping to finish it next year.

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?
Kristin:

-Slovoj Zizek because he is a popular culture genius and we’d love to find out what our favorite bad ass would think of our mash up.

-Elizabeth LeCompte- Because we are in awe of her creative work and she’s one of the most incredible women in theatre.

-Cornel West- Because he’s one of the greatest minds of our time and he has an amazing sense of humor and an uncanny knack for speaking the truth.

-Krzysztof Kieslowski- because he explored human nature with the curiosity of a child and the eye of a great director. Plus he was Polish.

-An international producer with lots of money and a taste for curious sci-fi theatre because we need you!

Antonio Minino’s Question
What is the biggest sacrifice you’ve ever made for your Art and was it worth it?
Kristin: We don’t have any money but we never have. We really love working as artists so I think we are OK with that. Probably the real sacrifice is in our social lives. When we’re working on a piece, we don’t have weekends or any real clock out time which can be tough, but it’s all worth it in the end.

Geoffrey Paddy Johnson’s Question
Was there any unexpected discovery made during the development of this production and, if so, can you share it?
Kristin: One of the happiest discoveries with this project was the wisdom of the saying “ask and you shall receive.” We were able to enlist and work on this production with fantastic collaborators who were excited to work hard –which was pretty awesome.

Michelle Augello-Page’s Question
What do you hope the audience receives from the experience of seeing this show?
Kristin: We hope they are surprised at moments, laugh at other ones, and find some beauty somewhere in the mix. Overall we just hope to create an immediate, visceral, unexpected exchange.

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?

Kristin: Rock.

For Everyone?

Kristin: Rock for everyone.

So – you’re using the Love In The Time Of Chlymydia strategy! Whew! Well, now I’ve got my work cut out for me! Let’s make this easy …

The other shows who threw ROCK were: Love in the Time of Chlamydia, Judge, Yuri, & Executioner, Death, it happens: A girl’s guide to death, The Rope in Your Hands, and Afternoon Tea with Jane Austen. So that’s FIVE TIES.

The shows who threw SCISSORS were: Breathe Love Repeat, Little Lady, Rabbit Island, Daughters of Lot, Missed Connections: An Exploration into the Online Postings of Desperate Romantics, The Stranger to Kindness and The Terrible Manpain of Umberto MacDougal. That’s SEVEN WINS!

And finally …

The shows who threw PAPER were: I Married A Nun!, Fear Factor: Canine Edition, Poe-Dunk: A Matchbox Entertainment, Coosje, Blind to Happiness, Big Plastic Heroes, and Scratch & Pitz: Burlesque Variety Hour. That’s SEVEN DEAAAAATHS.

Hmm … so, your wins cancel out your losses and the rest are ties. wish I had better news for you, but at this point that’s about the beginning and the end of it. Or, you know — the initium and the finis.

Thanks Initium/Finis for participating in The Happiest Medium’s FRIGID New York Festival 2012 Q&A. And for playing our game! You’re officially ROCK 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 Initium/Finis!

~~~

Initium/Finis

Company: Theatre Reverb

Written by: Kristin Arnesen & Radoslaw Konopka

Feb 22, 8:00PM

Feb 25, 9:30PM