COVER STORY  |  IN THE NEWS  |  THE HUM  |  CALENDAR

March 17, 2005

---

Halt! Who goes where?
Nights of melodrama and absurd comedy

by   ELLIN BELTZ

A FEW WEEKS AGO MICHAEL FIELDS, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR of Dell'Arte, introduced the dress rehearsal of Shadow of Giants to an audience of barefoot, dreadlocked and patch-worked treesitters. At the end he remarked, "If you hear any screaming and wailing, it's just our students; they're studying melodrama." His voice dropped slightly as he added, "We really don't beat them." He smiled; the young audience just stared at him. Then from the top tier of seats came a quiet reply, "Perhaps not enough." The room erupted in laughter. As always there was truth in humor -- you could tell from the twinkle in Field's eyes.

I adore melodrama, and I'm guessing you probably do too. Remember all those early movie serials like The Perils of Pauline and Flash Gordon? That's melodrama. Established characters -- heroes, villains, damsels in distress and fools -- hack away at jealousy, honor, pride, love and fear, all accompanied by music. In Ancient Greek "melo" was the musical score for "drama" -- the racy, universal stories of innocence, courage and sacrifice their playwrights introduced to the world. Many among the ancients considered it "women's theater." If so, it's now the dominant form of amusement in the world if you count movies and television, not just "serious theater."

Dell'Arte students study the fine arts of communicating feelings and emotions preparing for their annual evening of melodrama, this year titled Vices, Virtues and Grand Emotions, and running Friday, March 18, and Saturday, March 19, in the Carlo Theatre at 8 p.m.

If the show two years ago that still rattles around in my head is any indication, it's an evening you'll not soon forget. The percussion created by the actors throughout that show was capped by a hot and steamy dance number set to NIN's erotic audio poem "Closer," which I'd heard but never listened to before they so magnificently brought it to life. I can still close my eyes and see the act. It was that good.

As always Dell'Arte-style student melodrama is over-the-top adult physical theater for mature audiences only. In Humboldt, not only does sex sell, it usually sells out. So if you're over 18, don't miss getting a seat. Call 668-5663 or visit www.dellarte.com for tickets and more information.

Next weekend, North Coast Repertory Theatre opens "An Evening of Absurd Comedy" consisting of two short pieces: The Wasp by Steve Martin and The Bald Soprano by Eugene Ionesco.

Ionesco's play was one of the first comedies in a whole new genre called "theater of the absurd" that grew out of postwar hopelessness, alienation and the realization that each person's life is essentially meaningless on a global scale. Absurd theater provides a new form of myth-making, at times it feels like an odd combination of Lewis Carroll and Franz Kafka, but in the hands of skilled playwrights like Ionesco and Martin, the genre produces interesting reflections on modern life, love and communication.

The term "theater of the absurd" comes from existentialist ideas proposed by Albert Camus. In his 1942 essay, "The Myth of Sisyphus," he argued that no one would ever really explain the universe, thus everything, he suggested, was absurd and meaningless.

Absurd comedies often have dream or fantasy themes; the real world being inexplicable -- so their writers don't even try. Don't be put off by the technical terms. See the show and decide for yourself.

Opening night, Friday, March 25, is cast and crew benefit night where every ticket sold is all their financial compensation for the entire run until April 16. Evening shows begin at 8 p.m. in the newly painted and ventilated NCRT, 300 Fifth St., Eureka. More information, reservations and matinee details are on their Web site, www.ncrt.net, or call 442-NCRT.

ELSEWHERE

Blue Lake School and Dell'Arte's Youth Academy perform Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing on Thursday, March 24, and Friday, March 25, 7:30 p.m. at the Carlo Theatre in Blue Lake. Call 668-5663 or visit www.dellarte.com for tickets to this benefit for the eighth-grade class graduation trip.A FEW WEEKS AGO MICHAEL FIELDS, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR of Dell'Arte, introduced the dress rehearsal of Shadow of Giants to an audience of barefoot, dreadlocked and patch-worked treesitters. At the end he remarked, "If you hear any screaming and wailing, it's just our students; they're studying melodrama." His voice dropped slightly as he added, "We really don't beat them." He smiled; the young audience just stared at him. Then from the top tier of seats came a quiet reply, "Perhaps not enough." The room erupted in laughter. As always there was truth in humor -- you could tell from the twinkle in Field's eyes.

COVER STORY  |  IN THE NEWS  |  THE HUM  |  CALENDAR

Comments? Write a letter!

© Copyright 2004, North Coast Journal, Inc.