Buntport Theater is presenting a revival of their look into the life of Franz Kafka, presented on ice (literally). While this would be inconceivable for any other company, for Buntport it makes perfect sense. While Kafka on Ice may sound like the latest beverage offering from Starbucks, it’s really a wonderful show that combines the meaning and depth of Kafka, extreme silliness, thoughtful humor, and surrealism.
Kafka on Ice creatively merges elements of Franz Kafka’s life and his most famous work, mixing in a lot of comedy, some thoughtful commentary, and a few invented details. Created collaboratively from scratch in 2004 by the then seven members of Buntport (Matt Petraglia has since moved on to other things) and local actor Gary Culig using their usual blend of research, brainstorming, and their intrinsic comic brilliance. The story follows Kafka through some important and some obscure times in his life, and parallels them with the characters in his Metamorphosis. And all the characters except Kafka himself perform the entire show on ice skates on an artificial skating surface. Buntport normally creates unusual situations for their productions, but this is probably the most appropriate, putting the whole thing in a context that Kafka would have appreciated, if he could have gotten past the fact that it was about him.
As with all things Buntport, the directing is collaborative, and works very well. Presented in the round, the action most often moves along the diagonals (at times quite quickly – they are on ice skates, after all), with scenes set center stage or in the corners, balancing the view from all sides. Another aspect of theater in the round that really fits this show well is that while watching the show, you also see the audience on the other sides, usually laughing heartily. You never forget you are in a theater. The show is chock full of clever and funny devices, including a prize fight between two bugs, a wonderful silent movie sequence, and several other surprises that I won’t reveal here. While the show is very funny, it is not just silliness – there is thought as well.
The acting is exception. Josh Hartwell takes on the role of Kafka, anchoring the show with genuine sympathy for his character. While he is certainly idiosyncratic, Hartwell does not ridicule the character, he elicits sympathy and understanding. And while very strange things happen around him, he never loses the sense of Kafka. The Buntport actors adopt a variety of rolls. Erin Rollman covers the range from the mother to incidental characters to a variety of love interests well, making each unique, but she is best as a modern teacher talking right at the audience. Erik Edborg is stern and domineering as the father, adding humor with his descriptions of how hard it was when he was young.
Brian Colonna is Kafka’s friend Max, sympathetic to a point, but also pragmatic – he is the one who disobeyed Kafka’s strict instructions to destroy his writings after his death. Hannah Duggan covers many small roles well, including compassionately playing the one woman that finally makes Kafka happy near the end of his life. Evan Weissman is fun as Janouch, the young man who allegedly remembered many conversations with Kafka long after the writer’s death.
The set is minimal by necessity, dominated by the large square of artificial ice. Kafka’s desk is an important element, changing at times to meet the needs of a scene, and the large almost cartoonish book of his writing is woven throughout in different and creative ways. The lighting works well, providing good illumination enhanced by the light-colored floor surface. The select use of projections was very effective, too. The costumes are creative and appropriate, ranging from figure-skating attire to historical fashion, all able to be changed with skates on. Sound is also an important element, with particularly effective bug noises integrated into several scenes.
Buntport’s brilliance is to take an idea or a concept, and tell a story around that idea or concept that is first and foremost true to itself, but also incredibly funny and thoughtful. Kafka on Ice is further proof of this brilliance, presenting Kafka’s life and work in a Kafkaesque way – on ice. This show is a must see for Kafka fans, for Buntport fans, for theater fans – okay, for just about anyone.
-Craig Williamson, February 3, 2011, North Denver Tribune