UNIVERSE 92 – Written and directed by Buntport Theatre Company. Produced by Buntport Theatre Company (717 Lipan, Denver) through October 19. Tickets available at 720-946-1388 or buntport.com.
A new show from Buntport is always a reason to cheer. Some are mostly brilliant; some are really brilliant; and some are brilliantly brilliant. Everyone has their favorite Buntport show and lobby conversations generally swirl around which ones everybody liked the most. A display in the lobby listing every show gets people remembering and laughing at those memories. Their ability to create unforgettable theatre moments is unprecedented. You may not remember how the characters got to that moment, but you will never forget the moment and your reaction to it. There’s also usually one or two laugh till you choke moments in each of their original productions.
This new one is no exception. The main character is a giant rat swinging in a hammock in the infamous Universe 92, the 92nd such universe created for lab rats that are being tested for different things . . . totally stupid things. Like his preference of one over the other episodes of old TV programs. High above and looking down on his cardboard cell are three “scientists” who are watching the rat, asking the questions, posing the situations to determine the rat’s reactions, and arguing among themselves about the value of their work, their treatment of their subject, and each other’s qualifications to do the work. Meanwhile, the rat is being petulant and arrogant, demanding outrageous things just to prove to himself that he’s still the top rat.
Brian Colonna is the Rat with a long tail and his butt sprung hammock. He seems to realize the ridiculousness of the situation, but still plays it for all he can get. Erik Edborg is the most sympathetic of the researchers, even helping Rat escape for a short time. Erin Rollman is the uptight and rigid clinician who doesn’t see anything funny in the situation and is all business. Hannah Duggan is the one who goes along to get along, but still protests over everything. Together they get in each other’s way, never acknowledge the humor in what they are doing and treat the rat like a giant pain in the ass . . . . which he is.
A great deal of the enjoyment is in the attention to small detail and the cleverness of the staging. The entire rat’s habitat is coated in cardboard. Periodically in the course of a conversation or lecture to the audience, one of the players will pull a tab or slide a panel or cut a hole in the cardboard to reveal a flow chart or a diagram to illustrate some “important” point, usually about the value of animal testing. . . in a totally useless way. At one point a whole car made out of cardboard comes out of the wall complete with a small set of dashboard dice also made out of cardboard. The work that went into this complicated and clever set is amazing.
I think just one of the reasons Buntport is so popular with its faithful band of followers – and there are many reasons – but one is that they tackle complex human relationships, complicated philosophical precepts, and both obscure and familiar artistic/literary works and explore them in a new undiscovered way. They do it in a modern vernacular with humor and without taking themselves too seriously. It is performed in such a way that the audience – though unfamiliar with the subject matter – can go right along with them, understanding the conversational dialogue and learning as they go. So at a Buntport show, we are entertained and allowed – nay, encouraged – to feel smarter than when we came in. We learn while we laugh. Thank you, Buntport.
A WOW factor of 8.5!!
Beki Pineda October 15, 2019 Getboulder.com