A Companion Piece for vaudeville at Z Space in San Francisco
Christopher Kuckenbaker and Beth Wilmurt as a performing duo struggling and failing to make an act in Companion Piece, a new play by Mark Jackson at Z Space
Jake Rodriguez performs the Headliner in Companion Piece
Photos by Pak Han
Beth Wilmurt and Mark Jackson have produced Companion Piece with a frantic, madcap glory that that gives striking insights to the creative process. While the polished vaudevillian Headliner (Jake Rodriguez) mugs the audience and chews gum endlessly, the Duo (Beth Wilmurt and Christopher Kuckenbaker) are backstage with a variety of props trying to create an act to upstage him – and each other. Now playing at Z Space, this is a “devised” work: the skits the Duo goes through were developed through improvisation and set for the play, appearing to be spontaneous acts.
The Headliner
As “The Sensation of The Stage” against a painted drop canvas with flowery drapes and cherubs, the Headliner is dapper man with a formal bow tie. He is lively, athletic and frenetically leers at the audience with exaggerated gestures. His act bookends the backstage activity, appearing at the beginning and end, bracketing the failed efforts of the Duo to come up with an act.
The canvas drop covers only about a third of the opening to this large, open stage space. On the sides can be seen various backstage detritus, such as costume racks, a piano, rolling spotlights, rolling ladders, a large trunk, trampolines, and other props to draw from as the Duo’s imagination works. The Lonely Vaudevillian raises the curtain to reveal the otherwise bare stage. Mr.Kuckenbaker takes a rolling ladder to the star’s dressing room door, located high in an otherwise blank wall with no step.
The Duo
The Duo sets folding chairs together center stage and over a microphone requests responses from the audience. On their post-mortem of the show they supposedly just finished, they answer fake questions. Ms. Wilmurt charmingly demonstrates her wonderful ability to appear naïve and trusting when she euphemizes the activity as a “post-show discussion.” She natters on about the “structure” of the show until Mr.Kuckenbaker takes away the mic.
At a table they circle each other in rolling chairs, a physical metaphor of their constant attempts to one-up each other with their acts. As they move through various skits, there is a running gag with a potted plant: no matter where Mr.Kuckenbaker places it Ms. Wilmurt moves it.
Vaudeville with a bite
In an hour and a third with no intermission, this wacky comedy is like a play-writing workshop, with brainstorming people unafraid to confront the ludicrous as part of the creative process. Amazingly, this comic duo, while small, is broad enough to fill the huge stage area. Quick access to props gives the production added immediacy. The subtext of this competition for the winning idea is a poignant story of identity and success.
The world premiere of Companion Piece, directed by Mark Jackson, conceived by Beth Wilmurt and produced in association with Encore Theatre Company, continues through February 13 at Z Space,
450 Florida Street, San Francisco. Tickets ($20 to $40) are available online at www.zspace.orgwww.zspace.org or by phone at 800.838-3006.
For a slide show please visit http://www.examiner.com/performing-arts-in-san-francisco/a-companion-piece-for-vaudeville-at-z-space-review.
For a more complete review please see Doctor Theater.
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The Headliner
As “The Sensation of The Stage” against a painted drop canvas with flowery drapes and cherubs, the Headliner is dapper man with a formal bow tie. He is lively, athletic and frenetically leers at the audience with exaggerated gestures. His act bookends the backstage activity, appearing at the beginning and end, bracketing the failed efforts of the Duo to come up with an act.
The canvas drop covers only about a third of the opening to this large, open stage space. On the sides can be seen various backstage detritus, such as costume racks, a piano, rolling spotlights, rolling ladders, a large trunk, trampolines, and other props to draw from as the Duo’s imagination works. The Lonely Vaudevillian raises the curtain to reveal the otherwise bare stage. Mr.Kuckenbaker takes a rolling ladder to the star’s dressing room door, located high in an otherwise blank wall with no step.
The Duo
The Duo sets folding chairs together center stage and over a microphone requests responses from the audience. On their post-mortem of the show they supposedly just finished, they answer fake questions. Ms. Wilmurt charmingly demonstrates her wonderful ability to appear naïve and trusting when she euphemizes the activity as a “post-show discussion.” She natters on about the “structure” of the show until Mr.Kuckenbaker takes away the mic.
At a table they circle each other in rolling chairs, a physical metaphor of their constant attempts to one-up each other with their acts. As they move through various skits, there is a running gag with a potted plant: no matter where Mr.Kuckenbaker places it Ms. Wilmurt moves it.
Vaudeville with a bite
In an hour and a third with no intermission, this wacky comedy is like a play-writing workshop, with brainstorming people unafraid to confront the ludicrous as part of the creative process. Amazingly, this comic duo, while small, is broad enough to fill the huge stage area. Quick access to props gives the production added immediacy. The subtext of this competition for the winning idea is a poignant story of identity and success.
The world premiere of Companion Piece, directed by Mark Jackson, conceived by Beth Wilmurt and produced in association with Encore Theatre Company, continues through February 13 at Z Space,
450 Florida Street, San Francisco. Tickets ($20 to $40) are available online at www.zspace.orgwww.zspace.org or by phone at 800.838-3006.
For a slide show please visit http://www.examiner.com/performing-arts-in-san-francisco/a-companion-piece-for-vaudeville-at-z-space-review.
For a more complete review please see Doctor Theater.
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