Reviewed on February 21, 2011 by Sophie Kerman
Sometimes, it's good to leave a
theater a little bit dissatisfied. The Sandbox Theatre's interpretation of Fargo - which they rightly call
"more inspiration than adaptation" - is highly unsatisfying for
exactly the right reason: there isn't enough of it. The production, just an
hour long, is so varied and unexpected that the curtain call happens all too
soon.
Introduced
by company member Nicole Devereaux, the show is comprised of a series of sketches and video
clips, each directed by a different company member. As Devereaux (the only
named or credited member of this program-less production) explained, the
Sandbox Theatre Company does not work with an initial script, but rather
develops each scene through a collaborative process of improvisation and play.
For this particular production, each individual had free reign to direct a
short segment based on their own style and interpretation of the 1996 Coen
Brothers' film.
As
a showcase of the performers' unique visions, the production was a clear
success. Each live segment was stylistically different, and the video was integrated
with the live action in funny and interesting ways. From a clever commercial
for 3-cent stamps to a Telemundo-inspired re-creation of the film's bloody
d_nouement, the Sandbox's interpretations of "Fargo" never settled
for mere reenactment, instead riffing off the film in ways that displayed the
company's creativity, comedic abilities, and surprising capacity for pathos. In
one of the most compelling sketches, we watched a man dressed as a Japanese
woman on a quest for the "treasure of Fargo." The use of video was
particularly well thought-out, with haunting animations that coincided
seamlessly with the actor's monologue. Like the gradual unfolding of the Coen
Brothers' film, the performer slowly transformed more and more completely into
his character, and the story of the Japanese woman became ever more real to the
audience.
Venue
is also important to a production like this. Like many Coen Brothers films, the
Sandbox's take on "Fargo" is best enjoyed with friends over a beer -
and the Bryant Lake Bowl's small space and friendly wait staff deserve a lot of credit for
creating just the right atmosphere.
Like
any sketch performance, some segments were more effective than others. One
video interview, though very well acted, seemed to require more knowledge of
the source film. Another scene, an odd dance/movement piece set to an equally
surreal video backdrop, was hard to figure out (although it did include a
bizarrely funny bear - and I do like bears). Despite its occasional unevenness,
however, the Sandbox Theatre's overall collection both pays tribute to and goes
beyond its source material. Leaving the Bryant Lake Bowl, I wanted to go home
and watch "Fargo" - not because I couldn't understand Sandbox's
production without having watched the original, but because Sandbox's excellent
"inspiration, not adaptation" reminded me just how good the movie is.