Reviewed by Judy Richter
Thanks to Aurora Theatre
Company,
American audiences are getting their first professional theatrical experience
with Franz Kafka's
"Metamorphosis." No doubt many viewers have read Kafka's now-classic 1915
novellla about a young man who wakes up one morning and finds that he has
become a bug. Now they can see the 2006 stage adaptation by British director David
Farr and
Icelandic actor-director Gísli Örn Gardarsson. The two moved the action up
from 1915 to shortly before World War II in Europe. ATC director Mark
Jackson has
advanced the time and place to the 1950s in the United States.
Therefore,
the Samsa family at first would seem to represent the kind of family enshrined
in TV shows of the time. Perky Mother (Madeline H.D. Brown), her blonde hair neatly coiffed,
wears a dress with crinolines (costumes by Christine Cook) while getting ready to serve
breakfast to similarly-attired daughter Grete (Megan Trout) and husband, Father (Allen
McKelvey). All
three wear fake-looking smiles, but they're dismayed when they discover that
Gregor (Alexander Crowther), the son and other family member, hasn't left for work.
Instead he's still in his locked room.
It
doesn't take long to discover that Gregor has been transformed into a giant
insect that terrifies them. His efforts to talk to them come across as horrible
sounds, but the audience can understand him. The rest of the story focuses on
how the family reacts and adapts to him, with the initial efforts led by Grete.
Set
designer Nina Ball works some theatrical magic in ATC's three-quarter round stage by
putting Gregor's second-floor bedroom on a raised, angled upstage space with
rung-like stairs that serve as the platform for his bed and other furniture.
It's reached by a stairway leading to his door. On the main floor of the stage
is the living-dining area.
Crowther
as Gregor creates some theatrical magic of his own, for there's no effort to
change his appearance from a handsome young man. Except for the green glow in
his room (lighting by Clyde Sheets), he appears ugly and insect-like only to the other
characters, whose reactions then convince the audience of the reality of what
they see. Crowther also is impressive in his ability to make his way up and
down the floor of his room and even to swing from the metal bars suspended
above it.
For
the most part, Jackson's direction is highly stylized for Gregor's family and
two visitors, both played by Patrick Jones, as they often hold poses. His
direction often has them speaking too loud for Aurora's intimate space -- an
effect sometimes magnified by Matthew Stines' sound design. Furthermore,
Brown's Mother tends toward hysteria.
The
plot seems to have several focuses. One is the treatment endured by people
perceived to be different. Fischer (Jones), Grete's co-worker who's interested
in rooming in the family's home, ultimately reminds one of the way the Nazis
regarded Jews. A line by Mother -- something to the effect of wondering what
she did to cause Gregor's change -- is reminiscent of how a parent might react
upon learning that his or her child is gay. In addition, one might be reminded
of the anti-communist witch hunts of the 1950s.
Another
theme that emerges is the indifference that the family members eventually have
toward the unfortunate Gregor, who begins to suffer from their neglect. On the
flip side, family members are forced to contribute to their financial
well-being rather than relying on Gregor's salary to sustain them. As a result,
their actions seem more genuine, as if they're becoming a real family rather
than the plastic one seen at first.
In
short, this overall solid, one-act production packs much food for thought into
its 75 minutes.