Theatre is often at its best when it’s thought-provoking,
asking the audience to question their own morals and beliefs. Yet the rather baffling Bukowski’s Cass from Opera Viscera leaves the audience with far
more questions than answers.
Contrary to the company name, Bukowski’s Cass isn’t an opera.
Instead it’s a multi-disciplinary work that combines elements of
traditional theatre, dance, music and song into a single piece of storytelling,
based on the writer’s “most elusive character” and her tumultuous sexual relationship
with a man known as ‘the Beast’. It's a hugely ambitious undertaking, but the disparate elements don’t combine into a cohesive
whole.
The plot is predominantly told through voiceover, but the
actual character of this narration is never made explicit. As a female voice it appears to be a separate
character, but the words themselves are taken directly from Bukowski’s writing
from the point of view of the Beast as an internal monologue. The voiceover (in an American accent) lends
the piece a noir feel, yet the accompanying music is mostly Latin (excellently
performed by the two instrumentalists and two female singers), the actors speak
in English accents, and the ‘Bargirl’ appears to be Russian. It’s a confusing mix that never really
cements a sense of location.
Bukowski’s short story has a relatively simple plot, here
made overly complex with a production littered with symbolism in its use of
props, dance, music and projection. At
the least, the actors commit wholeheartedly to their roles: Kitty Dalton’s Cass
a dirty Carmen-esque seductress, James Fowler’s Beast her hapless victim. Together their erotic tension is palpable,
even if much of their dance involves tumbling on the floor. It’s clear that director Lia Ikkos has
attempted to imbue this production with layers of meaning, but sadly much of the
visual poetry is lost on the audience - set in the round, their collective confusion
is all too visible.
This is ultimately an experimental, if bizarre, new work
that blurs traditional theatrical lines into a muddled kitchen sink of ideas
that lacks a clear sense of storytelling.
The vodka shots handed to the audience at the start are a welcome
addition, but whether they’re to heighten our poetic senses or placate us is
unclear.
2/5
Watch: Bukowski’s Cass
is performed as part of the Vault Festival until March 8th.