New troupe National Headquarters’ debut production of Angelus Novus is steeped in concept and experimentation, based on a Paul Klee painting and the related writings of German cultural critic Walter Benjamin. While there’s no questioning the piece’s academic pedigree, the show’s narrative basics get lost in lofty aspiration.
The Angel of History (Angeline Gragasin) visits the down-and-out enclave of McKraken, Illinois. Heroine Angie Lou Lee (Gragasin) proposes that the depressed town hold a pageant to honor the angel and generate tourism’s filthy lucre. But the story dissolves as Angie and ambitious Mayor Minot (Brian Moore) fight for control of the pageant, only to have the whole thing falsely wrapped up as someone’s fever dream.
While Noe Cuellar’s sound design and Meredith Ries and Asta Bennie Hostetter’s costumes capture a ragged carnival atmosphere, the competent, energetic ensemble loses the language to the space’s muddy acoustics. Back to basics: Benjamin deserves better. (Lisa Buscani)
At AV-aerie, 2000 W. Fulton, #310, (312)850-9729. Through October 12.
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I’m not sure whether it’s because I saw the show last night, by which time they’d gotten sound issues resolved, but I found that the storyline carried through beautifully. The Benjamin passage chosen was illuminating (no pun intended) without being pedantic, and the strength of the production, I felt, lay in the balance it kept between the archetypal and the specific, as well as the narrative and the physicality. It’s also very, very funny, which I didn’t expect– the night I went most of the audience was in stitches at about half a dozen moments. Perhaps I’m biased because I… Read more »
I know Klee, I know Benjamin. I’m familiar with the references. I couldn’t hear half of the piece, no matter how the performers tried to enunciate. My audience was not laughing. The ending felt hasty and tacked on. Gotta stand by what I said.
By influences I meant the genres of historical reenactment and pageantry that informed the performance– I’d never accuse you of not knowing where the name of the show came from. And I wasn’t attacking your review or asking you to change anything, just describing the very different experience I had that I wanted readers to hear about as well as yours.
I sat in the front because I knew there would be issues with the sound -having been in a place with such awesomely high ceilings… As for the issue of someone from the past deserving better.. I think your unnecessarily harsh. What was portrayed, regardless of it’s influence, was and is an amazing commentary on our as a people’s issue with our selves and that – which we believe, is. Our mind’s and sight being clouded by the tenable. You yourself projecting your own views on a piece you had no part in other than bystander does no justice to… Read more »
Yeah, my audience wasn’t laughing either. But, jeez, if an audience was a litmus test for the quality or merit of art, then most artists are going to be hosed until they die. Like it or not, much of modern art has eluded the tastes or perceptions of it’s immediate audience. I’m sure I don’t need to mention to you informed critics about “The Rights of Spring”, and I’m sure you’ve both read Leonard Shlain’s “Art and Physics” which charts progressive visual art slightly ahead of real scientific understanding (mostly because we need to see something before we can believe… Read more »
pardon my impassioned grammar, particularly my misspelling of The Rite of Spring.
oh, and P.P.S The whole audience-litmus-test-Argument. It’s my opinion that the critic is not a public advocate for the audience. That seems too much like manufacturing consent. The critic is merely one voice, and does not need to channel or assess the crowd. In fact, that sort of herd mentality greatly decreases the position of the critic. Don’t bring a posse to duel. It’s cowardly. I really don’t mean to Rag on Lisa, Tony Adler and Hedi Weiss are just as guilty of this sort of review. But Lisa seems to have less of a record of this and I… Read more »
Re: “Benjamin deserves better.” Dear Lisa, Thank you for coming to see my performance. I am sorry you did not enjoy it. Here is an excerpt from the NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS website, wherein I explicitly state that ANGELUS NOVUS is in no way an adaptation of the work of Paul Klee nor Walter Benjamin: “The Klee painting and Benjamin writings aren’t the only sources of inspiration for the project. Contemporary politics and popular culture play a huge part in creating the actual content of the piece. After all, the goal is not necessarily to convey or translate Klee and Benjamin’s “Angel… Read more »
Angeline, I’m disappointed you’ve chosen to respond to my criticism so negatively. As to your response: 1. If the Klee and Benjamin works were not key influences on your work, you should not quoted them within the show or referenced them so extensively on your support materials. 2. I was not being sarcastic about your lofty ambitions. It is ambitious to try and make theater out of art works and criticism that are not regularly referenced in the mainstream. 2. The Army i-team and the Kim Jong IL references, if they were in the show I saw, were unclear to… Read more »
Whether or not an artist should respond to criticism is a decision that can be left only to the one who makes it. In this case, the artist is not, however, responding to criticism, she is responding to a review. Criticism is something which requires of the judge 1) an attempt to understand the case as good or better than anybody and 2) careful consideration over time. I think that is what W. Benjamin deserved, and probably preferred, to say nothing of what theater companies around town might appreciate. However, a critique is almost never to be found in any… Read more »
Dear Lisa, Thank you for the thoughtful response. Would you care to respond to any of the other commenters on this thread? I am not launching a personal attack on you, merely criticising your analysis. Critiquing the critic. I think I am entitled to respond however I feel appropriate; if that response is negative, does that make it personal? If this is the case, shouldn’t I then take your negative criticism as a personal attack? Well I haven’t, and you shouldn’t either. I respect your opinion enough to respond to it, and I appreciate the fact that–at the very least–you… Read more »
All of my comments were confined to your work. My having trouble with the stairs at the space had nothing to do with critical dialogue, that’s personal attack. Keep it professional.
Again, if you still question my ability to accurately access your work, I invite you to attend any of the projects I’ll be involved in. Decide for yourself.
Dear Lisa,
Thank you for the thoughtful response. Would you care to respond to any of the other commenters on this thread?
Sincerely,
Angeline