The NEA’s denial of four artists’ grant money in the early nineties still provides grist for the creative mill; Lee Blessing’s 1999 solo response show explores artistic themes that still hold up today.
Performance artist Kerr (Greg Matthew Anderson) becomes the target of a conservative politician’s senatorial campaign. Accused of creating obscene art, Kerr’s grant money is revoked; in revenge, he plots to steal the politician’s photogenic dog as his next “performance piece.” What follows is a madcap criminal escapade that reinforces Kerr’s belief in the transformative power of art.
Anderson’s Kerr is appealingly passionate; he ably navigates the schizophrenic nature of multi-character solo performance, creating believable, sympathetic personas. Director Shawn Douglass monitors the piece’s many levels carefully, transforming Timothy Mann’s minimal set into numerous locales with the help of JR Lederle’s lighting design and Rick Sims’ whimsical sound work. It’s a spare yet imaginative tribute to strong storytelling. (Lisa Buscani)
Remy Bumppo Theatre Company at the Greenhouse Theater, 2257 North Lincoln, (773)404-7336. Through April 29.
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