Bluebird Arts’ “Stupid Fucking Bird” with Bob Pries (Sorn), Magdalena Dalzell (Nina), David Fink (Dev), Nicholas Barelli (Con), Dana Muelchi (Mash), Laura Sturm (Emma), David Fehr (Trig)/Photo: Anthony LaPenna
Chekhov isn’t for everyone. In theater, Chekhov is often the baseline for realism on the stage. At the same time, Aaron Posner’s very loose adaptation of Chekhov’s “The Seagull” (think “The Lion King” as a loose adaptation of “Hamlet”) doesn’t even know where the baseline is. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good satire. I’m team Con all the way; let’s deconstruct theater to its core and try something new. But Posner’s “Stupid Fucking Bird” seems to be about stroking an academic ego rather than saying or demonstrating anything—especially if you aren’t a Chekhov nerd.
“The Seagull” is a classic Chekhov play, showing us people just existing. Not a lot happens. The artists get into scuffles, and, eventually, conclusions are met. It’s simple Chekhovian realism. Posner’s “Bird” is the same in this way but mixed with lengthy diatribes and non sequitur sequences bemoaning the meaning of art, life or love. These similarities aren’t lost on me, an ambivalent fan of Chekhov, but a true fan of his gun principle.
Chekhov’s gun simply means that every element in a show, like a gun on a table, needs to serve a purpose. Whether intentional or not, Posner’s “Bird” takes aim at Chekhov’s gun and obliterates it. By the end of the show, I genuinely did not understand why so many companies perform this work.
To depart my Posner-esque soapbox, I want to commend the production of “Stupid Fucking Bird” by Bluebird Arts. Per artistic director and show director Luda Lopatina Solomon’s pre-show speech, this production has been waiting in the wings since March of 2020—talk about realism in theater. For all the ways in which I cannot stand the text of this play, I’d be remiss to let you think any of that has anything to do with this production. Solomon’s deft direction, along with her cast of seven, weave through Posner’s overly dense play to create their own gully of a world.
Bluebird Arts’ “Stupid Fucking Bird” with Bob Pries/Photo: Anthony LaPenna
As burgeoning playwright Con, Nicholas Barelli gives us everything. While I think the Posner diatribes, even Con’s, make this play much longer than it needs to be, Barelli performing them is a whole other story. His passionate outcry for change in the arts ripped through Theater Wit’s space, begging to be noticed. All the while, Bob Pries’ solemn Sorn speaks aloud some of the intrusive thoughts we all must have; what’s typical about human nature anyway?
Bluebird Arts’ “Stupid Fucking Bird” with Dana Muelchi and David Fink/Photo: Anthony lapel
But the two who really stole my heart in this production were Dana Muelchi as Mash and David Fink as Dev. As the comedic companions throughout the show, these two remind us that even when we are in the pits of our own despair, there is something to bring us levity. Even if that’s a dark-humored song strummed on a ukelele.
I can’t tell you that this play will change the world. Or that you might not also squirm wondering if Posner thinks himself Con the changer of art while wondering why he wrote such an unnecessarily extended play. If you can put those things aside and experience Bluebird’s show for the excellent production that it is, separated from the play itself, which I’m reasonably sure Chekhov would’ve hated, you’ll enjoy it. Also, if you think Chekhov was a total goon and that his realism needs to go the way of pagers, you’ll doubly enjoy it.
“Stupid Fucking Bird” at Theater Wit, 1229 West Belmont, theaterwit.org, playing through December 9. $10-$30.
