“What
I love is the taste of transience on the tongue, every year might be the last.”
In that quote, German film and theater actor and director Max Reinhardt was
speaking about the fragile Weimar Republic.
And
if you’ve ever wondered what Weimar-like transience felt like, it is on full
display in Tingle Tangle, now being
produced by Theater Ninjas. The Weimar Republic existed in Germany like a
fragile flower between the two 20th Century world wars. And for a
brief moment, the arts that flourished in that time were rather astounding in
their candor and confrontation.
In
this production, conceived by Ray Caspio and directed by Jeremy Paul, the
audience is swept back to that time when Germans partied hearty and gleefully
trampled established cultural
boundaries. The cabarets that popped up after WWI often featured nudity and
acts loaded with sexual innuendo.
The
material in this variety show of songs and vignettes is all-American, however,
touching on various personal remembrances of the cast members dealing with
gender identity and sex. It is unabashed, unapologetic and often uproariously
hilarious.
Caspio,
gay and married, talks about his personal journey and current conflicts, since
he lives in Ohio, a state that doesn’t recognize his loving relationship. A
talented and riveting performer, Caspio uses his lean body to great effect
whether delivering his monologues or just moving and dancing in place on the
small stage. And his second act schtick as the aged and bigoted Uncle Toots, a
character Caspio initially created on You Tube, is a flat-out hoot.
He
is supported by five other actors and live accompaniment provided by Eric M. C.
Gonzalez. One standout in the company is Amy Schwabauer, who does a spot-on
rendition of a high school coach teaching a sex education class, employing a
witty mixture of flaming ignorance and an earnest desire to communicate.
Schwabauer is also excellent in her personal reminiscence about her, um,
adventurous sex life.
The
other performers include Katie Beck, Valerie C. Kilmer, Dan Rand, and Ryan
Lucas, who each have their moments as Tingle
Tangle weaves its own spell of frank honesty and simmering rage at the
absurdities of society today.
Sure,
there are some bits that don’t exactly work, and the singing of some of the
period songs is more often off-key than on. But this all fits the raw and
gritty vibe that the show is shooting for. By not taking itself seriously, the
show lowers barriers and compels the audience to take some of the issues raised
very seriously.
It
is all staged in the basement of the Guide to Kulchur bookstore, owned by the
esteemed poet RA Washington, and it is the perfect space. Tucked into a corner
and surrounded by books, it feels as if you’ve been let into a secret club that
requires a password to enter.
The
small venue means only about 40 people can experience this remarkable show at
any one time. So don’t tarry. If you’re in the mood for a fascinating trip that
will have you laughing out loud multiple times, get a zesty taste of gender and
sexual transience in Tingle Tangle.
Tingle
Tangle
Through
November 16, produced by Theater Ninjas at the Guide to Kulchur bookstore, 1386
W. 65th St., www.theaterninjas.com.
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