KDHX Theatre Review - Famous Monsters
Back to the index Famous Monsters may be best described as a post-feminist La Dolce Vita, where an artist is reluctantly pulled into one episode of desire and torment after another. This new play, with a fine, intense performance by Margeau Baue Steinau and an excellent supporting cast, is showcased in a beautifully crafted production that glows with the spirit and struggle of creativity. It takes nothing away from Famous Monsters to compare it to one of the greatest motion pictures of all time, especially as this HotCity/Greenhouse production accomplishes virtually the same magic. And it does so, without La Dolce Vita's incredible special effects like a Hollywood spaceship or Anita Ekberg. Here, the stage is dominated by a fantastic misty tunnel as a backdrop. Gradually we recognize this as the bottomless spiritual pit (or perhaps the endless journey) of an angry young poet (Ms. Steinau). It takes a while to convert that backdrop into metaphor because most of her relationships seem fairly harmless at first. Written by Ms. Steinau with B. Weller (who also directs) and Rachel Jackson, the story first comes across like a struggle where the soul is grossly out-gunned by the flesh. As things develop, Famous Monsters becomes a tale of Morgan, the poet, in a series of seductions and manipulations (like those faced by Marcello Mastroianni, as the semi-autobiographical director in the 1960 Fellini film). The hopeless are drawn to her as an irresistible source of promise and enlightenment in a process that proves fatal. HotCity Theatre has pulled out all the stops to make this story of suffering and escape both mystical and enjoyable. Their success comes with many beautiful dramatic details, not the least of which is the performance of Travis Estes, the best wild man on stage in these parts. Here, Mr. Estes is a fiercely determined suitor. Blaine Smith, a fine wild man a few years ago in Boy Gets Girl, is another admirer. Here, as Doug, he is too well-balanced to be interesting to our heroine (suggesting the artist's need for a steady diet of suffering). Julie Venegoni is fine as a pregnant runaway, and Terry Meddows is a Bible-quoting rescuer whose pedantry creates more distance than devotion (a performance in which Mr. Meddows quietly subverts his usual good-heartedness). Kirsten Wylder is great as the wry owner of a poetry café. The two hour show also features very good performances by Jill Ritter, Robert A. Mitchell and Madeleine Steinau. Famous Monsters features bold, incisive poetry throughout, delivered with ferocity by Margeau Steinau. Otherwise, on the surface, it seems over-loaded with a great deal of unsolicited advice to the poet from all around her, punctuated with humor and violence. Staring into the swirling, smoky pit of her doubts (cast members drifting in and out) you may begin to see how Morgan's struggles with her circle of friends and lovers helps create her artistry. The trick with Famous Monsters is to take the solitary angry verse, along with the desperation of those around her, and ask if one really can exist without the other. In addition to its top flight cast of actors, Famous Monsters boasts fine technical achievements in lighting and sound by Christopher Edwards and B. Weller. Mr. Weller directs in a clean manner with first-class visualization of dramatic conflict. The highly evocative set is by Daniel Lanier. The first act of Famous Monsters appeared in a staged reading in St. Louis in 2003. This fully staged production, a world premiere, continues through October 30 (2005) at the St. John's Theater, 5000 Waterman Blvd. in the Central West End. For ticket information, call (314) 482-9125 or visit www.HotCityTheatre.org.
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