E.M. Forester’s 1909 story "The Machine
Stops" is a seminal, classic science fiction story about
what happens when people allow machines to take over society.
But when interpreted by Hanne Tierney’s Theater Without Actors,
the story becomes quite extraordinary.
"Man, the Flower of all Flesh ," in its world premiere
run at Five Myles in Crown Heights through May 14, is the latest
example of the way Tierney successfully brings inanimate objects
to life. (Tierney is credited with conceiving, constructing and
manipulating the production.) In November 2001, her company presented
the memorable "How Wang-Fo Was Saved," an adaptation
of an ancient Chinese legend told with bamboo fronds, silks,
stiffened robes and glowing lanterns.
In this production, tubes, rods, balls, lights, ropes, a puppet
and other objects tell the story of Vashti and her son, who live
in a claustrophobic underground society run by The Machine, a
tyrannical, communal brain. All goes well, despite the son’s
longing to escape, until The Machine breaks down and their world
falls apart.
From a sidewall, Tierney and Shawn Lane manipulate the inanimate
objects into emotionally expressive gestures and movements through
an elaborate system of 120 counterweighted strings arranged across
a ceiling grid. The movement is accompanied by both pre-recorded
and live voice-overs provided by Jamie Mumford, Tierney, Tanya
Thomas, Cooper Mumford, Phil Soltonoff and Grant Smith.
The voices, expressive in their own right, seem to come from
very far off and add to the feeling of otherworldliness, while
creating a kind of fourth dimension the audience is invited to
step into.
When there are no words, there is music (both live and pre-recorded)
composed by Jane Wang, Thomas and Smith. Performed live by vocalist
and narrator Thomas and vocalist and instrumentalist Wang, the
music carries great emotional content.
The songs are titled "The SuperBrain," "The Mender’s
Lament" and "Save the Last Waltz"; they have a
hypnotic sound that is both pleasing and disturbing.
"Man, the Flower of all Flesh " begins with a most
interesting prologue. Artist Matt Freedman retells the biblical
creation story, and at the same time, illustrates the story by
sketching a glowing, cartoon-like landscape of the Garden of
Eden and its inhabitants. His matter-of-fact, instructional tone
may remind older members in the audience of the 1940s television
show, "You Are an Artist," in which Jon Gnagy executed
drawings while describing his technique.
Tierney then offers an alternative creation myth in which God’s
vomit is the basis of all life. But whichever story one prefers,
it is obvious that with the rise of The Machine, the world has
gone far astray from its beginnings.
Tierney’s Theater Without Actors is particularly effective in
this story about a world without human beings, or at least human
beings as we know them. The way moving objects take over the
roles of actors perfectly mirrors the way The Machine has taken
over the minds and hearts of people.
Tierney’s theater has historic roots in the Symbolist and early
Modernist stage, as expounded by the Belgian playwright and poet
Maurice Maeterlinck, who wrote in 1888 in "Le Jeune Belgique":
"The staging of a masterpiece with the help of human elements
is a contradiction. Every masterpiece is a symbol, and the symbol
will not tolerate the active presence of man."
But Tierney accomplishes what is so rare in experimental theater:
she makes technique the servant of theme. At the same time she
blends theory and performance into an emotionally significant
and satisfying experience.
In the face of such brilliance, one can only say, "Brava!"
"Man, the Flower of all Flesh " plays through May 14,
Thursdays through Saturdays at 7 pm at Five Myles, 558 St. Johns
Place between Franklin and Classon avenues in Crown Heights.
Tickets are $20, $10 students and seniors. For reservations,
and more information, call (718) 783-4438.
