Prototype Issue
Concrete Folk Variations
By Aileen Chu
(page 1 of 1)Chapter One: Death of a Sugar Daddy
Situated in a small storefront nestled against a Mexican skate shop on Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake, I almost miss The Manual Archives had it not been for a window papered with faux wood.
A paper sign directs me to a waiting area on the side, where scattered audience members chatter mutedly. Finally, we’re ushered into the theater. It’s a small room filled with five wooden benches that are nearly filled with tonight’s audience. Guitarist Marc Amoroso sits with mixer and pedals to the side, providing live background music to our entrance and later, to the show. The windshield-sized stage is in the wall in front of us.
Two women walk in. One is large and squat with glasses and a mohawk. The other is plain-faced with short hair. The latter is Susan Simpson, founder of the Manual Archives experimental theater artist and CalArts School of Theater faculty member. They settle in chairs on either side of the stage and open the scripts in their laps. And we begin.
Concrete Folk Variations takes place in mid-century Los Angeles. In Chapter One, Loretta Salt, veteran beat cop and lesbian, is drawn into investigating the murder of Lillian Leighman, also known as Big Leigh, sugar daddy to the city’s lesbians. Yup, Daddy’s a lady, and this puppet drama focuses on ladies on the down low during the McCarthy era.
The characters are well formed, both in a literary sense as well as in hinged wood and clay. The city is evoked with simple yet ingenious stage props. The movements are stark, lifelike and made by the hands of four female puppeteers dressed in sky blue T-shirts. Those expecting marionettes may be disappointed, but this style of puppetry lends itself to the drama. While the puppeteers are distracting at times with their distinct looks and bralessness, we are reminded of the bygone lesbians whose work was oftentimes done clandestinely but propelled the forward movement of their story.
The narration and voices were perhaps the only aspects of the show that grated against the rest of the production. Though noir in nature, the narration became too dull and heavy in places, and the voices did not vary much nor did they match the characters well enough. A small annoyance because the rest of the show was well conceived and presented. But beware, because Chapter One will leave you craving more. Chapter 1.5 comes in late March, but you’ll have to wait until June for Chapter Two. The remainder of the serial drama will be done in the same style and include some projection.
“Concrete Folk Variations, Chapter One: Death of a Sugar Daddy” plays Thursdays and Fridays at 8pm; Saturdays at 2pm & 8pm. Tickets, $15. The Manual Archives, 3320 Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake, 323-667-0156, www.manualarchives.org. Through March 22.
Discussion