Cosmic, mystical doings are interwoven through 'Warm, Delicious Play'
By MICHAEL SMITH 8/11/01
Joseph Gomez (right) offers a flower to Nicholas Foster in a scene from "Warm, Delicious Play." JAMES GIBBARD / Tulsa World
It's not going too far to say that Midwestern Theater Troupe likes to keep its audience in the dark, its plays a mystery. It's OK with them if those in attendance leave feeling much the same way -- just so long as they had a good time.
The troupe revels in the fact that promotional materials and even previews of an upcoming work can be published and yet give little away as to the content. Writer-director John Cruncleton clings to the belief that his latest work, "Warm, Delicious Play," was conceived and co-authored by a race of intergalactic clowns.
One thing is certain, having viewed this work on opening night Thursday: Those clowns know how to have a good time.
The Nightingale Theater set design prepares one for what will come. At this shabby flea circus, there's an odd-looking barber chair, made more imposing by the nearby skull-cap and its connection to a poorly wired electrical junction box. A glass showcase has a young mannequin continuously spinning inside. There's an abandoned vehicle, and a musical stage for a group of scruffy, banjo-playing kooks who look like something out of a "Hee Haw" nightmare. Everything seems covered in dirt, or at least a film of some kind.
Think "Mad Max" in space, because as primitive as these surroundings appear, cosmic and mystical doings are interwoven throughout this play/fable/mystery. Behind the scenes at a flea circus, yes, but it doesn't seem out of the question that this whole affair might be taking place onboard a large spaceship, either.
We are introduced to Honeycutt (played by Sara Cruncleton), a mistress of bees but also a witch, and fleakeeper Grimes (Joseph Gomez), who has long been estranged from a daughter he had with Honeycutt, but now he has abducted the young girl during some sort of spell/experiment, apparently transporting her to some other dimension. There's Trewley (John Cruncleton), the magician who seems to also serve as ringmaster in this little game.
The primary inspiration for this work seems to stem from the Greek myth of Demeter, a goddess whose daughter was abducted by Hades, god of the underworld. Demeter, as goddess of grain and the harvest, suffered pain so great that she neglected the land, causing famine to devastate the earth. In Cruncleton's adaptation, there's plenty of pain to go around. Is Grimes the devil? Is Trewley actually Zeus, or some other high-profile mythical leader? It is intentionally unclear.
In the space of about 100 minutes, we're treated to a severed thumb, some kind of affair that resembles electroshock therapy, magic crystals and large bee hives. The recipe seems to be: start with a flea circus as the base, add in the mystery religions of ancient Greece, the Dionysian life force and the folklore of the Midwest. Next add in some gods and goddesses, fleas, bees, honey and blood, a zombie heckler, ghosts in machines, a blind giant, a mute child and some ectoplasmic glop.
We can't forget the glop in this backwoods mystery, because every audience member get to sample this concoction in a toast with the players. It turns out that ectoplasmic glop tastes a great deal like vanilla pudding.
Sound like a circus atmosphere in which anything is possible? Perfect, that's just what Midwestern Theater Troupe is aiming for, like when they ask the crowd to join in song. Still confused as to exactly what this show is about? The Cruncletons and friends are surely smiling.
It really is a pretty "delicious" production for those theatergoers seeking a little adventure in their amusement options; meanwhile, there's little doubt where the "warm" part comes in with this play.
The folks at the Nightingale are running the air conditioning right up until showtime, and it feels about 85 degrees inside. They turn the air off at curtain time so that the performers can be easily heard over the rumbling motor, and the heat is on. It gets very warm, especially if the theater is filled to capacity as it was on Thursday. Dress appropriately -- say, as if you were attending a night Drillers ballgame, but without the occasional pleasant breeze.
"Warm, Delicious Play" continues with scheduled 8 p.m. performances Saturday, Aug. 16-18 and Aug. 23-25 at the Nightingale Theater, 1416 E. Fourth St. Tickets are $5, and they may be reserved by calling 583-8487 [As of February 2007, 633-8666].
Michael Smith, World entertainment writer, can be reached at 581-8474 or via e-mail at michael.smith@tulsaworld.com.