Decadence
Poster by Alex Fuller
-
... inventive concept and impressive acting ... The result is often suspenseful, sometimes hilarious, and always entertaining.
-
... a gritty experience with a few genuinely scary moments ... evokes a zeitgeist that I imagine to be similar to the early days of some of Chicago’s more illustrious ensemble-based theaters.
-
... director Matt Hooks works with economy and style ... [Abraham Werewolf is] a vibrant source of originality and a true boon to Chicago’s experimental theater scene ... a bloody, one of a kind theatrical experience.
DECADENCE: The Two Faces of Robert LaPage
DECADENCE is an examination of the empty glamour of 1970s Hollywood imbued with the spirit of the Parisian Grand Guignol theatre. The production employs la douche ecossaise ("the hot and cold shower"), a theatre style which alternates comedic and macabre vignettes reflecting upon such unsavory themes as sexual violence, insanity, revenge and cold-blooded murder. With the rise in the divorce rate, a "pulling back" from the liberal nature of the 1960s, the end of the Vietnam war, and the birth of the serial killer, the 1970s provide an especially fertile ground for exploration.
The play is split into two independent hour-long programs that are performed simultaneously on separate stages. The shows are connected in the end by an outrageous finale that spans both rooms.
DECADENCE: The Two Faces of Robert LaPage was performed at The Family Room, The Post Family's fabulous gallery and workshop in July and August of 2009. The piece was written collaboratively by Abraham Werewolf.
Cast
-
Kevin Alves
Doctor Reeves, Stanley, Officer Marv Holliday -
Danny Bischoff
Officer Hahn, Howard -
Kim Boler
Martha Shriver, Fawn -
Sid Branca
Rose -
Bryan Breau
Ray Watkins, Michael -
Ken Brown
Dr. Keatus, Detective Richter -
Dennis Davies
Robert LaPage -
Erin Haddock
Molly Heddington, Tawny -
Michael Khanlarian
Councilman Andrew Navarro, George Shriver -
Jack McDonald
Rex Houston, Officer Roy Fellows, Orderly -
Alberto Mendoza
Russell Evans, Blake, Officer Reiner -
Stephanie Murphy
Anita -
Kasey O'Brien
Valerie, Karla -
Katherine Schwartz
Peg -
Erez Shek
David, Bill Sullivan, James Heddington
Production Team
Director - Matt Hooks
Assistant Director - Alberto Mendoza
Dramaturgy - Jack McDonald
Casting Director & Marketing - Danny Bischoff
Production Manager - Vanessa Rodriguez
Videography - Mario Bucca
Costumes & Wardrobe - Genevieve Clifford
Set/Lighting Design - Bailey Scott
Board Operators - Steven Hill, Will Bishop, Brianna Finnegan
Special thanks to Andrea Behrends for her excellent photography.