Abraham Werewolf

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.

Poster by Alex Fuller.

Special thanks to Andrea Behrends for her excellent photography.