"Bumbershoot" at The New York International Fringe Festival
“Bumbershoot” By Derek Davidson Directed by Derek Davidson Reviewed by David Roberts Theatre Reviews Limited
As well as being the name for Seattle’s famous Labor Day international music and arts festival, ‘Bumbershoot’ is also a colloquial term for ‘umbrella.” Since Ricki’s apartment is decorated with cast-off umbrellas and the program for Derek Davidson’s “Bumbershoot” sports an upside-down umbrella, one would assume the title referred more to umbrellas than to music festivals. Yet (bear with me, please), music plays a major role in this play as does the condition of the human spirit and Bumbershoot the Festival was originally formed to raise the spirits of Seattle locals amidst the economic depression after the Boeing near-collapse. But, this critic might digress. Back to Ricki.
Ricki (brilliantly played by David McGill) embraced a character and persona to protect himself from the horrors of homophobia he experienced in school. This endearing female-male persona is the umbrella which attempts to protect those whom he loves and Ricki’s “theme” plays throughout the play.
“Bumbershoot” is a complicated yet interesting play. Bits of melodrama noire mingle with who-done-it pulp fiction to serve up a mostly palpable story of friendships gone wrong, paranoia, gender identity, struggles with sexual status, and what might be the last taboo.
After finishing a gig at an Irish pub “somewhere north of Seattle,” Ricki engages Brett (Philip Estrera) and Nicole (Shauna Godwin Hamby) in a conversation about taboos. This question, it turns out, is the pivitol one and the answer to Ricki’s question crashes down onto the stage at “Bumbershoot’s” conclusion. In the middle of the play, the audience captures clues as Ricki, Brett, Nicole, and her daughter Margo (Molly Winstead) dodge police officers Jeff (Mike Ostroski) and Randy (Nathan Whitmer) in a collection of conflicts that drive the action forward.
One wishes the play could be as engaging as the live music that begins and intersects the action of “Bumbershoot.” It isn’t that this two-act play lacks interesting characters, conflicts, and plots. It is precisely that these important elements do not “play out” as cohesively and clearly as do the notes of the music of the band that results in “Bumbershoot” slightly missing the mark.
That said, “Bumbershoot” should be seen, especially by those who enjoy garnering clues and solving murder mysteries. Clues like: what is the last taboo; why does Ricki have a ceremonial Raven Mask in his apartment; why does a bloody shirt end up in an upside-down umbrella in Ricki’s apartment?
There are only two more opportunities to gather clues and solve the mystery. It is worth the visit.
BUMBERSHOOT
Presented by In/Visible Theatre and The New York International Fringe Festival. Written and Directed by Derek Davidson. Original music and lyrics by Bradford Proctor; Set Design by Drew Wallace. Costume Design by Melissa Owens. Stage Management by Erin Haggerty Wallace.
WITH: Phil Estrera (Brett), Shauna Godwin Hamby (Nicole), David McCall (Ricki), Mike Ostroski (Jeff), Nathan Whitmer (Randy), and Molly Winstead (Marlo). MUSICIANS: Derek Davidson and Tim Russell.
All performances take place at HERE Mainstage Theater, 145 Sixth Avenue (6th Avenue and Varick Street) in New York, NY. Tickets are available at www.fringenyc.org or 866-468-7619. $15 in advance, $18 at the door. Senior and Fringe Junior tickets available at the door for $10. Running time: 2 hours and 5 minutes with one ten-minute intermission. For further information, visit: www.invisibletheatrenc.org
Remaining Show Dates: Tuesday, August 21st @ 8:00 pm Thursday, August 23rd @ 4:00 pm
Permalink | Posted by David Roberts on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
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