Politics: Hilarious AND Terrifying

The Ridiculous Darkness – Sideshow Theatre Company

The history of “The Ridiculous Darkness” is RIDICULOUSLY long and tumbling. At its birth, it was a novel written and published in 1899 called “The Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad. Most famously it was adapted for screen, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and retitled “Apocalypse Now.” In 2012, German writer Wolfram Lots adapted the story for radio, and since then, Lots’ adaptation has become one of the most produced German plays.

The play written by Lots specifically implores productions to utilize “changes in the dramaturgy cuts, the addition of external text and similar actions on a large scale,” and Sideshow Theatre Company delivered on this end. This is the text being used  on stage in Sideshow Theatre Company’s production of “The Ridiculous Darkness,” but in a new, invigorating way that few productions have utilized: diversity AND talent. They told the story in modern times with every tool they had. It was a feat of epic theatre: acting, singing, dancing, music, stage, sets, props, and lights, all of the highest degree.

The story follows Sergeant Oliver Pellner after he has been commanded to a find rogue colonel and return him to camp, dead or alive. Pellner and his pilot begin the journey steadfast in loyalty to their commander and confident in the belief that the colonel is in the wrong, having supposedly killed his comrades and joined the indigenous civilization. However, as the adventure unravels before our eyes, we learn that darkness and light can play tricks on our minds through shadow play, and what we think we know or believe about human nature and society can quickly dissolve.

Be it in the form of novella, film, radio, or stage, set in Afghanistan or Vietnam, the story utilizes dark humor to inspect the darkness in human nature and critique civilisation and colonialism. As well as being transplanted to a new time and new place, this production has also taken a narrative usually told by white men and given the reins to an amazing ensemble of female actors of color. Casts of yesteryear pale in comparison to this powerhouse team of raucous, glorious, and formidable women. Assembled before our eyes is a crown, with each actor being a brilliant jewel coming together to form a mesmerizing wall of strength. Standouts include Meagan Dilworth, who delivered the first ten or so minutes of dialogue on stage with undeniable stage command and endearing sincerity. RjW carried the storyline of the evening as Pellner, lending her smoky voice and steely gaze to the isolation and distance that her character was trying to approach the world with. Britanni Yawn was highly sympathetic as the sergeant’s pilot, Dorsch, with her wide-eyed innocence and lilting voice. Lisa Troi Thomas played a fellow sergeant from Tennessee with a drawling voice and ambling gait as she induced full-on guffaws from the audience. Rounding out the superb ensemble were the physically expressive Jasmine Traylor (Amani), charismatic Kenya Ann Hall (Stu), and Ashley Joy (an understudy who went on to cover the roles of Reverend Cartier and Colonel Tinger).

Scenic Designer Lauren Nigri created a stage in which there was not one bad seat in the house. On a raked, thrust stage with a circular edge, the actors had the space to traverse the wilderness. The added horizon line created the depth needed to expand the eye and the mind of the audience and to induce the fear of looming darkness. Properties Designer Jonathan Berg-Einhorn deserves an extra round of applause with Nigri, for they both created a set and set of props that didn’t roll across the raked stage. Costume Designer Noël Huntsinger plotted out base costume pieces to allow for dizzying quick changes, but the best innovation was the donning of white gloves for any character who held authority, a trick that was especially compelling when the MIA Colonel Tinger finally appeared on stage wearing tarnished and stained white gloves. Lighting Designer Simean “Sim” Carpenter provided water reflections that danced across the stage and the actors faces to submerge us underwater and under pressure, as well as a projection of war footage of the Vietnam War and police brutality on African-Americans.

This production followed the Brechtian epic theatre genre by incorporating music and dance. Sound Designer/Composer Michael Huey supplied sounds such as moving water, boat horns, and gunshots to fester the fear in the pits of the audiences’ stomach. Huey also supplied instrumental pieces that embodied the wilderness and then contrasted these with well known pop-songs that faintly called out to us from reality as we drove deeper into this new purgatory. Choreographer Tuesdai B. Perry crafted movement to accompany long monologues in which there were more than one person on stage, but only one speaking. This gave visual variety to periods that could have become monotonous in productions not as finessed as this. These movements were influenced by modern dance, with the actors gliding across stage portraying row-boats and birds. In other instances, hip-hop and contemporary styles were utilized to bring levity as well as regal stoicism in rotating turns during the scene changes.

Directed by Ian Damont Martin, one could call this a dark comedy. However, the term that is more applicable to modern USA is political play. Martin found moments of raucous hilarity and ringing silences in equal quantities. In viewing this production, you will be awakened by the two most natural human reactions: laughing and crying. Martin and dramaturg Dani Weber crafted an adaptation of an old story that re-examines the word “Ridiculous.” Merriam-Webster defines the word as an adjective, meaning deserving or inviting derision or mockery; absurd. How do you react to news or violence? Do you laugh or cry? Do you deride or mock? The show examines these questions through introducing different characters, some who choose to turn a deaf ear to other’s pleas and some who torture themselves with consuming every piece of news.

“The Ridiculous Darkness” runs until April 28th in the Richard Christiansen Theatre at Victory Gardens (2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago). It has a run time of 1 hour and 45 minutes with NO INTERMISSION. Evening shows are at 8 pm on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, with 2:30 pm Matinees on Sundays. General Admission for Evening Shows is $29 and $24 for Matinees. Tickets are available online at https://victorygardens.org/ or https://www.sideshowtheatre.org/. You may also call (773) 871-3000 or purchase tickets at the box office.

Highly Recommended

Sophie Vitello

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.