“We Are Pussy Riot (or) Everything Is P.R” with Red Tape Theatre

Red Tape Theatre has closed their 15th season with Barbara Hammond’s We Are Pussy Riot (or) Everything Is P.R. Directed by Kate Hendrickson, the show recounts the true story of Pussy Riot, a collective of anonymous Russian activists, who stirred the nation with their 48-second performance of “Virgin Mary – Chase Putin Away!” in the Church of Christ the Savior in Moscow, Russia. A show that had the potential to illuminate the story of a group of women whose actions were adjusted to fit the agenda of the patriarchy of the Russion Church and government was muddled by the contradicting use of narratives and the stumbling pace within the script, inconsistent performances throughout the ensemble, and a flood of auditory and visual elements. Noise must be made to bring awareness to causes, but how are we to permeate it through culture and history if we can’t discern and replicate the melody?

Barbara Hammond utilized trial transcripts, letters, media coverage, and interviews as well as statements from celebrities and public officials to present the story of these courageous activists who served two years in prison for a public, nonviolent act of rebellion that didn’t even last a minute long. Their musical opposition to Vladimir Putin, protesting the 2012 presidential elections, shot them to fame as P.R. campaigns used them to promote their agendas. The spectacle that they created compared and contrasted the East and the West, debated the presence and power of the Church in the state and vice versa, and critiqued tradition in the face of modernity.

The tale was woven in front of the audience by a troupe of Yurodivy, played by the entire ensemble. In the Russian Othodox tradition, Yurodivy are those who act as “holy fools,” behaving in a manner specifically to shock those around them with their disregard to societal norms, speaking in riddles, and barely clothing their bodies. However, the performative style employed by this company was more in tune with the media’s sensationalized and superficial representation than with the riddling quandaries asked by holy fools. If everything is P.R., why were the holy fools presenting this tale to us?

Some characters were presented as archetypes and mockeries, and others were colored with sincerity; however, even within one character these modes weren’t consistent. The bulk of the show exhibited the three members of Pussy Riot to be as air headed and garish as the conservative media painted them to be, and there were too few moments in which they actually weighed the consequences of their actions and justified their rightful protests. If we are to see ourselves in the reflection of Pussy Riot, as it was implied we should by the ending, it would have been more effective to show the majority of Pussy Riot as the true women that they were, and then the personas that they assumed for the publicity stunts.

Most of the ensemble launched into the show with their lines at a forte, which is a great way to emulate the vibe of a punk rock band. However, the preponderance of their performance stayed at a forte. If every instrument enters the symphony at a forte and remains so for the entirety of their own part, then we never get to hear the true complexity of harmony and counterpoint. (Forgive the classical music metaphor. It works much better than a rock band metaphor with a maximum of five instruments.) A select few actors supplied shifts in tempo and dynamics, but among the remaining ensemble there were mixed levels of confidence in visual focus and physical embodiment in the intimate space.

Casey Chapman had the olympic task of portraying Vladimir Putin, a feat accomplished with a stoic face that emanated an eerie fog over the stage. Chapman’s moments of enigmatic silences were more thrilling than the cacophonous moments that plagued most of the show. Ann Sonneville supplied a steady base for the audience to find respite in as the Devout Woman, an intriguing archetype of religious servitude that wasn’t rooted in corrupt power, but in true fidelity to the high ideals that religion can inspire. She exhibited a steadfast and centered focus as she switched from Devout Woman to Lieutenant and Russian Language Professor. Nora King impressively shifted from dialect to dialect as she portrayed multiple embodiments of press and public figures. However, the mass of other less fleshed out media portrayals left her roles seeming somewhat superfluous. Emilie Modaff (who also supplied original music performed by the entire cast) masterfully transformed from the bellowing Judge to the calm and collected Anna Politovskaya (a Russian journalist, writer, and human rights activist), with the appropriate beats and dynamic variations that should have been present throughout the entire production. William Rose II added the much needed touchstone of familiarity and assurance with crisp and finessed tones and beat shifts. But it begs the question, why is the story of women being relayed by a man? Shouldn’t the ship be sailed by those who were most directly silenced?

Chris Popio designed an adaptable set, plastered with newspaper articles and photos from the media. Painted on the highest wall was a sun that resembled an eye and framed Putin (Chapman) in his ominous perch as he overlooked the rest of the ensemble as they climbed and jumped from the steps. Squares were drawn on the ground with white chalk to indicate other “prisons,” and the cast transported themselves and props on a golden cart. Amelia Mroczkowski equipped the actors with an ingenious array of found items for props to use as puppets and shadow puppets.

The constant banging of pots and pans without much substance didn’t justify an ending that was handled with such gravitas. We were told not to forget something that we didn’t delve deeply into. I left the theatre in awe of the energy and drive put into the production, but feeling much like I had spend the entire time watching videos on my laptop with a podcast playing on my iPad, while scrolling through Instagram on my phone. The use of multiple voices is only satisfying once all combined to form a shining turn of phrase, but it felt like all of the instruments were shooting off in different directions, tempos, and keys, never leading to a resolve or a culmination. How exhilarating it would have been if all aspects could have matched the standout elements, aforementioned performances and stagecraft, in focused and supported synergy.

All tickets are FREE as a part of the Free Theatre Movement, but to guarantee a seat you can visit their website redtapetheatre.org. Their theatre is located at 4546 N. Western Avenue.

This production runs from June 7th to July 6th. Shows begin at 8 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and at 7 pm on Sundays. There are also industry nights on Mondays beginning at 8 pm. It plays for 90 minutes with no intermission.

Somewhat recommended

Reviewed by Sophie Vitello

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