Having seen Ann Noble recently in two very different roles, finding a notice for her show at the Echo Theatre, I signed up.
I must admit to a couple of biases.
One..Curtain speeches and turn off your cell phones and our upcoming shows and we are on the hallowed grounds of the Chumash and Pico de Gallo native tribes and blah blah blah.. mostly annoy me. Tonight? The audience settles. House lights down.. The show begins. As it should be! We have come to see a play.
Another bias is that (as you will see in this review..) I'm a fan of Ann Noble. I mention this because I did not know she wrote stuff. How did she come up with "52 Pick- Up??"
I have no idea. It doesn't matter.
There may be a touch of Samuel Beckett's "Act Without Words" because the majority of this piece is silent. At rise.. Penny (Ann Noble) lies inert on the stage (a well disguised alley over the set of the Echo's current production of Berta Berta..) Penny is a colorful puddle. There's not a lot of light.
Arcade (Jeffrey Johnson) enters.. guitar on a strap.. He comes in. He goes out. It's slow going and some silly stuff that defines the guy. It takes a while to get things rolling..
I don't care.
It's charming and slow and deliberate and silly.
Once Arcade starts to play his guitar? Penny comes to life.
From this point on.. the business of the cards (if you've ever played 52 Pick-Up you'll understand) and what the cards mean and Penny's crisp finger snaps to punctuate the action that might be a story line of connection? Begins..
The absurdity of cards and the business of human interaction and fear and ideas and sound and movement with galvanized trashcans? and the cards and the focus of the actors and the music and wondering what the heck is going on? It is enough.
Enough is good.
Is it complicated? It can be if you are into examining the nuances of motivation.. of the undertow of deep meaning. But, I just don't care. I like watching the actors.. committed movement and intentions.
Something is happening.. When you see it. and I hope you will.. You must.
You'll see.
Simply allow the images and the suggestions and the silliness and the angst and the tricks and the stuff all just happen. Darn it.. It's a piece of art that happens and the attitude of this review sums it up for me. It happens. And, if you get a story or a deep and meaningful trip.. well. good on you. It is at once abstract and goofy and at the same time: fascinating. to catch the energy of Penny bouncing like a red rubber ball and Arcade, no so bouncy.. Each compliments the other.
The theatre I enjoy is like this stuff that Ms Noble has come up with . We go to the art gallery. We find color or motion or something that just stops us: inviting us to simply be with the work.
But!
What many directors in small spaces forget is that when they "see" the show from the audience? There are no people in the seats.. so when the audience fills the seats.. downstage floor action will be blocked to a degree for the folks in the seats behind the first row..
By moving the action further upstage, the floor work is more available. In this space this is a challenge because of the shared set.. This is a situation that is not such a big deal as we all lean to one side or another to catch the action.
Ann Noble's colorful one act is simply a well done grace note to what can be accomplished when creative folks toss their cards onto the boards.
Ann Noble and Jeffrey Johnson in 52 Pick-Up; photograph by Carolina Rodriguez
With Jeffrey Johnson, Ms Noble creates a physical world of action and intention. It's fun.
Production Crew
52 Pickup
written and directed by Ann Noble
52 Pick-Up
Tuesday & Thursday evenings @ 8 pm on July 22, 24, 29, 31 (see website for more details) only. All tickets are $15. Produced by both The Echo Theater Company & Theatre Ghosts at The Echo’s theater space in Atwater: located at 3269 Casitas Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90039
Tickets on sale NOW!! www.echotheatercompany.com/52-pickup
