1.
Julius Caesar, 2010, Municipal Parking Lot, Lower East Side, New York
Julius Caesar, performed by the Drilling Company was as unconventional as a classic Shakespeare production can be. There were cross gender role casting with characters such as Cassius being played by a female. Not only that, but this production was set completely urban and took place in a high school with characters such as Caesar being the “power-hungry principal,” and the Roman soldiers being children within the school. The best part of this unconventional play was that it’s venue was in a parking lot in the Lower East Side of New York. That’s right. While people are parking, there was a production of Julius Caesar in action. The cherry on top of this unusual production is that it was completely free. Although this production is over, the Drilling Company produces Shakespeare productions every summer in parking lots all over New York City. Check out their website http://www.drillingcompany.org/ for more information.
2.
Faust, 2007, Prague Petriny Park, Prague, Czech Republic
There is something completely unconventional about a production of Faust being set in a disused reservoir. There is something more to be said about a play being performed by homeless people. That’s right. The Majak Theatre Group and Jezek and Cizek are two separate groups composed of either current homeless people or individuals who have been homeless in the past. This production had projections, video clips, and even and Indie Rock Band called “The New Kids Underground” playing during the performance. I feel sorry for any audience members who were solely English speakers. This performance was entirely in Czech. This production is no longer playing.
3.
Woyzeck, 2008, Counting Squares Theatre, New York City, New York
There are renditions and twists to some classic plays that really work. However, the practically new company Theatre Talks Corps seems to have done a poor job at reinventing this play. Yet, I will say that it is definitely unconventional. With the play being set in the Midwest and Iraq, this classic tale becomes a war story. It turns the focus from the original theme of Woyzeck which was “the gateway to modernism, the vague existentialism of the character’s crisis—he is both pauper and prophet, and his visions of a godless world, derived in part by mistreatment by the bourgeoisie, have a universal resonance,” to a story about a soldier suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Besides the new take on this productions meaning, the set is also just as unusual. On stage, there are only two paper Mache made mountains and a bed. This Woyzeck, however successful or not, had a considerable amount of alternative elements.
4.
Hedda Gabler, 2011, City Theatre Center, Tehran, Iran
What’s so controversial about Ibsen’s 1890 classic play Hedda Gabler ? Nothing really. Well, unless you are producing it in Iran. The Tehran Theatre Company rooted in Tehran, Iran recently produced Hedda Gabler at the City Theatre Center. Not only was the productions itself a bit raunchy, but this theatre group somehow managed to slip by Tehran’s heavily regulated Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance administration. It only took them six days to realize that this production was both “vulgar” and “hedonistic.” Even the chief prosecutor at the Iranian capital, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi summoned the actors to explain themselves. As a result, the performance of this play was banned completely. Javad Arianmanesh, deputy head of parliament's cultural committee, believes that this was play was deliberately breaking social rules and that there needs to be a “firmer stance on the arts.”
5.
SOS, 2002, Kitchen Theatre, New York City, New York
The Big Art Groups production SOS at the Kitchen Theatre had a few heads turning. The Big Art Group company’s distinctive quality is that they incorporate video playing during the performance. They literally film the actors on stage and project what they are doing onto a screen for the audience to watch. This was incredibly unconventional because it blurred the line between theatre and film. There were times during the performance that you could not see the actors except for on the film. Besides the difference visually, there was said to be problems with understanding the story at all. Supposedly the storyline did not make sense and it was almost impossible to understand the actors who were talking at “hyperspeed.” The producing theater, The Kitchen, is known for their experimental work. For more information regarding upcoming productions, visit their website at http://www.thekitchen.org/ .
6.
Feeling Something Important, 2010, Hokkaido Prefecture, Sapporo, Japan
The deaf theatre group called Mimu which means Dancing dream, finally performed their first theatre production since their establishment six years at the Hokkaido Prefecture Theatre. This play is completely unconventional in that the entire play is done in sign language. There is no interpreter so only those who can sign will understand this play. Another interesting aspect of this production is that several of the words and phrases of the play had be changed because sign language does not directly translate some of the expressions. The Mimu company continues to practice in preparation of future deaf productions.
Laika: Dog in Space, 2011, The Neo-Futurarium, Chicago, Illinois
The experimental Neo-Futurists Group based in Chicago, Illinois is performing an original piece called Laika: Dog in Space through March 12. The play is based off the true story of Laika, the first mammal sent to space and is also inspired from the television series “The Prisoner” as well as the children’s story called The Little Prince. The story is said to be hard to connect with disjointed elements such as a “voice” that is said to instruct the actors on what to do next. Other unconventional elements include making borsch soup that the audience can eat after and show and even pulling audience members on the stage to drink Tang upside down. If you would like to see this production, you can make reservations at http://www.neofuturists.org/ or by calling 773-275-5255.
8.
Panic! Euphoria! Blackout!, 2010, HERE Theatre, New York City, New York
It’s said that you “can’t hold on to conventional notions of theatre when you see a show by The Talking Band.” The HERE Theatre produced Panic! Euphoria! Blackout! , a show performed by company members of the avant garde troupe, The Talking Band was as unconventional as they are known for. In Panic! Euphoria! Blackout!, there was non-linear storytelling as well as both setting and costumes that lacked specificity. The piece focused on the financial hardships of the world. There were leaps in time during the play, and the play began in another adjacent room before being moved to “ease theatergoers in to the play.” This play ended in October 23, 2010, but for more information on The Talking Band’s upcoming productions, their website is: http://talkingband.org/
9.
Red Noir, 2010, The Living Theatre, New York City, New York
The Living Theatre production of Red Noir seemed to bring audience members back to 1960’s start to experimental theatre. Directed by Judith Malina, who is said to be in her 63rd year as director of “arguably one of the most influential alternative theatre group of the Post- War era.” There was in round staging, a 21 person chorus who continually chanted “Anarchy,” and audience participation. If you went to see this show, you were not sitting back and just watching the show. Audience members participated by chanting words and phrases given by the actors as well as partaking in interpretative dance.
Battle of the Terrorists and Horrorists, 2006, Theatre for the New City, New York, New York
Theatre for the New City produced Bread and Puppet Theatre’s production of Battle of the Terrorists and Horrorists in 2006. This production was beautiful visually with several puppets (as illustrated in the photo above) and, there are many lyrical images being represented by white and black cardboard. This piece was more visually stunning than an actual story being told. There seemed to be no plot, characters to identify, or catharsis. Bread and Puppet Theatre located in Glover, Vermont is known for their free performances and feeding anywhere from 50 to 100 people daily during the summer season. For more information on the Bread and Puppet Theatre’s upcoming season, check out their website: http://breadandpuppet.org/
