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Still Life
By Emily Mann
Directed by Alex Levy
At Pegasus Players
On the campus of Truman College
1145 W. Wilson
Chicago, IL
Call 773-878-9761, tickets $17 - $25
Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 PM
Sundays at 3 PM
Running time 90 minutes with no intermission
Through April 9, 2006
Still Life takes too long to deliver its message
Emily Mann’s 1980 three person narrative documentary is a dated polemic of the effects of war and violence on both the soldier and the domestic front. This is bitter testimony outlining the casualties of war—all of them. Based on actual interviews Mann made in 1978, Still Life explores violence from a personal perspective of three of its victims.
As much as talented director Alex Levy tried to make the piece work, it simply suffers with dated material and structural problems. The narrative style is blandly stationary and static deluding the content. Even with Jack Magaw’s three cylinder set and Mike Tutaj’s projections (many of which were blurred) didn’t add enough to overcome the wordy narration. This memory play is personal yet we never connect with the characters.
Mark (Juan Francisco Villa) took time to reach enough emotional involvement but ultimately delivered a heart wrenchingly description of his atrocities that produced his haunting guilt. That was the show’s best moment. We realize that Mark was the pure warrior and proud Marine who loved combat until he witnessed his buddies killed. His ‘survivor’s guilt’ together with his war crimes tainted his soul making him unable to cope with civilian life.
Cheryl (Lisa Stevens), Mark’s wife, rambles on about her life as a working class small town girl who seemed to be resigned to being beaten by Mark. She appears to be a classic victim who got pregnant with Mark’s second child even after he physically abused her after they had the first child.
I don’t understand why playwright Emily Mann gave so much time and attention to Janet Ulrich Brooks’ Nadine, who was Mark’s lover and a 70’s feminist who survived an alcoholic, violent marriage that ended in divorce. We hear her rant about many subjects that seemed trite today.
All the static narrative, especially the Nadine’s, slowed this production to a crawl. Generous cuts would serve the piece nicely. My biggest problem with Still Life lies in its lack of dramatic arc, the isolation of the characters diminishes the emotional tension allowing the show to drift and drag. At times the characters looked at and talked to each other but only for a few phrases.
The photo projection of the young Marines didn’t add enough to make a difference. I wanted to hear more about Mark and Cheryl’s marriage but Mark only mentions his children.
The show’s lack of plot hurt as much as the wordy narrative that garnered a few yawns. Still Lives has a potent message about the effects of sending boys to war, teaching them to kill then hoping they’ll readjust to domestic life without retaining their violent appetites.
The documentary style of the show deludes the potential power of the message. It is a warning about war’s affects on all of society. I’d like to see more scenes such as Mark’s teary-eyed confession. That was dramatic!
Somewhat Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed February 27, 2006
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