Photo Source: Ann Amos
Recounting the history of an unbearably hip group of musicians called the New Cigarette, the play is a combination of voiceover narrative and the band's music, which it calls "chamber punk," a dissonant repertoire featuring cello, drum, piano, guitar, trombone, and voice. The core troupe—musicians Kirk Wood Bromley and Leah Schrager and dancers Beth Griffith and Peter Schmitz—aims to recapture a type of rambling stream-of-consciousness performance that was innovative 50 years ago in Greenwich Village coffeehouses, when stoned Beatniks snapped their fingers in appreciation. Now it appears trite and humorless.
There are hints here and there that this is all meant to be an elaborate joke. On occasion, Schrager smiles at a particularly odd phrasing, or Bromley laughs at one of his own non sequiturs. No matter. Whether Bromley and company are kidding the audience or just themselves, the result is the same: The 80-minute show is a complete bore. You'd be better off with a trip to the oral surgeon. It'll be more enjoyable.
Presented by Inverse Theater as part of the New York International Fringe Festival at the Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery, NYC. Aug. 12–25. Remaining performances: Sat., Aug. 13, 7 p.m.; Fri., Aug. 19, 2 p.m.; Sun., Aug. 21, noon; Thu., Aug. 25, 8:15 p.m. (866) 468-7619 or www.fringenyc.com.
