Theatre ReviewsTom Williams

A Couple of Poor Polish Speaking Romanians

By Dorota Maslowska

A Copule of Polish Speaking Romanians

 

Translated by Paula Sirett & Lisa Goldman

Directed by Max Truax

At Trap Door Theatre

Weird, wordy and wild, this Polish play lost something in translation

Dortoa Maslowska’s A Couple of Polish Speaking Romanians was a most bewildering theatrical experience.  We meet two Polish folks high on drugs that set off on a road trip. They  hold up passing motorists pretending to be Polsih speaking Romanians.  That is all that I am certain of in this complex and perplexing work that makes Waiting for Godot seem well  plotted.

This weird play is told from the perspective of the couple and their xenophobic victims. We’re never sure what happens during the two day journey. We do witness many long and utterly non-sense  monologues from Parcha (Kevin Cox in a manic screeching performance), Dzina (Tiffany Bedwell in a zombie-like turn) and several motorists.

Tiffany Bedwell & Kevin Cox

The press notes state: the show “is an hilarious and scathing critique of the relationship between class stratification and national identity.”  Ha?  I saw a show where two folks were high on drugs and after assuming the guise of poverty-stricken aliens, the pair became victims of their own folly.  All the emotional rages and the wacky characters couldn’t save this show.  Its much too long–at 1 hour and 50 minutes without intermission.  The audience became restless due mainly too the shows lack of focus. It lost me early on as the lengthy diatribes seemed more wordy that coherent. Once the show lost the audience, we couldn’t wait for it to end. Too bad since Kevin Cox and Tiffany Bedwell worked so hard to make dense material palatable.  A cut of 30 minutes and a clear focus would help this show. As it plays now, we wonder what is going on here?

Not Recommended

Tom Williams

At Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W. Cortland, chicago, IL, Call 773-384-0494, tickets $20, Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm, running time is 1 hour, 50 minutes without intermission, through June 27, 2009

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