COURTESY OF CRUEL THEATRE
Leela (Mariko Neubauer) and her boyfriend Ken (Reb Beau Allen) are at odds over her desire to express her true self by cutting off her legs in "Double Above the Knee."
Who doesn't do something to alter their appearance? Shaving counts, of course, along with any form of grooming that involves combs, scissors or tweezers. Take it another step or two and we're talking about tattoos, piercings, and cosmetic surgery like getting double eyelids and nose jobs. What are the limits of self-expression? Desire for
amputation exploredStar-Bulletin staff
Parents have been fighting this battle for generations, but does anyone have the right to pre-empt an adult's right to recreate themselves?
That's the issue at hand as Cruel Theatre continues its exploration of the frontiers of modern theater with "Double Above the Knee," Po'okela Award-winning stage combat choreographer Tony Pisculli's tale of an Internet stripper who visualizes herself as a double amputee and wants to become one (apotemnophilia is the term assigned to those who harbor this desire).
Pisculli's protagonist, Leela, wants to have her legs cut off, but what's an apotemnophiliac to do when her boyfriend and best friend don't support her decision? Let's see Pisculli convince us that they should!
In any event, the show is a first for Cruel Theatre -- known for its interactive improvised dramas -- because it uses a script and rehearsed dialogue. Even so, audience members will be close enough to "smell, taste and touch" the actors and props.
There also will be pre-show and post-show discussions led by the actors in character.
So, where do we draw the line regarding what someone else can do to alter their appearance? Michael Jackson? That woman in People Magazine who looks like a cat? Britney Spears?
Tony Pisculli and Cruel Theatre members will have their Magic Markers in hand at Marks Garage.
Presented by Cruel Theatre 'Double Above the Knee'
Where: The ARTS at Mark's Garage
When: 8 p.m. today, tomorrow, June 21 and 22
Tickets: $10, $7 for students; available at the door 30 minutes before show time
Call: 523-1004
Click for online
calendars and events.
