Review | “A Bella Incarceration” by Echo Theater Company

Ann Noble in “A Bella Incarceration” (Photo – Noah Cross)

Actor/playwright Ann Noble single handedly takes us on a Disneyland-level ride through the emotions, questions, declarations, and realizations of Bella Ventricle, as she shares her thoughts while incarcerated for finally taking a stand against injustice.

By Carol Edger Germain

The set of “A Bella Incarceration” (Production Designer Ann Loud) is simple but immediately intriguing – a giant playpen representing the prison cell. All the toys are outside the playpen, though, and the keys to the cell are, symbolically, just an inch out of her reach. As Bella, Ann Noble is attired in blue scrubs, a voluminous blond wig, and a red clown nose. Hold on tight and pay attention as she whips us through her observations on her inability to escape, her pride in taking a stand for justice, and her naive belief in the power of being in love to smooth ruffled feathers, provide purpose, and make everything bearable.  Interestingly, her faith is in being “in love” as opposed to “loving”.

There are undercurrents of her issue with her short stature (envying but trusting and respecting those who have what she doesn’t). She progresses through her musings seamlessly and glides physically about the stage in concert with the nature of which memory, plan, or emotion she is considering at the moment. She decides she needs an assistant narrator and fashions her “mini-me” from a small pillow, a clump of her blond hair, and a little clown nose. Then she calls on the spirits of the brave women she most admires – Nellie Bly, Emma Goldman, and Dorothy Day, sharing the imagined advice of each in an individual voice. Her only possessions in the cell are their books, and she turns to their words. There is plenty of humor and symbolism as well. A recurring question, which she poses to each of her idols, is whether they know what kind of animal could have eaten the cherries off the beautiful white dress made for her by her mother.

Finally, her emotional musings culminate in a “new Bella” sans the scrubs, wig, nose, and imaginary friend. The new, unadorned Bella glowingly glides around the stage to an instrumental version of “The Sounds of Silence,” gracefully but dramatically enticing us to anticipate a revelation of how her rollercoaster thoughts have coalesced into a solid guide for moving forward. But – spoiler alert! (not really) – don’t count on it! Bella leaves the audience with their individual thoughts triggered by the emotions, issues, and words shared from the stage, and that is the most brilliant accomplishment of this beautiful, emotional experience.

Every sequence stops short of a final declaration or conclusion, and I can practically guarantee that the mind of each person in the audience was triggered with a different conclusion or emotion based on their own life, struggles, and beliefs. I am eagerly awaiting the next production by this extremely talented actor/playwright.

Only three more performances on upcoming Tuesdays, don’t miss it!

A Bella Incarceration
August 8, 15, 22
8:00 pm
Echo Theater Company at Atwater Village Theatre
3269 Casitas Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90039
$10; EchoTheaterCompany.com or (310)307-3753
Free parking in the ATX lot 1 block south, or street parking