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“Wood Boy Dog Fish” at the Garry Marshall Theater (Photo – Chelsea Sutton).
I was happy to hear that Rogue Artists Ensemble, under the direction of Sean T. Cawelti, was going to give me another chance to visit Shoreside, the dark, foreboding beach town populated with lost souls of every persuasion, which harbors the most frightening carnival ride of all time, the Dogfish Adventure Ride.
By Carol Edger Germain
They have installed this production at the Garry Marshall Theater and the play has exploded from the stage, into the lobby, and out to the courtyard, so your senses are stimulated and entertained before the play even starts. Get there early, grab some candy and popcorn, explore the carnival artifacts, play some games, and keep an eye out for an occasional creepy slimy character sliding past your feet or enticing you deeper into the theater. When the chime sounds, enter the theater and fasten your seat belt because your mind is in for a ride in a murky, musty atmosphere in a rusty carnival car about to lose its nuts and bolts and send your thoughts flying in five directions at once. Forget the Disney version of Carlo Collodi’s “Adventures of Pinocchio” you grew up with, this reimagining takes the story back to its original dark roots, and then down a few levels into the madness. Oh – don’t bring the little ones unless you don’t mind waking up at 2 am to calm them after their nightmares. This is an adult toy box.
Drunken, snarling Geppetto (Ben Messmer) has been tasked with making marionettes on a super-rush basis, with threats of violence if he doesn’t come through, and Wolf and Cat (Amir Levi and Tyler Bremer) stalk him intermittently with dire warnings and reminders. Meanwhile, his latest creation, Wood Boy, comes halfway to life and Gepetto must hide him so he is not claimed by his “customer.” The Wood Boy puppet is a surprisingly “alive” creation, even before his eventual transition to human form. I could feel him as much as the human cast members, great design job.
This show is adult, with some violence and deliciously twisted perspectives, and thoroughly entertaining every minute. Writer Chelsea Sutton was the master puppeteer of this script and gives us a rowdy, colorful, hysterical, nightmarish adventure that left us laughing, cringing, wide-eyed and dazzled. The three puppeteers who manipulate Pinocchio [Rudy Martinez (who does the voice), Sarah Kay Peters, and Mary Royston] are skillful in their role of making him look as animated as possible. All of the actors did a great job actually. One of my favorite characters was the MC of Funland (Miles Taber), with his smiley yet sinister mask and his sweetly slimy voice promising wonderful adventures but triggering a back-of-the-mind apprehension.
“Wood Boy Dog Fish” play (Photo – Chelsea Sutton).
Enjoy! Treat yourself to this spectacle of puppetry, crazy masks, a terrifying 3-D ride on the Dogfish Adventure Ride (be sure to watch for the cue to put your 3-D glasses on in the second act), blow-up dolls, flying candy (I caught a few pieces of taffy), outrageous costumes, pinatas, donkeys, dancing, singing and many more magical special effects. And even an “ahhhhh…..” moment when Wood Boy becomes fully human and we are gently guided to a softer emotion, recognizing the power of love. Spoiler alert: the cricket dies.
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