Portmanteau
Portmanteau
Collaboratively created invasion play
Produced by Applied Mechanics, Philadelphia PA
Cast:
Thomas Choinacky
Jessica Hurley
John Jarboe
Kristen Bailey
MK Tuomanen
Production Design Maria Shaplin
Press:
Philadelphia City Paper
“That it works at all is a considerable feat; that it’s consistently engaging without being overwhelming, that it creates a taut, cohesive, and compelling socio-political drama, and that it’s also very funny (Mary Tuomanen is particularly hilarious and spot-on as the documentarian “Verna Werzog”) and frequently moving all speak to some serious ingenuity. Truly delightful.”
Philadelphia Inquirer
“Portmanteau has more the feel of watching a movie than a play, because we’re within feet of the action watching close-ups, which sometimes in a minor way include us… The timing of conversations and the logistics involved in delivering them reveal the storyline, no matter where you roam or what you witness. Portmanteau is meaty and curious – and as close to a piece of installation art as theater gets.”
The Austinist
“This ‘invasion play’ strikes a rare balance in unconventional, interactive-ish theater: by using a relatively small space, and sticking to a pretty straightforward narrative built on familiar found texts, this hour-ish piece allows the audience member to get into the action without being forced to get too close…”