“Men on Boats” has a quirky concept: telling the story of John Wesley Powell’s exploration of the Colorado River but with a bit of gender mix-up.
Playwright Jaclyn Backhaus explained why the mix-up in an interview for playwrightshorizons.org: “It’s interesting to me to take that idea of male conquest, give it to someone who usually doesn’t have that right, and put that into the roles themselves. It begs the question of what histories are we lacking.”
“Men on Boats,” largely based on Powell’s journals of the exhibition, is Something Something Theatre Company’s current offering, and the production is what is lacking here.
While the acting is uneven, there are a few performances that shine — most notably Kimberly Swanson, Erin Hepler, Katie Burke and Maryann Green.
But this is a sloppy production. Timing was sluggish on opening night, the screaming as the explorers tackle the rapids way too loud for the small Cabaret Theatre at the Temple of Music and Art, and there was a sense of disarray as the story unfolded.
And director Jasmine Roth decided to make it a sort of immersive experience. Actors took over the stage and the center of the room, leaving the audience seated in front and on the sides. The characters would wend their way in front of and behind, and once even through, the audience. Those on the side seats had terrible sight lines when the action was on stage. Some just finally gave up twisting their neck in an effort to see and settled for listening without the visuals.
Perhaps the play will settle down as the run continues. But that seat arrangement will never be good for about two-thirds of the audience.
It’s easy to admire Something Something — it is committed to producing plays by and about women. It often gives us provocative works. And this could have been one. The production just missed the mark.
Performances are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 28 at the Temple of Music and Art Cabaret Theatre, 330 S. Scott Ave. $25; Thursday performances are pay what you can.
For more information, call 468-6111 or visit somethingsomethingtheatre.com.
