Worry, concern, indeed dread about the future may be at an all time high. From the flagging integrity of our institutions to the failing viability of the environment, the issues facing man and womankind threaten profound consequences. Chief among them center on the feasibility of our species continued existence. Caveman Play, a work presented by Red Theater and now playing at The Edge Off Broadway, wonders if we might have avoided our present existential dilemma by taking a different path.
Caveman Play’s a curious creation. Initially you’re not quite sure what it’s going to be. Program notes suggest it will be a commentary on the evolutionary milestones that led us to the precipice on which we now stand. And initially, that seems to be the intended direction when Dandelion (Tess Galbiati) opens with a series of questions. Questions that tap into the angst of modern life which manifests itself in universal emotions like sadness and anxiety. It’s those feelings of quiet personal unease and distress that the production seeks to awaken as it begins to explore what brought us to our precarious present.
With the arrival of Rocky (Jack Rodgers), the play’s structure shifts and takes on a comedic pastiche. Fast talking and glib, Rocky’s persona is one you’d liken to a tech bro who wears swagger comfortably. Traipsing, rolling on the floor, he’s very animated. The play begins to look and sound like a sketch routine on extended play. Tossing off sight gags that make the audience laugh, he’s more remarkable for what he’s does than what he’s saying. That is until he engages the audience directly.
One-on-one audience interaction is a feature of the production. But accusing an audience member of attempting theft and addressing them by a name that could easily be construed as offensive are never good ideas; especially when there’s a racial component involved. This disturbing thread would resurface periodically throughout Caveman Play’s single act. From its initial appearance; watching the play develop was like seeing a hobbled car push to its final destination.
We’d meet Douglas (Evan Cullinan), a super chill tiger who has no qualms about being domesticated. It beats having to hunt in order to eat. Rocky and Dandelion argue the merits of moving beyond the hunter gatherer phase of existing. They then go on to debate the advantages and disadvantages of cultivating food through farming. Chicken Feathers (Hannah Antman), a hyper in every way shaman, puts her thumb on the scales to influence the decision for or against taking the first step to where we are today. Ultimately, it’s the audience who decides the final fate.
Something about that thread of malice detected throughout Caveman Play suggests our current peril has roots beyond the consequences of our advancement. There may be something in our nature that’s equally culpable and just as intractable in influencing the likelihood of our long-term existence.
Caveman Play
Red Theater
Through December 30, 2023
Venue: The Edge Off Broadway
1133 W. Catalpa
Ticket info: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35021/production/1181630
