| One man, 30 people, all weird
WHEN YOU MAKE fun of politics it’s called political satire. When you make fun of political satire, it’s called Flesh Eating Leftists. At least it is according to Jayk Gallagher, whose one-man show, opens tonight. The piece, written and performed by the 21-year old Emerson grad, is a 70-minute political pinball machine of viewpoints. Overpowered by characters Playing almost 30 different characters, Gallagher structures his performance in the tradition of Eric Bogosian and John Leguizamo, but with a twist. He plays the character of himself in the show, but is then overpowered by his other characters, which range from bloodthirsty feminists to tea sipping terrorists. “I’m trying to do a one-man show with some kind of liberal leaning tendencies to the things I'm trying to say in it,” he says, “and then my characters take over and put their own right wing tendencies on it and the thing spirals out of control from there.” Flesh Eating Leftists also draws from the influence of German playwright Bertolt Brecht in that the audience is constantly reminded that they are watching a play rather than real life. In one scene his character Rita (played by Gallagher) asks Jayk (also played by Gallagher) if she can deliver a piece on feminism. Still fighting for control, Jayk demands that he do the piece instead. The characters compromise and combine to become a third character named Rick, (still played by Gallagher) who delivers an anti-commercialism performance-art piece rife with irony and sexuality. ’Definitely surreal’ Wait, these two people combine to become another person? “There’s definitely an element of the surreal in there,” says director Seth Reich, who first saw the beginnings of Leftists two years ago when he and Jayk were in a solo performance class together at Emerson. The teacher of that class, actor and playwright John Kuntz, also served as the script consultant for Leftists. But the work is more than just a senior recital, insists Kuntz. “He morphs into things so well and that’s why people see one-person shows,” he says. “They want to see a tour de force: an actor who is jumping through flaming hoops with no clothes on and a chicken up his ass.” While there are no such props in Leftists, Kuntz says Gallagher does deliver. "Jayk has a lot of energy as a performer and a very fertile imagination,” he says. “His piece is just so organic and with the way that it folds in on itself, the structure is chaotic but there’s this order to the chaos that is very unique.” Kuntz, who is currently playing the lead in Scapin at the New Repertory Theatre in Newton, says he hopes Gallagher can hold onto his youthful zeal. “This town is not very favorable to new work,” he says. “But we need more people like him. We need to stop picking up everybody’s sloppy seconds from off Broadway.” Gallagher, in contrast, says he has found the Boston scene to be quite accommodating. With a résumé that includes ensemble work at the Boston Playwright’s Theater, The Tremont Theater, Jimmy Tingle’s Off Broadway, and The Actor’s Workshop, he is optimistic about his first solo venture. “The thing about the Boston theater community is that everyone is really supportive of each other, “ he says. “People go and see each other’s shows.” PAT HEALY Flesh Eating Leftists runs at The BCA Black Box (539 Tremont St.) May 20th -22nd, 27th –29th and June 3rd and 4th at 10:30pm. There are 8 pm shows on Mondays May 24th and 31st. MBTA: Red Line to Park: Green Line to Boylston. For info, call (617) 254 7216. Back |
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