Hitch up your wagons and head west but make sure you have provisions or you might just end up eating each other alive like the prospectors in the Landless Theatre Company’s production of Cannibal The Musical at the DC Arts Center.
Chad W. Fornwalt (Bell), Matthew Ancarrow (Noon), Patrick Murphy Doneghy (Alferd Packer), David Benji Weiner (Miller), Tony Rizzo (Humphrey) and Darius T. Epps (Swan). Photo by Amanda Williams.
From the co-creator of South Park and The Book of Mormon, Trey Parker, comes a hilarious adult-themed comedy about a man accused of Cannibalism whilst out on the trail to seek gold in the Colorado territories. Audiences of ages 18 and older will enjoy the tale of Alfred Packer as he awaits sentencing at his trial after being accused of brutal cannibalism. The sole survivor of an ill-fated trip he tells his harrowing tale to local reporter, Polly Pry, and his side of things goes a little like this: while out prospecting for gold he and his party lost their way and had to resort to abominable unthinkable horrors— toe-tapping song and dance numbers! With a range of kooky characters the story draws laughs from the audience throughout the entire show; a very awkward diamond in the rough with a laughable shine!
With little else than a bizarre old-west themed backdrop (depicting a snowman roasting a severed hand over a campfire, among other things) a barrel and a few crates, Scenic Designer Jared Davis leaves the creation of the gold miners’ expedition up to the actors. And with good encouragement and guidance from director Andrew Lloyd Baughman, the audience is treated to a delightful rendering of the freezing cold winter, the huge raging rivers and other scenic encounters along the way.
Baughman’s work really shines in the way actors execute their physicality to show the audience where they are. When huddled as a group in the snow frozen mountain the actors shiver and shake and sit mostly still confined by their invisible frostbite, enhancing the illusion of their dreadful surroundings. And when they stand at the edge of the stage looking at a large river with trepidation and unease it creates a palpable sense of just how dangerous that river is.
And the characters themselves are highlighted by the simple but tasteful costumes, provided by designer Elizabeth D. Reeves. Her work showcases the many stereotypes associated with old western prospectors, including cowboy hats, riding chaps and heavy plaid over-shirts. Reeves also creates comic outfits for the trappers, layering up vests and pants with every scrap of faux animal print fur imaginable, complete with skunk-skin caps. The Indians are outfitted in a similar fashion with a lavish feather headdress and suede fringed tops; these added stereotypical details heighten the hilarity of Parker’s comedic style.
When presented with such a unique band of characters it is just a little disappointing to hear the leader of the show and his female counterpart struggling with their musical numbers. Polly Pry (Stefanie Garcia) presents a demure story telling character that is unfortunately drowned out by the music whenever her character bursts into song. Her sweet but meek voice is difficult to hear during her solo number, “This Side of Me” and she is drowned out in the ending duet with Parker. Alfred Parker (Patrick M. Doneghy) has no trouble being heard but struggles to hit and hold some of the higher and longer notes in “Shpadoinkle Day.” Doneghy’s gravelly voice adds a nice cowboy effect to his character when he’s re-enacting the tale of his failed mining party and when he bursts into his love ballad, “When I Was On Top” an ode to Leanne, his voice is harmonious and clear. His acting is grounded as he sits in the prison cell, lonely and detached, staring off into the distance so still and calm that when he jumps up in response to Garcia’s character it is startling. He has great extenuating gestures when jumping back and forth from his memory to the present moment on stage and makes these two instances very distinguishable from each other.
an Hoch (Indian Princess) and Matthew Ancarrow (Noon). Photo by Amanda Williams.
The show is supported with a strong male ensemble (Matt Baughman, Ian Hoch, David Weiner, Steve Custer, Matthew Ancarrow, Darius Epps, Tony Rizzo, and Chad Fornwalt) each playing a part in Parker’s tale. Perhaps the more noticed of the group is George Noon (Matthew Ancarrow) as the youthful sex-starved pervert. With crude provocative gestures, Ancarrow really explodes into his character’s extroverted personality and the audience sees this most clearly in the song “That’s All I’m Asking For.” Matched right up there in genre specific characters is Shannon Bell (Chad Fornwalt) man of faith turned angry maniac. Fornwalt has a strong supportive voice in the ensemble numbers and presents the audience with a great angry character when Bell starts to lose his mind during the expedition. Be sure to watch for the confrontation between Fornwalt’s character and Doneghy’s character near the end it will blow your mind. Watch out for Humphrey (Tony Rizzo) the miner who is a little slow in the head, providing delayed comic timing in his over-obvious responses. Rizzo really lives the character up to its fullest potential, refusing to eat his shoes to help stay alive because he knows he puts his foot in there.
The burden of every other man in the show is laid on two talented actors, Ian Hoch and Matt Baughman. Expected to sing and dance like the rest, the pair also take on the roles of superstitious Scotsmen, terribly stupid trappers, and wannabe Indians. Baughman in particular shines in his role of the Indian chief, with a stereotypical middle-eastern accent, showing up to provide advice and save the day in the most unusual circumstances. These two provide excellent comic relief in an already hilarious show. Blending with the ensemble, Hoch and Baughman make particularly good use of the intimate black box stage, really utilizing the space provided to their advantage.
But when it comes to show stealing the cast of Cannibal has a dynamic duo who keeps the audience in side-splitting laughter with their melodramatic portrayals of their uncanny characters. Frenchy Cabazon (Steve Custer) is a ruthless trapper, the leader of the pack. Custer presents caveman like qualities as he confronts Parker over his horse and displays a brilliant vocal range, from a warm rich baritone straight up to a squeaky falsetto. He is a riot and a rave to watch during “Trapper Song” belting and whispering with gusto as he professes his profound passion for his profession.
Our other scene stealer is Israel Swan (Darrius Epps) who doesn’t get to say much during the beginning of the show but provides a great musical number for the audience’s enjoyment later on. Relying on the strength of his physical gestures and facial expressions, Epps delivers a hilarious performance with perfectly timed facial responses to everything that is happening around him. Sometimes the funnies moments are watching his face contort with strange emotion in response to an off-handed comment made by one of the other actors. And when he jumps into his number, “Let’s Build A Snowman” he is filled with childlike energy, bounding around the stage with flamboyant excited gestures and hysterical delirium. Epps even manages a tap number in brown work boots that excites the audience as he smiles brightly and sings with a palpable passion.
So for a rootin’ tootin’ boot-scootin’ man-eatin’ heck of a good time, you’ll need to head down to the DC Arts Theatre and check out Cannibal The Musical.
Running time: Approximately 80 minutes with no intermission.
Cannibal the Musical plays through December 23, 2011, at Landless Theatre Company at The DC Arts Center – 2438 18th Street NW, Washington DC. For tickets please call (202) 462-7833, or visit the box office in person, or purchase them online.
Amanda Gunther is an actress, a writer, and loves the theatre. She graduated with her BFA in acting from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and spent two years studying abroad in Sydney, Australia at the University of New South Wales. Her time spent in Sydney taught her a lot about the performing arts, from Improv Comedy to performance art drama done completely in the dark. She loves theatre of all kinds, but loves musicals the best. When she’s not working, if she’s not at the theatre, you can usually find her reading a book, working on ideas for her own books, or just relaxing and taking in the sights and sounds of her Baltimore hometown. She loves to travel, exploring new venues for performing arts and other leisurely activities. Writing for the Maryland Theatre Guide will give her a chance to pursue her passion of the theatre and will broaden her horizons in the writer’s field.
