Theatre Review

Wilbury's avant-garde 'Futurity' scores big time

By DON FOWLER
Posted 12/12/18

Theatre Review By DON FOWLER The theatre world was thrown into culture shock by the NYC opening of a new kind of musical that broke precedent and made its own rules. Cesar Alvarez and his group, The Lisps, gave the theatre a different way to tell a story

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Theatre Review

Wilbury's avant-garde 'Futurity' scores big time

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The theatre world was thrown into culture shock by the NYC opening of a new kind of musical that broke precedent and made its own rules.

Cesar Alvarez and his group, The Lisps, gave the theatre a different way to tell a story and get a point across that was both real and allegorical, and with a strong anti-war message, while still being very entertaining.

Director Brien Lang has taken Alvarez’s inspiring music, gathering ten actor/musicians, and giving the audience 90 minutes of messages about war, peace, slavery, mathematics, machines and the human condition, all wrapped up in one evening of lively theatrical entertainment.

Alexandra Platt plays Julian, a fictional Union soldier who corresponds with real-life mathematician Ada (Meg Sullivan), working together, all far apart, to create a Steam-Brain machine that will create world peace.

While the word “futurity” usually referred to the afterlife, the pair are searching for peace in their time, which happens to be during the Civil War.

“Futurity” plays out like a performance piece, with Platt and Sullivan, two very accomplished actor/singers at the center, surrounded by eight talented actors playing a multitude of instruments, ranging from guitar to accordion. The instruments are all acoustic, accompanying softly in the background so as to not overpower the clever lyrics Alvarez has written. You’ll hear brass, percussion and strings, with an occasional washboard and even Cajun bones thrown in.

Jason Quinn is powerful as the Union general, as is David Rabinow as his sergeant, aided by a lively ensemble of musical talent: David Carney, Nicholas Corey, Ava Mascena, Maggie Papa, Helena Tafuri and Christine Treglia.

The brief second act opens with a nonsense song that is so catchy you will still be singing it the next day and closes with the appearance of the steam-brain machine that is a wonder in itself.

“Futurity” is at Wilbury Theatre, 40 Sonoma Court in Olneyville, through December 23. Check them out at thewilburygroup.org and give yourself an early Christmas present.

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