3rd
Annual New York International Fringe Festival  **Awarded
Excellence in Performance"The Present Company Presents C. J. Hopkins' "Horse Country" directed and designed by John Clancy, at the New York International Fringe Theater Festival, at the Present Company Theatorium Reviewed by Antonio Sacre for for Theatre Reviews Limited I fell fast asleep at the Present Company's production of C. J. Hopkins' "Horse Country" So did the man in front of me, asleep to snoring. But so did people at Beckett's premiere of "Waiting for Godot", or so legend has it. Nothing happens. Nobody comes, nobody goes, it's terrible. And brilliant. Brilliantly written, brilliantly acted, brilliantly directed. Two "vaudevillian sorcerer's apprentices" lead us on "a dizzzying ride through the 'Post-Everything' American landscape", and what a ride it is. It is very funny: Frederick Backus and Daniel Berkey sit, side by side at a table strewn with junk, trinkets from 5 and 10 stores, bits of food, a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. Two other chairs sit empty next to them. These two skilled performers turn Hopkins' dense comic phrases into hysterical gems of pain, boredom, and relief, eyes nearly always out at the audience, heads leaned in towards each other, almost touching. As clowns, the strength lies in the specificity of their choices, and the total commitment they give to each moment. C. J. Hopkins' text, heavily existential, almost only a homage `a Beckett, is stunning, bordering on genius. Themes of genocide, despair, abuse, and brutality mix in with boredom, geniality, and humor. The action could be taking place anywhere, anytime, but has to be late 20th century America; it feels like it could be one of those classics we talk about 50 years from now, still relevant after all these years. As a director, John Clancy wisely gives the actors as little as they need in as structured and sculpted setting as possible and turns them loose. The result is gripping. It seems doubtful any other production of "Horse Country" could be executed as well the Present Company's does here. |