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GRAVITY BAR SCENE: Baby Universe (black) is surrounded by the planets and a meteorite, from left to right: Mars (red), Earth (blue), above earth Mercury (orange), Venus (yellow with cigarette), Meteorite (above Baby Universe with spikes), Jupiter (yellow with blue eyes), and Neptune (green). (Jim Baldassare)
NEW YORK—An unusual, sometimes bizarre, theatrical experience awaits one at the Baruch Performing Arts Center, with the U.S. premiere of the original theater piece “Baby Universe (A Puppet Odyssey).” Written and directed by Kirjan Waage and Gwendolyn Warnock, the show features over 30 hand-and-rod puppets created by Mr. Waage.
The puppets, ranging in height from 9 inches to 9 feet, operated by a five-person ensemble, present a story of how the sun will swallow up the earth and the planets, with the destruction of our entire solar system as we know it.
In the play, various mothers are nominated to care for a new kind of offspring. It is the hope that out of many, at least one will survive to thrive and help create a new form of life and viable environment when the current universe dies.
In this case, one mother is depicted. She is presented with an embryo, called Baby Universe, to be nurtured and birthed, and hopefully brought to maturity. There are pitfalls along the way, as the present elements, including the Sun, Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, and so on, in trying to prevent their own deaths, try to destroy the new kind of life that Baby Universe represents.
On several occasions, Baby Universe is almost annihilated. Then he is separated from his mother, whom he adores and depends upon completely. It seems that the entire experiment may fail.
The stage is in semidarkness (lighting designer is Kate Leahy), both to emulate the sense of a universe in darkness and to mask the performers, who are clothed in black, including black face masks.
The ensemble consists of Melissa Creighton, Andrew Manjuck, Peter Russo, Kirjan Waage and Gwendolyn Warnock, who skillfully man the often larger-than-life-sized puppets.
AVANT-GARDE PRODUCTION: Baby Universe with his Mother (and puppet handlers) as they appear in Baby Universe (A Puppet Odyssey).The show features over 30 hand-and-rod puppets created by Kirjan Waage. (Jim Baldassare)
Costumes and masks are by Ms. Warnock. Also offered are animated video projections (Naho Taruishi) and a space-age score (Brett Jarvis).
Wakka Wakka Productions Inc., according to press materials, “consists of a group of theater artists who share a common language in creation and ensemble work, aiming to push the boundaries of the imagination by creating works that are bold, unique and unpredictable.”
One of their six original works, three of which were puppet-based, was presented at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2001.
Produced by Wakka Wakka and Nordland Visual Theatre, in cooperation with Riksteatret (Norway), “Baby Universe” is an example of avant-garde theater to be found in various off-off-Broadway venues in New York much of the time. It is alternately quirky and often moving.
If an unusual theatrical offering is your meat, then “Baby Universe” is your production of choice.
“Baby Universe”
Baruch Performing Arts Center
55 Lexington Avenue (enter on 25th Street)
Tickets: 212-352-3101 or www.theatermania.com
Running time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Closes: Jan. 9, 2011
Diana Barth writes and publishes “New Millennium,” an arts newsletter. For information: www.diabarth@juno.com.
