Mud by Maria Irene Fornes

My overall impression

This young company is definitely going for a certain aesthetic with their work. The staging, lighting and transitions are all stylized in a way that elicits a general feeling of unease with a touch of bizarre, sideshow-esque flair. The actors, however, seemed slightly disconnected at times. I could not tell whether this was a result of them missing moments, or whether the slight feeling of aloofness or being somewhat emotionally removed was a directorial choice. Having seen this play once before, I confess that while this production seems to have gotten it mostly right, my main issues are with the play itself. It’s a tragicomedy, but an especially bizarre one at that. When the very first exchange of dialogue contains talk of violent rape and erectile dysfunction, followed later by descriptions of bloody ejaculation, I can’t help but think that if Lars Von Trier wrote a play it would be something like this. Shock value that doesn’t really advance the story or have a point. While I can’t honestly say this was my cup of tea, they certainly are bold group and I commend them for that.