Debbie rates it:
Disorder The first in this stellar double feature, Disorder, features Hilary Kacser as Pakrat Patty who spills her heart out about dealing with all her stuff with hilarity, poignant honesty, and realism. Hilary Kacser gets to the heart of why a lot of us live the way we do, surrounded by stuff we no longer need, will not use, and cannot find when we need to. Clutter– it’s the bane of our existence to be packed to the gills with stuff we cannot let go. In one bit, she tries hard to throw away a piece of paper, but the resistance is just too overpowering – what if she needs it just moments after she let it go? Disorder covers a tremendous amount of emotional territory by breaking down aspects of hoarding, what it is, why we do it, while laying out the consequences of being filled beyond capacity, including the sudden rise of U-Store-Itt companies.
The mentality of big, bigger and compulsively even more has its consequences as seen in Patty’s fledging and jeopardized love interest – will she really allow the stuff in her life to compromise her relationship? Kacser is a gifted actress and she communicates the delicacy and intricacy of the situations with respect and caring. Watching her deal with her relationship to her stuff is a healing and cathartic experience. Whether she’s shedding the multiple sets of clothing she originally had on, or climbing into or out of a trash bin to retrieve something, or even playing an accordion to rally up enthusiasm to “let it go,” she’s a believable ally and coach to help tackle that desk, corner, room or even that house.
There’s even a hilarious bit where she includes the audience as part of a Hoarders Anonymous meeting – just try to keep from “wanting to share” and unload and get better. We are not alone! There are entire organizations, groups and societies to help us simplify our lives and clear open sacred space that’s inhibiting the joys and blessings just waiting for us to throw stuff away! It all starts with a frame of mind, and listening to Patty’s stories, and watching her metamorphosis in real time, (as well as seeing horrific slide presentations of extreme decrepit disorder), is not only funny and entertaining, but can actually change our approach to our own “disorder,” one bag at a time.
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Plant Psychic Let me be clear. Dave Coyne is as funny, edgy, and organically creative a performer as you’re going to get at the Fringe or anywhere else in the Metro area, so you may as well catch him at this bargain basement price before you have to pay a big cover and a round of drinks to catch his antics. The guy is hysterical. I saw him at last year’s Fringe where he demonstrated his considerable acting prowess, focus and intensity, and I remember asking him afterwards “Where have you been all my life?” And I’m still asking a year later. Why doesn’t he have the name recognition, of say, the Alexander Strain of stand-up and comedy? Maybe because his venue is more YouTube with an online alter ego. No matter what the venue, you should catch his irreverent humor with his sidekick houseplant, Barbara.
Dave’s observations and remarks prove that the guy is as certifiable as you’re going to get without licensed professionals ready to snatch him off the streets. Not only does the plant have a name, through Dave we learn about her personality, preferences, even that she’s “had work done.”
With Barbara as an anchor that he can return to when he starts floating out into the stratosphere, Dave offers tidbits of advice and commentary about life, relationships, style, personal space – just about anything that happens to catch his fancy, including audience members when the spirit hits him. His gorgeously clear articulation leaves you hanging onto his every word, terrified of missing his play on words and phrases, concepts or the next double entre that spills from his lips effortlessly with rapid fire, innocent-eyed delivery.
As a “pantomime smoker” he’s prone to “pantomime lung cancer.” Then there’s a riff about his “reptile dysfunction” that goes farther into the animal kingdom than any sane person would dare. Nothing is sacred, like his back sliding from his 14-year personal relationship with the Almighty, when he finally attended a church and discovered he wasn’t the only one, so how was that personal? Stuff like that. Grab him while you can.
Disorder — Written and performed by Hilary Kacser
Plant Psychic— Written and performed by Dave “DCLugi” Coyne
Produced by Hilary Kacser and Dave Coyne
Reviewed by Debbie Minter Jackson
I’m seriously having a hard time with the credibility of most of this year’s DCTS reviewers. Are you seeing the same shows that we are or offering personally-biased opinions of these performances?
I agree with Steve R, that Disorder was unbearable and would hardly call the overall double-billing a “stellar double feature”.
I attended a matinee on Saturday. Granted, Disorder was scarred by A/V issues from the start, which threw the performer off. But I’m not sure if it would have been more interesting, even with the missing slides and sound cues. Regarding both, the audience was subjected to attempting to follow the frustrated performer while watching a screen behind her click through powerpoint slides for ten minutes.
The story centered around a woman who hoards everything in her life. This illness, of sorts, forced her into therapy, yet she’s still a mess in the end. At one point, the character breaks into a song and guitar number singing about her issues. During another, she showcases her talents on the accordion. Both were perfectly fine until, during the accordion interlude, the audience was forced to clap for nearly two minutes. The audience was also forced into participation during a group meeting scene. I understand the want of bringing an audience into the world of a play, but one’s ability to lose their footing on stage and make up for it by having the ticket holder become part of the scene doesn’t cut it for me.
Dave Coyne definitely saved the day with his Plant Psychic. It was basically a stand up act with a plant, yes a plant, sidekick. He kept the audience’s attention throughout and showed a great sense of comedical timing and improv skill. The closing joke was priceless.
Again, I would hardly rate the overall show a 5. I’d give Disorder a 1 and Plant Psychic a 4.
Any fan of Coyne’s DCLugi.com and his amazing series of videos on YouTube should not miss this rare opportunity to see him live in action. He is a remarkable improviser, and never misses a chance to free-form associate in a milli-second. The only downside is that, at least at the performance I saw, he limits himself to one character, and does not even pick up on his own threat to do celebrity impersonations.
The less said about Disorder the better. Sorry, Debbie, but I found this part of the program nearly unbearable.