THE STATE I’M IN: A TRAVELOGUE, CONTINUED
at the Goose Island Brewing Company, through April 30
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The outline of her picaresque story remains the same: a Killen-like character named Rose travels from Seattle to Chicago and back to her home in California, experiencing life, liberty, love, and death. But in this version I was more aware of the heart behind Killen’s talk. And of the terrible sense of loss in the work–entirely missing in the Goodman show. She not only mentions three significant deaths and a failed suicide attempt, but in her few moments of reflection Rose muses on what a strange, sad journey her life has been.
I suspect part of the change in the show is the result of Killen’s more relaxed manner. The intimate Curious Theatre space is reminiscent both of Club Lower Links (where Killen did much of her early work) and of everyone’s childhood basement playroom. Stories that seemed so many empty words at the Goodman–for example, Rose’s return to Seattle broke, divorced, and an artistic failure–in the Curious space are more poignant. Killen’s body language too seems more expressive. At the Goodman she performed as stiffly as a political candidate falling behind in the polls, but here she moves with a dancer’s grace and fluidity, illustrating her story with gestures and attitudes that are a delight to watch.
It’s a shame, because I’m now convinced that buried in this flawed work is enough material for three shows at least. But Killen hasn’t refined it. Even with the changes for the better, we’re once again left wanting both less and more.
But it shouldn’t be surprising that this gentle satire of neo-paganism has its own neo-pagan moments. Most satire is ambivalent, containing both anger at and love for whatever’s being satirized. Curry’s send-up of rituals represents a rebellion against religion and a yearning for a true religion, one that would be immune to his gibes. That Curry’s eucharist is built around beer instead of wine and bread (or, to pick a more primitive example, the sacrifice of a ram) is only happenstance. We may be raising a glass, but we’re also sending a joyful noise unto the Supreme Being, whoever and wherever She may be.
