Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 23:32:51 -0700
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
From: The Independent Eye <eye-AT-independenteye.org>
Subject: [Puptcrit] Opening of DESCENT OF INANNA


Friends-

	Just basking in the glow of the first weekend of DESCENT OF 
THE GODDESS INANNA, the first public production of our expanded 
ensemble.  Went amazingly well, full houses both nights, huge 
response.  Two more weekends, then editing a video and looking for 
tour possibilities.  A few photos at 
<http://independenteye.org/press.html> - more anon.

	A bit of an over-reach for us, to say the least.  Only two of 
the 8-person cast had had any puppetry experience, and though we'd 
done workshop experiment since last August, it was a slow grind 
toward sudden breakthrus.  Took about 5 months overall to design & 
build the 17 puppets, most of them about 2/3rds lifesize, make 
endless modifications in control & costume; build the 10x8x8 ft. 
aluminum structure supporting curtains, shadow screen and lights for 
a 24-channel operation; revise the music score from an earlier mask 
staging; struggle with new show-control software; launch into and 
then ditch a rear-projected video component; etc. etc.  And a month 
before we opened I directed & designed a show for another theatre, in 
order to pay for this one.

	But it all seemed to come together.  The most frequent 
audience comment afterward was "I've never seen anything like that." 
And a deep response to the story.  And I think our artists finally 
understood why they're lugging these dead-come-alive carcasses around 
and projecting souls into them.  There's an infinitude of improvement 
to go through, and I desperately hope we can keep it in evolution, 
and I'll have a ton of notes before the show on Friday (from watching 
video, as I'm performing as well).

	But it works, and we're properly launched into the absurd 
notion of doing adult puppet theatre in this tiny rural community in 
Northern California.  Next fall, a collection of short pieces, RASH 
ACTS, and the beginning of a strategy of developing a grassroots 
performance repertory for informal venues - house parties, gallery 
openings, concert openers, etc.  And 18 months from now, 
Shakespeare's TEMPEST, and 2-1/2 years down the pike, GALAHAD'S FOOL, 
a new & rather brutal look at the Grail legends.  I've realized that 
to be real about achieving quality, we have to plan that far in 
advance, exactly as if we were making feature films.

	It's all just about killed us.  At age 66 & 68, Elizabeth & I 
can't pull all-nighters the way we usta could.  We do it, but then we 
look like something the cat declined to drag in.  But the saving 
grace of where we live is that we're 20 minutes from the ocean.  So 
on Sunday, we went camping up the coast, took along fabulous food, 
lots of wine, & each other, and recharged some dry cylinders.  We've 
worked together 47 years, so we also know how to play.

	And now looking forward to the next weekends, where we'll 
nudge it ahead by inches.  And try to figure why Lights 159 isn't 
cuing with Sound 33.  And cajoling the audience to tolerate lousy 
sightlines & 80 minutes without intermission.  And getting Thalia to 
stay behind her puppet and David to not hit the overhead lights with 
the sea monsters and myself to get my lines right while groping for 7 
pockets of silk ribbons and keeping true to the vision, true to the 
vision, true...

	If you're anywhere near Sebastopol, California, hey, come see 
us.  And if not, just imagine the most brilliant performance you've 
never seen in your life, and ascribe it to us.

Peace & joy-

Conrad B.
The Independent Eye

-- 
Visit our website at <http://www.independenteye.org>, for listening 
to our public radio series Hitchhiking Off the Map and exploring our 
archives of 33 years of stage productions.

  ***

On our live performances:
"Lives revealed with intense clarity  through admirable, 
uncompromising acting." (Variety)  -  "A series of highly 
premeditated acts of imagination and intelligence."  (American 
Theatre)  -  "Achingly beautiful."  (Philadelphia City Paper)  - 
"Seasoned storytellers for the stage"  (The Washington Post)- 
"Funny, wise, richly detailed."  (Back Stage West)

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