Catharine Slusar as the Opener; Ross Beschler as Leopold.
Cabinet of Wonders
A walking wishbone by collaborator, Irve Dell
_____________________(time passes)______________________________________
(INTERLUDE: Walking wishbone, moved like a divining rod.
OPENER: Do we take what we can use?
LEOPOLD: I can’t use any of this.
(Divining with the wishbone)
Keep.Sell.Leave. Keep,sell, leave, take. Remember/
(INTERLUDE: Walking wishbone, moved like a divining rod.
OPENER: Do we take what we can use?
LEOPOLD: I can’t use any of this.
(Divining with the wishbone)
Keep.Sell.Leave. Keep,sell, leave, take. Remember/
Here's the opening of the script and a production photo from Gas and Electric Arts.
There are three manifestations of the cabinet. A repository cabinet that is like a cage. (CAGE CABINET) A cabinet that is itself a memory of a cabinet, flattened, with display cases that trap memories in it like butterflies and can be manipulated by turning “the page” so to speak. (FLAT CABINET) And a small cabinet that can be worn and played as if it is an accordion. (ACCORDION CABINET)
Objects inside are “real” or “deviations”—which might mean they are cast, as if frozen in time. Maybe plaster, maybe wax—a natural palette. The things in the repository cabinet: liquor bottles, sounds, wishbones, letters, bills, underwear, wedding dresses, lemons, maps, secrets.
The play is in various movements as opposed to scenes. The lines indicate a shift and passage of time. I imagine that these time passages are marked with movement and/or music…an echo and essence of the scenes that precede.
Objects inside are “real” or “deviations”—which might mean they are cast, as if frozen in time. Maybe plaster, maybe wax—a natural palette. The things in the repository cabinet: liquor bottles, sounds, wishbones, letters, bills, underwear, wedding dresses, lemons, maps, secrets.
The play is in various movements as opposed to scenes. The lines indicate a shift and passage of time. I imagine that these time passages are marked with movement and/or music…an echo and essence of the scenes that precede.
The Opener with the push-rat toy
OPENER: Evidence of a happy childhood.
(crazy, fun music plays. The OPENER pushes a large rat toy around as if it is a vacuum cleaner.)
(crazy, fun music plays. The OPENER pushes a large rat toy around as if it is a vacuum cleaner.)
