Tubuus

Posted by Pinhole at 7/1/2007 4:45 PM
Categories: Theatre, parody, death, surreal, Humor

I was repulsed, yet morbidly drawn to the plight of the young man.  Much like the paradox of being simultaneously horrified and captivated at the carnage of an Amtrak derailment, or your 387 lb. grandmother in hot pants and a halter top reaching for a bottle of shampoo on the top shelf of aisle #9 at the local supermarket.  An image I'm afraid even time will fail to erase.

Set in a seedy kitchen on the back streets of Idaho Falls, last evenings production of “Tubuus” was nothing less than one and a half hours of intense theatrical engineering.

Loosely based on Peter Schaffer’s classic play “Equus”, “Tubuus” tells the story of Marvin (played by a much younger Johnny Depp), a conflicted sous chef at the Denny’s on old Highway 20.

As the curtain rises we hear the voice of Ramón (coolly portrayed by the ghost of Buster Keaton), head dishwasher at Denny’s and Marvin’s only link to the outside world.  Ramón is attempting to solve the mystery of a pile of mutilated spuds discovered next to the refrigerator after Marvin’s shift.  A monumental task considering Marvin only speaks in menu items.

After much coaxing, liberal translations and sullen gazes (Depp is the master) we discover that Marvin’s mom was an Elvis worshipper, right down to her nightly 7-11 vigils.  His father, a noted toy manufacturer, holding no truck with such blind allegiance, prefers Classic Rock and has always doubted the existence of Elvis, anyway.  In a fit of rage dad demolishes a velvet painting of “The King” hanging directly above Marvin’s dresser and replaces it with a life-size replica of Mr. Potato Head.

In the second act an erotic encounter behind the sink with a night shift waitress (a, briefly, sane Courtney Love) is revealed.  To conceal his shame, Marvin feels he must blind the only witnesses and in a shocking scene, worthy of a Tarantino or Scorcese, gouges the eyes out of an entire 5 lb. bag of russets.

This was the point where I walked out of the theatre in disgust.

They really should have someone in to clean under those seats.


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