gore (i want to disappear)

This is the kind of theatre that the Fringe is all about: daring, experimental, moving, funny, fascinating. I was enraptured the entire show. The writing is dense and packs in a ton of story, but not overly difficult to follow. The actors blew me away by the characterization in their double casting. At the end, it was mentioned that this show is still a work in progress, and I truly cannot wait to see how it evolves from here.

If it weren't sold out for the remainder of the run, I'd encourage all my odd theatre friends to prioritize this show. While I'm vaguely familiar with The Oresteia, this production did an incredible feat of hitting all the important beats, highlighting each character plainly despite a small cast, and modernizing a tragic tale (that has its happier moments).

All four performers were marvellous in their respective roles, the lights and sound elevated the contemporary-queer twist, and all production elements functioned like a well-oiled machine. With minimal set and props and costumes, I found the utmost clarity in the story which inherently proves theatre does not need to be "flashy."

I can see how this production might not be for first-time Fringers, and that's perfectly okay. Its quirks make it entertaining, but I wouldn't recommend bringing your new-to-theatre friend here unless you're looking to frighten them away. At times difficult to digest and evoking real discomfort, the production was otherwise terribly engaging. I'm looking forward to what else Tiny Bear Jaws has to offer!

GORE is an incredible example of how a fringe show can tackle epic Greek storytelling - the production feels modern, especially with intercut moments by the Furies, which was one of the highlights in the show for me. The performances are incredible, with everyone switching between characters with specificity and ease. The technical elements are creative and aid the story without feeling distracting. The script itself feels gritty, honest, contemporary and of our times, but still honours the original source. I can't wait for this show to reach more audiences

"The opening gambit of Elena Belyea’s stunningly theatrical 'gore (i want to disappear)' is happening when you enter the theatre....Four actors are marking out a light-up grid onstage in abrupt right angles: sudden rushes and sudden stops. The quartet, who never make eye contact, are together a kind of human perpetual motion machine, choreographed by the gods.... (Check out the full review on 12thnight.ca).

This show was an absolute delight in such a weird and unhinged way. Each of the four incredibly talented actors played multiple roles, switching between them with ease. The simple set design and beautiful lighting also allowed the cast to really shine. The use of the Gatorade was weirdly lovely and effective. I laughed, I cried, and I would absolutely recommend this show to anyone!

When simplicity meets complexity, when classic blends with modern. When the issues of today are actually just the same as the issues of generations ago, with different technology.

"GORE (i want to disappear)" is a modern, queer, sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll retelling of Aeschylus' The Oresteia that features four actors – each effortlessly switching from character to character, with the swiftness and ease that beginner drama students dream about. Geoffrey Simon Brown stood out in that skill, switching from the loving yet closed-off Orestes to the friendly and reminiscing vaper that is Cassandra to the monotone and questioning chorus so easily that there was almost no need to specify which character was which as it was so easy to tell by stance and facial expressions alone. The four actors each brought such skill to the show, sincerely relating to each other and the audience to present Elena Belyea’s story of the tragedies of colonialism, war, societal treatment of queer identities and women, and classic Greek literature.

The show is not perfect, but it doesn’t have to be. The story is complex and experimental, following many characters, at different ages, portrayed by four actors, with so much symbolism in the set and props that it leaves you wondering what some of it was even supposed to represent. It’s not seamless in any sense, but it is absolutely worth the watch.

With its simple set, minimal actors, and spectacular lighting design, this show managed to create a deeply enticing, realised world of the highs and lows of the characters’ (and the audience’s) lives.

As a disclaimer, I’m only familiar with Anne Carson’s translation of Oresteia, but I’m a big fan of it. I’m also a big fan of the playwright and was very keen to see this intersection of two of my interests.

So much to think about here. It’s not a strict adaptation, though I dont think anyone came in expecting that. Without spoiling it, the story goes off the rails. At first, I wasn’t sure if I loved that, but then I remembered that actually changing things is the fun part of adaptation. It’s fitting that a queer futurist adaptation of a story of a cursed bloodline, a metaphor for the collapse of a once great nation, a reflection on the ills of a society that turns away from the weak again and again, would imagine its way out of the myth.

There was so much to love here. So many staging and prop choices that worked so so well for me. The gatorade bottles, the blood and the violence and the wine-dark sea, the constantly-shifting lighting delineating place and time, the plastic veil/curtain/screen/doorway/blanket that both conceal and reveal.

It all fit very well into these themes of seeing and not seeing, witnessing tragedy and doing nothing. The chorus narrates our shared experience of modern social existence, scrolling through videos of war bookended by cute dog reels. How do we act upon systems that seem infinitely larger than us? We can only believe our way out. We end the war. We end the vengeance cursed to our bloodline. Queerness allows us to see these possibilities.

I think for people who are not familiar with Oresteia, this could be a bit tricky to follow. Actors play multiple roles, sometimes simultaneously, across time and space. The dual casting of Iphigenia and Agammemnon was, in my eyes, inspired. I will be recalling the scenes of sacred deer killing with Athena/Agammemnon/Orestes for a long time.

I also cannot forget to mention that this play has plenty of Belyea’s signature humor, placed in ways that was jarring in the best way.

Overall, wonderful bones in this play. The artists mentioned at the end that this was a work in progress. I think if this is the quality of workshop productions in Edmonton, we have a very bright future ahead of us indeed.

A "Best and Worst" Review

The Best: An incredibly compelling performance from actor Geoffrey Simon Brown (playing Orestes and Cassandra). An expert of both comedic timing and heavy drama, Brown plays his characters with a believability that never seems cloying. I think he single-handedly pulled up this play's rating by a full star.

The Worst: The director's "avant-garde" choices. Some choices (e.g. the marching and running and shaking in the preshow, the moving light stands, the deadpan chorus) didn't seem to serve the narrative.

Overall: A very experimental show, and there are some Fringers who will love it.