And They Put Handcuffs on the Flowers
by Fernando Arrabal

February 2009 saw the Right Brain Project's first production in their new home, the RBP Rorschach. Arrabal's cermonial play proved to be the RBP's most acclaimed productions thus far. Influenced by the attrocities of the Spanish Civil War, Arrabal's play is a theatrical animalistic cry to the heavens. Four political prisoners dream and hope for a new age of reason, enlightenment and love. Arrabal's script thrusts the audience into a world of dreams that teeter between the harshest violence man is capable of, and loving tenderness and beauty.

In the RBP's production, each audience memeber was asked to remove his or her shoes and were led into the space by an actor. They were seperated from their party and sat on the floor as the actor stayed with them and held their hand. Incorporating sight, sound, and touch, And They Put Handcuffs on the Flowers brought the actor and audience closer than ever before to reflect on man's cruelty and celebrate the beauty of what we are all capable of.

Director:	Nathan Robbel
Stage Manager:	Anya Clingman
Set/Lights/Sound Design:	Anthony Ingram
Costumes/Props:	Sarah Elizabeth Miller
Featuring:	Chad Fess
	Rosy Gonzalez
	Stacie Hauenstein
	Tracy Kraatz
	Dennis Newport
	Erin Elizabeth Orr
	Joseph Stearns
	Bries Vannon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feedback:

"What you might not expect are the solid performances... the excellent space design, the highly creative lighting effects, awesome sound design, and the imaginative and inspired staging choices... The ensemble, under Robbel's almost Living Theater aesthetic, is uniformly strong."
Don Hall, An Angry White Guy in Chicago

"For me, this production is what makes the Chicago storefront scene explosive... comprised of innovative, can-do directorial fervor, bravely naked (both literally and emotionally) acting, and yes, challenging material that will provoke a variety of reactions from the audience, from repulsion attractive, discomfort, admiration, inspiration... I'm now a new fan of the Right Brain Prjoect and I really look forward to seeing some more of their work, and Robbel's work in particular. This is the kind of Chicago storefront production that I, as a theater-savvy, culturally-broadminded audience member, would like to champion and advocate for for..."
Francis Sadac, From the Ledge