A HARD HEART

and also a hard play. Epic Theater Ensemble (formerly Epic THeater Center) is putting on this rather difficult Howard Barker play about a master strategist (Kathleen Chalfant) whose strategy seems to be destroying the city state she is hired to save - and descending into genius/madness all the while.

She is great, as is Melissa Friedman as the queen. And I didn't realize that I was seeing the first preview. It was wonky, to be sure, and many folks won't like it or get it, still...I was reminded just how damn funny howard barker can be.

The set by Narelle seemed a bit unwieldy and inelegant, but I suppose that was the point. There are a lot of shirts and other clothing on the stage, that I think are intended to represent the slaughtered humans of the land. I wish the stage hands would be more sadistic with them as they throw them from the set to the floor.