The Yale School of Drama annually presents its Graduate Acting Class in a separate production from Yale Rep's regular schedule. It is an event I've looked forward to and attended, with few exceptions, for more than 20 years, for it offers an opportunity to see potential stars of the future. Many productions have been of Shakespeare plays, the most memorable one featuring Jane Kazmarek and Kate Burton. This year, the choice is a free-wheeling adaptation of Aristophanes' classic, The Birds. Written by Len Jenkin, playwright and teacher, and directed by Christopher Bayes, it employs a number of theatrical conceits and techniques, among them, puppetry, clowning and fast-frame pantomime.
Mr. Jenkin seems to have an affinity for birds. In 1995, he directed Uncle Vanya, in which a white peacock paraded across the stage, a touch I loved. Forgive the obvious pun if I say this production is for the birds. It is, however, disturbing that a project supposed to be a vehicle to show off the many talents of these students, who have worked so hard for three years learning their craft, should depend on such embarrassingly self-indulgent, low-class writing, bordering on the amateur. The actors, who must fight to be heard and seen amidst the sophomoric flotsam and jetsam of feathers and flight plans, are so gifted that they, at moments, rise above the material. To its credit, the music composed by Christopher Curtis & Harry Mann, who also perform their work with Adam Crowe, is pleasantly entertaining.
The best revision of the script is the use of an Ornithologist as framework; he opens the play and describes the various kinds of birds throughout. Played with piquant professorship by Pun Bandhu, little round glasses perched on his nose, his are the only sane moments of the show. In a confusing transition, we are thrust into down-and-dirty Las Vegas, where a bad lounge comedian, the unnecessarily crude Venerable Smoke, and his agent, Arnold Sand, acted with energy by Rio Puertollano and humorous innocence by Remy Auberjonois, are fleeing from boss Buddy Baraccas (Patrick Huey), who demands money for their gambling losses. With the help of the large, extinct Dodo bird, acted sweetly by Mark Mattek, who should be given points for agreeing to wear an incredible plethora of blue furry feathers, they escape into bird heaven, "cukooland." Surrounded by clouds, they convince the birds to build a wall that will protect them from humans below and gods above. In the process, they learn to love and how to be more human.
Despite a yellow-pointed beak, graceful Kathryn Hahn, costumed in a magnificent turquoise gown and headpiece designed by Katherine Hampton, gives a beautifully interesting performance as Queen Popsy, a showgirl turned peacock royalty. Adriana Gaviria is a blithe spirit as Iris, who somersaults down from the home of the Gods. She also plays Ms. Jekyl, one of Buddy Baracas' tough guards, who runs around in black leather with guns drawn. Edward O'Blenis in an amusingly overwrought portrayal of the overwritten part of Reverend Salacious, is a minister with lots of problems. In contrast to "cuckooland," there are a series of stylized scenes, repeated far too often, which spoof Alfred Hitchock's "The Birds."
A busy, busy production, The Birds is not a class act for these Yale Drama School students. They, and we, deserve better.
