The sensation of dreaming is unlike any other. Just about anything can happen — we might randomly meet the cast of "Golden Girls," or find ourselves just inches away from the grasp of Freddy Krueger. Who knows? You could easily end up performing Disney songs with Otto Von Bismarck.
But that last one is rare.
Dreams are tricky, though, and forgetting the potent ones, nightmarish or wonderful, is indeed a frustrating turn of events. Luckily, the cast and crew of "Such Stuff: A Dream Rummage" has created a production that's quite difficult to forget.
Originally conceived by Barbara Carlisle and Ann Kilkelly, "Such Stuff..." (directed by Westfield's Scott D. Pafumi) is the first of three different productions to be performed by the eclectic company members of the Cappies National Theatre, all of whom have either won or been nominated for Cappies in their respective programs across the country.
This hodgepodge of a variety show was composed of poems, scenes and songs that artfully showcased its performers. They revved up classic tales, told us new ones and sometimes did both at the same time.
AN AUDIENCE favorite seemed to be the new twist on "Rapunzel." Casting gender issues aside, Branson Reese (NCA) proved man enough to play the eponymous lead and Audrie Williams (KCC) channeled some testosterone as Prince Charming. Now, the story of the girl with the long golden hair trapped in a tower is not new — but you haven't really heard it until you've seen the heroine break into Kelis' "Milkshake" to pass the time.
Indeed, it was this frequent injection of pop-culture references and some unexpected one-liners that helped make the show as entertaining as it was.
Some performers didn't actually have to say anything to get our attention. Lauren Sprague (CIN), Matthew Williams (OCC), Ashkea Murrell (KCC), Lauren Nelleson (OCC) tap-danced their way through Brittany Doyle's sharp recitation of "The Owl and the Pussycat" without missing a beat.
Sadly, the same cannot be said for Eric Gerard Walswick (OCC) — or at least not the wonderfully haughty British actor he created to recite Lewis Carroll's "The Crocodile." Walswick himself showed excellent characterization and a flair for comedy.
The tech crew, led by Helen Lynn (NCA), nailed their lighting and sound cues — effects that become particularly important for a show taking place in the realm of the unpredictable subconscious. Kwame Head's (NCA) lovely makeup design incorporated the sporadic placement of jewels and shimmer upon the actors' faces.
In essence, the cast and crew of "Such Stuff: A Dream Rummage" has created a production that is simultaneously random, complicated and sometimes jumbled — characteristics that also seem to define the nature of dreams themselves.