THE HANGOVER REPORT – Nick Lehane’s exquisitely-realized CHIMPANZEE continues HERE’s trend for mounting memorable puppet theater

Nick Lehane's "Chimpanzee" at HERE Arts Center. Photo by Richard Termine.

Nick Lehane’s “Chimpanzee” at HERE Arts Center. Photo by Richard Termine.

For quite a number of years now, HERE Arts Center has been responsible for some of the most memorable puppet theater I’ve encountered in New York – starting with the wild ride that was Arias with a Twist to the whimsically abstract and dynamic Symphonie Fanstastique (both presentations were the brainchild of the brilliant Basil Twist) to this season’s Ashes (courtesy of Plexus Polaire).

Nick Lehane’s Chimpanzee, which is currently enjoying an extended run at HERE via its Dream Music Puppetry programming, proudly continues this trend. The show tells the story of a caged, aging chimpanzee who dreams of happier days when he was cared for by a loving human family. Told through a series of flashbacks, our title character jarringly ping pongs between the brutal reality of cold, repressed captivity and the joy and freedom of his youth. The show is deceptively simple and at times ambiguous (the show is completely viewed from the chimp’s perspective), but it nonetheless consistently elicits powerful emotions.

Don’t let the show’s brief running time fool you. The wordless, hour-long Chimpanzee surprisingly makes for a complete and accomplished theatrical experience. It effortlessly showcases how puppetry can be as expressive as other forms of performance (sometimes even more eloquent, in its own unique way). The titular chimp is exquisitely realized by three puppeteers who skillfully maneuver what is essentially an inanimate pile of wood to sophisticated cinematic effect. Technically, Chimpanzee is superlative, thanks largely to its haunting and evocative soundscape and lighting effects (kudos to Kate Marvin and Marika Kent, respectively). Move over King Kong, you’ve got some formidable company, albeit in a small package.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

 

CHIMPANZEE
Off-Broadway, Performance
HERE Arts Center
1 hour (without an intermission)
Through May 5

Categories: Off-Broadway, Theater

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