Artaud Le Momo

This was the world premiere for Alexander Panas's look at seminal theater theorist Antonin Artaud (1896-1948). Committed to an insane asylum in Rodez, France, Artaud spent dearly a decade there undergoing regular shock treatments that completely destroyed his health. Panas shows a man with violent mood swings and uncontrolled libido but one who is also a victim of overzealous therapy and nonstop predatory sexual taunting. The only problem is that Artaud's brash creativity is nowhere to be seen here, unless two interludes suggesting his memories of peyote rituals among the indigenous Mexican Tarahumara tribe are counted. Projections of Artaud's haunting drawings only heighten a sense of disappointment that this brutal side is the only aspect of his life on view.

In the title role, Louis Vuolo gives no hint of Artaud's genius side, either. He mostly sticks to Panas's reductionist view, taking with him the chance for this production to add to our understanding of the man called "le momo" or "village idiot." Andrew Dawson convinces as the sadistic Doctor, but Jocelyn Druyan seductive Nurse Eileen Dancrow is merely crass and lacks style. For the fantasy scenes, Druyan joins Carlos A. Laster, Jr. and a pudgy Sandi Karpello as Peyote Spirits.

Laster's choreography to Gonzalo Ceja's album "Ritualica" contributes the most interesting moments of the evening. Typical of most Fringe offerings, production values are low. Under the sub-optimal conditions, Richard L. Sterne's direction achieves respectable results. Panas's script comes through clearly, and blocking is good. Perhaps in other circumstances, some of the deficiencies noted earlier might be mitigated.