“A Suicide Note from a Cockroach” begins with a
cockroach invasion. A half-dozen trained acrobats scuttle around the
stage and up into the seats. An actor in workman’s uniform jumps on the
lap of an older man sitting in front of me, mumbles a few non-words in
a Spanish accent, and keeps going. Their procession leads back to the
stage for a show of flea circus-esque gymnastics, accompanied by horn-
and drum-driven music. My attention has been snatched and I won’t have
it back for an hour. This is one of the liveliest, most original,
imaginative, and hilarious shows I’ve seen in a long time.
Per writer/director/star Carlos Alexis Cruz’s
own description
of the show, “A Suicide Note from a Cockroach” is about Pedro, a
cockroach in the low-income housing projects of New York City, who “has
being married six times and all his wives has being killed.” English is
not Cruz’s strength, but he uses this—wisely,
inventively—to his advantage. Exclamations, gibberish,
contortions, and other masterful body language do the lion’s share of
the “telling” here. When he and one of his doomed wives have sex, it’s
a choreographed tumbling routine that’s an eye-catching and clever
satire of a physical relationship.
Cruz works his ass off as the show’s vigorous narrator and engine.
Mayra Acevedo (Cruz’s actual wife) and Sarah Farrell make up the rest
of the scripted players, alternating in the roles of wives one through
six. Acevedo is spectacular as the kleptomaniac, hooker, and drill
sergeant wives. Her voice, posture, and movements merge to create
unique characters that are exaggerated and funny, not grating or
gimmicky.
Farrell’s portrayal of a green card-digging German wife is
memorable, though her other spousal iterations are not as distinct from
her first character as Acevedo’s. Farrell does offer one of the best
examples of how this play communicates, though: When she gets her
citizenship she simply beats her chest and says, “Sauerkraut!
Sauerkraut! Sauerkraut!” I know exactly what she means.
“A Suicide Note from a Cockroach” was made possible by a fellowship
from Imago Theatre, which warms my heart just a little bit.
Unfortunately, to see it you’ll have to sit through another one-act,
“Breaching,” about two men stuck in limbo in the belly of a whale. The
two plays lie on opposite ends of the spectrum of physical theater:
“Breaching” tries to tell the viewer everything. It’s worth watching
this relatively short theater exercise though, to get the second half.
Or you can just crawl in late.
Perhaps the mercury ought to stop letting highschool interns do all their writing for them. Of course I’m probably the only person who actually read this retarded mess so who cares. Keep sucking Mercury! And keep rationalizing by pretending that people think you’re cool…nobody does…not even people who just moved here and don’t know any better.
Most excellent review, Merc staff. I saw this opening weekend and Suicide Note from a Cockroach was very enjoyable, quality local theatre showcasing some of Portland’s finest. The play before it was just pretentious, self indulgent, un-profound bullshit. Wandering in late as the reviewer suggests is wise advice. I’m not sure where the producers of this production we’re going with the double billing of these two plays although the thematic tie-in obvious. It is a bummer one is so bad and one is so good. Especially since the seriously shitty one has to be first.
Imago has taken a nose dive recently. I love to support the local talent, but now half the acting troop lives out of state and so a good deal of the proceeds go to support hotel lodging and expenses from actors from NYC and LA. while they are performing in Imago productions. True local theater deserves my support, and there is much more out there in Portland deserving of mine right now. I hope Imago gets back to its roots sometime soon.