SHOWTIME AT MICRO-FEST: We need a revolution ... but go light on the mayo

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SHOWTIME AT MICRO-FEST: We need a revolution ... but go light on the mayo

POSTED: Thursday, January 27, 2011, 6:00 PM

Filed Under: Critical Mass

TSP

Come and get it!

If you had to name the one cornerstone of our city's character, it'd have to be our revolutionary spirit. But a close-runner up could easily be sandwiches — actually, we better call them hoagies. Put these two ingredients together and you've got enough fuel to start a flash mob, or a at least a distant cousin of a social uprising. That's the conceit behind The Shakedown Project's upcoming satire, "Revolution and a Sandwich." A part of Philly's Micro-fest, the work-in-process performance will show Sat., Jan. 29 at 11:30 a.m. and Sun., Jan. 30 at 10 a.m at West Philly's Community Education Center (3500 Lancaster Ave.) The experimental theater company, founded by Drexel grads Robert Wuss, Chris Sannino, and Kevin Buttery, got some notice back in April for its multimedia spectacle, Jonathan. In this second show, TSP will stay true to its out-of-the-box theatrics, calling upon film projections, webcams and other virtual interfaces to "transport" the audience from one Philly spot to the next. Shaking up traditional theatrical conventions, however, does not constitute a revolution. So look to the story's protagonist, Claire â a college-aged product of our apathetic Internet culture. When we meet her, she's jaded and disillusioned with all the standard revolutionary causes. Hoping for some inspiration, she loiters around City Hall, giving out free sandwiches to potential activists. Not surprisingly, her hoagie-based gimmick only attracts college students and homeless people. In this case though, that's enough. And from there, the revolution takes off: the City passes some Byzantine legislation prohibiting free sandwich "giving" and the rest is history.

As is clear, TSP draws a hefty bit of inspiration from recent social and political happenings (think flash mobs and the Promoter Bill). Artistic Director Bob Wuss emphasizes that the script, written by Jeremy Gable, centers on Philadelphia, the city's revolutionary origins up to the Nutter administration. The multimedia component in particular, says Wuss, takes advantage of the cityscape, including a film montage of Old City and local haunts. That's not to make this satire sound too serious, although you may leave with a sinking feeling that a law against ham sandwich handouts is not inconceivable. The show's final Philly touch comes from musician Sonni Shine, who has composed the music and will jump into character and break into song during the performance. If you can't make the showing this weekend, keep a lookout for its official opening this spring at The Underground Arts Theater in the Wolf Building.

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Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

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