Family is either a curse or a blessing, and Irvette just happens to have a simpleton brother-in-law that talks to an angel. Normally that’s not an issue, but when you’re living in 15th century medieval times, superstitious witch hunters could burn you at the stake.
So Irvette plots to get him kicked out of the family.
“She’s smart. She’s manipulative and she knows how to take care of herself,” says St. Albert actor Cristina Patalas. She plays Irvette in ABBEDAM Productions’ deranged comedy Crazyface, opening tonight at the Timms Centre for the Arts.
Crazyface is put on by 28 University of Alberta drama students in non-bachelor of fine arts programs. Also from St. Albert are technical director Mike Machan and stage manager Alex Patalas.
Written by fantasy/horror writer Clive Barker, the twisted plot chronicles necromancy, rampaging armies, Spanish Inquisition torture chambers, international spies, mysterious clowns, a winged man, female warriors and a mysterious puzzle box with a contents so precious every monarch in Europe will fight to the death for it.
The tale’s hero is a country bumpkin, a ragtag nomad who roams Europe with his mother and three sisters-in-law. Unseen by others, Til’s constant companion is an angel that needles him into careless outbursts. Denounced as insane and under pain of death, he flees for his life and begins a slapstick journey of self discovery.
Just before the escape, Til, in his role of gravedigger, was burying a suicide victim at the town’s crossroads. At the crossroads he witnessed a murder. Before dying, a man gives him a strange puzzle box that is sought by all including Mingo, a Machiavellian cleric and his demon spawns.
Director Andrew Ritchie, a bachelor of arts student in his final term, first stumbled upon this bizarre play as a student at Archbishop MacDonald high and was intrigued by the clown element.
“The whole show exudes a carnivalesque feel. Clive Barker shows us how wonderful clowns are. It’s an ancient form of entertainment that has been boxed in a window as an American circus clown and there’s really a huge variety out there,” he says.
“The laugh-out-loud comedy and the dark horrific nature brings it to the forefront. The characters in the show each have a huge personality and quirks that relate to the clown nature.”
He cites the demonesque clowns called “pulcinellas” who wear masks and are masters of the torture garden where prisoners are broken on a rack or tied to horses and torn apart.
“It’s a strange play. I am positive you will laugh out loud one minute and the next moment cry. You will experience all the emotions. And all the technical elements enhance it with a futuristic mood for dark horror.”
