Squonk: Not your typical Broadway show...
Mar 01 '00
Recently opened on Broadway, at the intimate Helen Hayes Theater, "squonk" is an atypical Broadway show. There isn't much plot to speak of, but it is a multimedia feast for the eyes. Tickets were available at TKTS on a recent Friday night; regular price seats range from $40-$65.
Originally from Pittsburgh, there are only 5 performers who take various "roles"- playing instruments, singing, dancing, moving. squonk is somewhat linear in that the various "acts" flow into each other, but it is more like performance art. Although most of the action takes place on the stage, if you sit in the first five rows, near the aisle, you may get called upon for some audience participation.
At this point, you may be wondering, "What is the show about??" It makes references to pop culture, to "life", food, death, survival. It is rarely serious, and often very tongue in cheek. (There is a reference to "Riverdance" that had us just howling with laughter.) Performers occasionally burst down the aisles and interact with audience members and props on the walls. One professional reviewer called it "Debussy meets Godzilla."
The music has a New Age quality to it, although there are significant references to Eastern cultures and music. The vocalist can make amazing and interesting sounds beyond simply singing; when she sings, however, she reminds me a bit of Enya. She sang in German and other languages, the best I could remember of one song in English referenced spoons and high rise towers. She is also an incredible dancer.
The bassist (he plays a concert double bass) draws sounds and notes from his instrument that I never thought were possible. The percussionist is also dynamic and uses several props, in addition to the extensive drum set. The horns player is a great physical actor and the interplay between him and the bassist and the percussionist is humorous and dynamic. (At one point, one of his horns ends up in a blender.) The keyboardist also plays strolling accordion and, to the extent that there is any plot at all, is the unifying factor to the whole show.
Another way to describe the show is that it's a little like "Cirque du Soleil" without the circus acts. Everything feels like a hyper-Technicolor dream or a strange hallucinogenic vision. There are about 20 short "acts" or "songs" that flow into each other, and no intermission. The entire show is about 80-90 minutes.
This is a show for anyone who wants a visual experience unlike any other. If you go expecting a typical Broadway show that includes a plot and songs and dance and dialogue, you will be disappointed. The costumes, sets, props and acts are splashy and beautiful, but the resemblance to a typical Broadway show ends there. This show demands active mental participation by the audience. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants an unusual, fantastic experience. It is suitable for older children, but may be a little scary for small children because there is a video of a person swimming jerkily (which could be taken for drowning) and a few references to severed heads (one in which the vocalist appears to be singing with her head on a platter; another in which a clearly fake severed head is thrown across the stage).
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