In the Chamber 2010: Last Men

This past Friday we were assigned to go see Last Men. It consisted of two one-man plays, both about 50 minutes each and put on by Theatre Projects Manitoba.

The first was Last Man in Krakendorf, written and performed by Gordon Tanner. After an incident in which 15 000 pigs were burned alive, Tanner's character decides to record a video to his boss to try and convince him to change the way things in the company are done. The play was set in a motel room which consisted of a bed, side table, a table upon which a laptop and projector were placed. The use of an actual PowerPoint presentation was very effective and used to visually aid humorous remarks he made or show pictures of the devastation that happened to the animals. A small detail which was nice to see was the picture that was placed on the floor so that the wall could be used to project on. Little details like these make even the simplest sets realistic.

The second, Last Man in Punatrenas, written and performed by Steven Ratzlaff. His character talks to his colleagues (represented by balloons tied to chairs) at his retirement dinner only to reveal a lot more than anyone expects. He and his party are sitting around a circular table in an empty restaurant. Director Sarah Constible decided to also set up three other tables to give the impression that it is actually a restaurant. Tanner, plays a waiter who clears the other tables during Ratzlaff's performance which strengthens the believability.

Both plays dealt with an underlying theme. Both characters had experienced a moment in their lives which acted as a catalyst for a 'new' way of thinking, a train of thought that dismissed logic and craved human emotion. Also, both of the events that triggered these epiphanies where a little off base. Tanner's world is changed by the death of pigs and Ratzlaff realizes as he reads the paper in which he wrote because he thought he figured it all out.

The primary issues the plays talk about are clearly visible but there are other levels to the understanding as well. It isn't all about the pigs. It's about each characters journey and decision as they are presented with two paths.

Both actors' performances were convincing and emotional. Tanner's antsy and rushed performance were suitable in the situation he was in and you could see Ratzlaff get choked up after reading a section in his paper and finally understanding someone else's point of view.

Despite being at school for 9 hours previous, uncomfortably angle chairs and a pretentious laughter in the corner who took away from the experience, I was pleased with Last Men.
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A note to peers: I've been hearing that this was the first theatre experience for a lot of people and that some didn't like it because it was 'too long' or the issues were too preachy and didn't make sense. THEATRE IS FUN. Next time you go, go to something you'll like. There are comedies, romances, mysteries! It's a lot tougher to enjoy when it's not about something you're interested in and if it was something you were made to go see.