Created and Directed by Matthew Earnest for Cleveland Public Theater.
Produced in association with the Lunar Stratagem theater company.
"It might seem ludicrous that a stage dominated by completely plain white walls might qualify as the best set design of the year. But in Poor Little Lulu now at Cleveland Public Theatre, that blank backdrop by William Bezek is the perfect metaphor for the woman referenced in the title" (Christine Howey for the Cleveland Plain Dealer).
Earnest adapted this melodrama from two plays by Frank Wedekind, Earth Spirit (1895) and Pandora's box (1904).
"Designer William Bezek and I decided to treat Lulu as a person instead of a cliche. We were interested in her as a blank canvas that everyone in her life felt free to paint on whenever they liked, even to the point of renaming her at their pleasure. This led us to the idea of the neutral white set, and it provoked many discussions about how identity, gender, and sexuality have been viewed throughout time. The references to film noir hopefully underscore these notions - that antique archetypes of what men and women are apparently still expected to be, including all the trappings of gender identities and politics, are a construct and not fixed." (Matthew Earnest from the Director's notes)
As with our previous collaborations, we played loosely with time and pulled in many different looks. Again I used many of my antique patterns to recreate clothing from different eras. I thought this little pink suit was very sweet on Katie Nabors as Lulu.
Mark Farr (left) as Dr. Ludwig Schon and Jay Ellis as Dr. Goll, husband number one who promptly has a heart attack on stage.
Val Kozlenko as Schwarz the artist, paints Lulu's portrait.
And, you can see how this turns out.
Adam Seeholzer as Schigolch, Lulu's pedophile pimp of a father.
I stitched his frock coat together from four different suit jackets.
Interludes of dance heighten the drama.
A ghastly suicide of husband number two!
All set and costume changes happen quickly on stage to the lush soundtrack crafted by James Kosmatka.
Karl LaMarca as the sensitive play write Alva
Lighting design by Benjamin Gantose was stylishly moody.
A play within a play, a ballet choreographed by Will Brandstetter.
A turn of events, consequences of a written letter.
The appearance of domestic bliss, when in fact Lulu's many lovers are hidden all through the house.
Jay Ellis as the Countess Geschwitz, I made his/her swing coat from upholstery fabric, it must have weighed about 50 lbs and the poor dear had to run around in it wearing high heels.
Luke Wehner as Rodrigo Quast, the over sexed acrobat.
Even Lulu's step-son professes his love.
The discovery of infidelity leads to a violent argument...
and an unexpected murder.
Things are grim as Lulu languishes in prison for the murder of her third husband.
Her lovestruck admirers can't wait for her impending prison break.
Upon arrival they see she is now a broken woman who remembers her former beauty with regret.
She quickly regains her seductive powers and transitions into marriage number four.
In a clandestine location, Lulu in hiding from the law has assembled old friends for her Birthday celebration.
"A toast, to our most generous mattress...er, um,
hostess"
The evil Senior Casti-Piani launches his blackmail scheme.
Past lovers have all turned on Lulu.
Bad news arrives by telegram, the stock market has crashed and Lulu is broke.
A change of clothing and a plan to escape.
Bob the messenger discovers another side of himself.
Soul sisters sing "send me to the 'lectric chair".
Desperation can literally strip you bare.
A last resort, a homeless Lulu turns to prostitution.
Lulu meets Jack the Ripper.
A sad ending.
Angelic in the afterlife,
One last message.
END
