SimpleViewer requires JavaScript and the Flash Player. Get Flash.
 
A Man's a Man by Bertolt Brecht was produced by Giant Squid Productions as part of the 2006 New York International Fringe Festival at Mo' Pitkins in Manhattan.
 

“Director Leah Bonvissuto has interpreted Brecht's formalized style of acting—known as gestus, where the actor is supposed to present the "gist" of a character only through a series of rigid gestures—as kabuki-like slapstick... While the devices of Brechtian dramaturgy have been amply garnished (with placards, breaking down the fourth wall, and actors representing objects as well as people), these become, in the deft hands of Bonvissuto and her talented cast, additional sources of camp extravagance instead of heavy-handed propaganda. This production of A Man demonstrates that one may contemplate politics while also bouncing one's head along to the band.” [Off Off Online - Full text here]

 
“Giant Squid Productions, led by director Leah Bonvissuto, puts forth a great effort to embrace the Brechtian Aesthetic—a series of theatrical conventions that reveal and acknowledge that we are in a theatre, watching actors. The live rock band and the vibe of Mo Pitkins' bar contributes to a cabaret atmosphere, with a waitress delivering food and taking new drink orders throughout the performance. The absurdist shtick is endless, and with the large ensemble crowded onstage for a kazoo chorus, or delivering dialogue across our tables, the show starts to feel like a circus clown car unloading as characters, scene titles, props, costumes, and quirky songs pour out into the little room.” [NYTheatre.com - Full text here]