by Rafael Gallegos
Daily Lobo
For the next three weeks, Albuquerque will be a hotbed for cutting-edge theater.
The Tricklock Company will spnosor its third annual Revolutions International Theatre Festival. Theater companies from six different countries will present more than 35 performances for 20 days at eight venues throughout the city.
The kick-off party on Tuesday, at 7:30 p.m. at Tricklock Performance Space launches the festival and anyone who has attended a Reptilian Lounge knows Tricklock can throw a damn good party.
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The next night, Mariana Sadovska performs "Enchantment Songs," a collection of ballads, chants, calling songs, laments and physically transforming character work. The Ukrainian Sadovska performed in the first Revolutions Fest as part of the Polish troupe Gardzienice. Sadovska will also perform at the Outpost Performance Space Wednesday and Thursday, at 7:30.
Friday night at the Tricklock Performance Space German performing artists will present "Scenario for a non-existing, but possible instrumental actor." Andre Erlen will perform in English, German and French and play Cello in a piece about the difficulty of the artistic process.
Rounding out week one of the Festival will be Gruvekompaniet (the Mine Company) from Norway and Denmark presenting "The Birds," based on a Russian folk tale and performed outdoors with stilts and elaborate costumes. This brand of physical theater with circus techniques will take place at the VSA Arts Center Wednesday at noon, at UNM on the Fine Arts Plaza Saturday, at 2 p.m., and Sunday, at 2 p.m., at the Tricklock Performance Space parking lot.
All outdoor Gruvekompaniet performances are "Pay What You Can," a socialistic ticketing system devised by the company. Those who can, pay more for those who can't.
And this is the philosophy behind the festival -- the revolutionary idea of exchange, culturally, artistically and, with the PWYC policy, financially.
Tricklock Artistic Director Joe Pesce emphasizes the importance of cultural communication and he and the company book groups that will complete an educational residency.
Each company will give workshops to UNM and high school theater students, teaching the students their individual performance styles.
Revolution in thought and practice in theatrical terms will be uprising and we are lucky to have Tricklock show us the way, but Pesce is quick to point out that what he and his company are doing can be done by anyone with an idea and a lot of energy.
Tricklock Company is not only a host of festivals and variety shows, they are also a touring company. The company is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and although the group has undergone some major changes, the revolutionary mentality of creating new works in new ways remains.
