Jumping At 65 M.P.H. Theater Wyrzuc
Heartland Cafe Thru April 10th
Reviewed by David Gecic

Originally published in Letter eX (August/September 1993)

Good poetic theater in Chicago is a rare commodity. There have been some very good examples of poetic theater, including Marc Smith's Poetis Theater Project and the Latino Chicago Theater Company's production of Obras: A Poetic Journey.

The recent production of Jumping at 65 M.P.H. is another fine example. This is a project of Brian Gary Kirst and Theatre Wyrzuc. Theatre Wyrzuc has been together since November of 1991. They had previously done the productions Perished,Slumber Party in a Dangerous Land, and Fiesta Boy in a 10 Joint Time. Their productions have dealt with a variety of issues, from child abuse to date rape. Instead of focusing on how these issues affect society, they focus on how these issues affect the individual. This new production also deals with personal struggles. It deals with a young poet and how her memories of her childhood shape her adulthood.

Jumping... stars Katie Walsh as the young poet Emily Ann Howe, Peggy Davis as her sister Ursula, Andrea Stark as her mother Adelle, and Kelly S. Jones as her father Daniel. Katie Walsh does an excellent job as the main character, Emily Ann. She is reflecting on her life, trying to understand where she comes from.

But
then
there comes a time
when you must strip
down the walls,
reveal the paint
and the wood,
all the concrete

You
must
fill in, complete,
totally work over
all those vacant,
those unmortared holes.

At first it appears that the relationship btween her father and mother is rather watered down, but as the play progresses we realize that these memories are seen through the eyes and the mind of a child. She looks back on her life and sees the pain she has gone through. She wants to hear the "cavity cutting sweet things" which will bring her happiness, but instead feels the torment of her family life.

Where was the story
by heart.
We both knew?
Something again was not right!

The relationship between the two sisters while they play and while they fear reveals Emily Ann's childhood. At times their play becomes surreal. We see Emily Ann surprised as she realizes that her sister faces some of her problemss an adult.

Oh my god, Ursula-
I forgot what you did.
You were a baby
a baby-
but a wizened woman inside-...

...You had crows feet,
grey hair,
arthritis of the spirit
by the time
you were 10

The set consists of stacked wire milk crates which begin the play covered in cloth. As the play continues, these cloths are removed, effectively unveiling her life as the play goes on.

Oftentimes what is termed poetic theater is nothing more than a collection of independent poems strung together around a loose central theme or no theme at all. In order not to sacrifice poetic integrety, these works are often dry and dull. Jumping at 65 M.P.H. is different.

The verse is heavily on the prose side, but the poetic elements are streached just far enough to retian them. At times, especially when there is banter between characters, the peotic style is very strong. Those who draw the line beween poetry and performance art may not agree with the term "poety theater", but those who want to be entertained and perhaps enlightened will enjoy Jumpinhg at 65 M.P.H..

Jumping at 65 M.P.H. is being performed at The Heartland Cafe Studio Theater, 7000 N. Glenwood Avenue, until April 10th.