By Angela Salazar
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Thumb-sucking children have more to fear than getting an
overbite.
In the morbid style of Tim Burton and Edward Gorey,
“Shockheaded Peter” tells tales of strangely
entertaining ways to punish disobedient children. Based on Heinrich
Hoffman’s classic 19th-century German children’s book
“Struwwelpeter,” “Shockheaded Peter” makes
its West Coast debut tonight at the Freud Playhouse.
Labeled as a “junk opera,” the show combines
puppetry and animation to form a new kind of theater.
“It’s got elements from so many different areas.
It’s like an old fashioned play and it’s like a modern
kind of video,” said director Phelim McDermott. “I
think probably what’s unique about it is that it seems to
appeal across the board. There are older people who come because
they remember the book and there are young kids who really enjoy it
and are brought along by their parents.”
Set in a distorted Victorian toy theater, “Shockheaded
Peter” offers satirical warnings for children against such
offenses as being a slob, playing with matches, going outside in
the rain and of course, thumb-sucking. In 1844, Hoffman, a doctor
in a German mental asylum, wrote the book of gory stories and poems
as cautionary tales, used to frighten children into behaving. Now
those tales come to life on stage with innovative music, scenery
and acting.
As a sort of experimental black comedy, the children’s
characters in the show meet painful and untimely ends. Their
punishments range from losing appendages to an Edward
Scissorhands-type ghoul, to being buried under the floorboards of
their parents’ sitting room. Despite the story’s
apparent cruelty, it is laced with the type of parody and
entertainment reminiscent of “South Park” or “The
Simpsons.”
McDermott, along with co-director, designer and puppet maker
Julian Crouch, created the ghoulish Victorian style show which
first premiered in London in 1997 and has since traveled to Israel,
Canada, Australia, New York and Minneapolis.
“It’s still traveling around the world and it seems
to be having a pretty good response from audiences pretty much
wherever it goes,” McDermott said. “It’s great
that it’s coming here; people seem to be excited about it
already.”
McDermott has been directing and performing since 1984. He
founded The Improbable Theatre in London with Lee Simpson and
Julian Crouch and currently serves as its artistic director. He has
directed repertory theater and done improvising shows. Most
recently, he worked on a new improv show called
“Lifegame” which was performed at the La Jolla
Playhouse in San Diego.
“(In “˜Lifegame’) we interview people and
improvise their lives,” McDermott said.
“I’d say (“˜Lifegame’) might be my
favorite show because it’s totally different each time you
interview. That’s exciting because you really don’t
know what people are going to say and what the shows going to be
like.”
It is creative ventures like “Lifegame” and
“Shockheaded Peter,” that McDermott has focused his
energy on since he began his theatrical career.
“I’ve just been doing projects that we set up,
creating our own work and plugging away,” McDermott said.
“The way that we create it is based on improvising but
sometimes it’s text and sometimes its totally improvised. So
there’s a real spectrum.”
With “Shockheaded Peter,” the entire spectrum of
McDermott’s creativity is truly utilized. Special effects and
masterfully crafted human puppets make the production memorable and
engaging for all audiences. The original score of music, created by
London’s underground cult trio “The Tiger
Lillies,” sets the tone of the show. The music lends a
dangerously sinister yet fun appeal, making it a unique theatrical
venture.
“It’s great that it’s coming back to the
States,” McDermott said. “It really seems to unite
audiences ““ it’s old-fashioned and modern at the same
time.”
THEATER: “Shockheaded Peter” shows through May 28 at
UCLA’s Freud Playhouse. Shows are Tuesday through Friday at 8
p.m., Saturday at 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. and Sunday at 8 p.m. Tickets
are $35 and $15 with student I.D. and can be purchased through the
CTO at 310-825-2101. For more information please visit www.performingarts.ucla.edu.