Oct. 12, 2011 - Issue #834: Protest in the riot

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FAR FROM CRAZY

FAR FROM CRAZY

Mel Priestley / mel@vueweekly.com
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» The Far From Crazy ensemble

Some of the world's greatest artists were infamous for having some form of mental illness; similarly the subject of mental illness has provided the basis for many works of art. (Van Gogh comes to mind immediately, as does a host of Hollywood crazies.) The brainchild of Nicholas Mather and Jenna Greig, Far From Crazy features a collection of eight short, dramatic pieces exploring the subject of mental illness. The connection between art and mental illness is an underlying theme in several of them. Though the message is delivered a little heavy-handedly at times, it is nonetheless an unsettling idea that artistic genius and creativity are symptoms of mental illness.

But aside from exploring art as pathology, Far From Crazy is primarily concerned with presenting personal accounts of dealing first-hand with mental illness. Most of the pieces portray a family member's reflections on their troubled loved one; occasionally we hear a first-person perspective. It is this foundation in the intensely personal that keeps most of the pieces from relying too heavily on cliché.

The most expected (and oft-dramatized) types of mental illness make appearances in the show, including schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, autism and depression, though more overlooked forms, like anorexia and senile dementia, are also depicted.

As is expected in a compilation of several distinct pieces, some come across stronger than others. In particular, Charity Principe's two monologues are very well done, as is the piece on autism performed by Kyall Rakoz and CJ Rowein. Others feel a little rough around the edges and might have benefited from additional workshopping; there were also several moments in which the dialogue felt unnatural and just didn't quite fit with the characters.
Nonetheless, the concepts driving this show are both absorbing and prevalent, and it is encouraging to see a host of young performers and playwrights exploring such weighty issues.
 

Until Sun, Oct 16 (8 pm)
Living Room Playhouse, $20
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