Art Is A Cupboard
An OBERIU Docudrama
Ignite the misfortune around you.
Dark dramatic comedy with some absurdist content
They tell children’s stories. They write poems. They wear funny hats and ride tricycles. And they make Comrade Stalin very nervous.
In 1927, as the Red Fist tightens its grip, the last group of avant-garde artists in Soviet Russia is planning its bold, absurdist farewell. But with the world becoming even stranger than their own surreal visions, and their audience literally disappearing around them, is it still worth the risk? A darkly comedic twist of fact and fiction.
Winner of the 2004 York University President’s Prize.
Characters:
CHORUS – Various ages and genders. They Provide various intermittent musical entertainment and interruption. Chorus members can also appear as other characters. When they are not providing musical entertainment, they act very suspicious of each other.
INTRODUKTOR – A male or female, old or young (20s to 60s), darkly charismatic omniscient broadcaster who documents the revolution. At first s/he is devoid of emotional characteristics, but becomes more and more expressive and human as the revolution trudges on.
DANIIL IVANOVICH KHARMS – Male, mid to late 20s. A pipe smoker and juggler. Good at billiards. Enjoys being naked at home. A compulsive list maker. He is an extremely eccentric dresser. His pale, thinnish face is often above a bow-tie or cravat and he wears pants with bands at the knees, woolen gaiters or leather leggings. Also wears varied, curious headgear or a black headband. Often carries a walking stick. He is pleasantly eccentric in an old-fashioned way. His voice is fine and sonorous, his manner calmly self-confident. Made up almost entirely of jokes. He doesn’t create art, but is art himself. He alone can hear and see INTRODUKTOR and ANDREY SEMYONOVICH.
ALEKSANDR IVNOVICH VVEDENSKY – Male, mid to late 20s. Has a handsome, slightly pockmarked face. Wears well-made, well-ironed suits. Unlike KHARMS, he makes no attempt to distinguish himself or astonish the public with his clothing. He is self-confident and theatrical, which makes him successful with company, particularly women. He is sometimes haughty and arrogant. If he doesn’t like the person he is talking to, he may talk condescendingly to them without removing the cigarette from his mouth.
ANDREY SEMYONOVICH – Male, 20s to 60s. A fictitious figment of KHARMs’ imagination.
NIKOLAY ZABOLOTSKY – Male, appears to be early twenties. A blonde, clean-shaven baby-face. Usually wears his army greatcoat. He does not enjoy the high jinks of the other OBERIU members, which causes some friction between him and the rest of the group. Is a bit of a loner, and has always been this way. He is never entirely comfortable with people and is extremely hesitant to share his artistic life with others. Very interested in science, eastern religions, death and evolving states of being. The way he reads poetry gives the reading a certain musicality of meaning. He reads as such:
• Emphasizes certain sounds, often consonants and sound repetitions.
• The end of the line is read without drawing out the vowels. It is read firmly and abruptly.
• Each word is pronounced deliberately and completely.
IGOR BAKHTEREV – Male, early 30s. A film and theatre director. Good sense of humour. A clever thinker. Well-respected, fair and creative. Has enjoyed a successful career thus far.
KONSTANTIN VAGINOV – Male, early 30s. A professional writer who has been published since he was quite young. He is humble yet confident. A rhythmic writer who remains serious about his work. Alternates between seriousness and a crass sense of humour.
MARINA VLADIMIROVNA MALICH – Female, mid to late 20s. KHARMS’ second wife. A lovely and charming woman.
Other:
STAGEHANDS – Any age or gender
BALLERINA – Any age or gender
DOKTOR – Any age or gender
KILLER – Male, any age
VIKTIM – Any age or gender
COP 1 / MAN IN BLACK COAT – Male, any age
COP 2 / COP – Male, any age
STALIN – A large abstract representation – i.e. a paper maché figure
Approximate running time: 2 hours