There is a new resonance to Undermain’s Exit the King after Tuesday’s election results. Eugene Ionesco’s absurdist comedy about King Berenger’s fear or denial of death as his kingdom crumbles around him opened last week and is directed by Tim Johnson. The ridiculous, surrealist dialogue is comical and clever as the king drops nutty sound bytes while surrounded by a mix of enablers and realists. But when the title becomes apparent, the show shifts into a theatrical dirge, and the clownish king is forced to embrace a new perspective.Â
Bruce DuBose played the “too young to die” 400-something-year-old King who thrives on a blissful ignorance and delusion. DuBose’s performance served the play well through his many facets and moods that mixed a wonderfully buffoonish physical performance with an ideal royal air that conveyed the king as out of touch with anything that isn’t him.Â
King Berenger is surrounded by his two wives in the throne room where he throws his tantrums and orders out like throwing candy to a mob of children. His first wife, Queen Marguerite, is the stone-faced serious type played deftly by Rhonda Boutte. The younger Queen Marie holds the king’s interest, and Lauren LeBlanc’s portrayal was multi-leveled.Â
She first played the queen as the meek, crying type but as Marie encouraged Berenger in all the wrong ways, LeBlanc revealed the character’s more shrewd side. When all didn’t go Marie’s way, LeBlanc then peeled another layer away to show Marie’s more selfish ambition to stay in power and position.Â
Boutte let the audience have it as Queen Marguerite. Her wide-eyed stare under the royal powdered white make up was a stark look, but her regal presence and sharp dialogue were everything. She was Joan Crawford; she was Bianca Del Rio; she was Grace Jones — all contained in this stoic package that stabbed deep with biting words and low-key reads to her king and fellow-but-rival queen.Â
Jim Jorgensen played the hovering doctor with a dynamic energy laced with a distinct comedic style. The character felt duplicitous when it came to taking sides, and Jorgensen walked that balancing act well with his shifty nuances.
Also surrounding the king were servant Juliette and The Guard played by Karen Parrish and Dennis Raveneau respectively. Parrish’s portrayal of the hapless maid was on the mark, playing Juliette with a perpetually slacked jaw and dimwitted demeanor, but also a sensitive heart. Raveneau”s part ‘s character may be seen as a bit of an accessory as he stood mostly in one place, occasionally declaring of the king’s orders. But he gave a distinct substance to the character when needed, bringing magnetism to a rather peripheral role. Â
King’s technical elements complemented and set the moods of Ionesco’s story. Robert Winn’s set was minimal, with its three thrones and set pieces. But it filled the space well, and the special effects gave a nice punch. Steve Woods’ lighting and Paul Semrad’s sound flooded the stage with dramatic color and a haunting ambience. The final scene alone was a gorgeous display coupled with Rob Menzel’s video work.
Ava Roberts-Kamaria’s costumes were regal without being overdone so as not to take away from the queens, and King Berenger in silk pajamas and red slippers was a fabulous touch. The doctor’s steampunk look was pure eye candy.Â
The despot character in Exit the King and a certain incoming president show some parallels. Unlike the latter, this king is a source of amusement due to his eccentric and detached behavior. Under director Johnson’s guidance, the cast skillfully portrayed complex characters who delivered absurd lines and engaged in dramatic flair. This portrayal presented a farcical and troubling portrait of a king whose grip on power failed to meet his expectations.
The show runs through Nov. 24.
— Rich Lopez