“House of Blue Leaves”: an obsession with fame

Fame can be a cruel mistress. The Samo Theater Company  under the direction of Kate Soller, has mounted a production of John Guare’s cynical, sad and comedic play “The House Of Blue Leaves.” The play follows zookeeper Artie, played by Cashel O’Malley (’16), as he tries to fulfill his dreams of becoming a successful songwriter. Through interactions with his insane wife Bananas played by Sofie Hubbard-Warshafsky (’16), serviceman Ronnie Shaughnessy played by Dylan DeVol (’16) and his mistress Bunny Flingus played by Caroline Macou (’16), we see how the greed for fame drives people to the brink and over the edge of decency, humanity and their very sanity.The play appeals to students in that it deftly explores the darker side of human behavior in a way that is both hilarious and sad. The play resonates with us because of its bold exploration of underlying truth about how far we are willing to go to go to get what we think will be the answer to our dreams of happiness. And although the play takes place in 1965, it relates to society today, in which fame is worshiped almost as a religion.“The play is very relevant to modern life, dealing with such issues as mental illness, domestic terrorism and religion,” O’Malley said.The play suggests that in modern society, desire for fame has become a desperate goal of many, even those with little talent. Artie possesses little talent, yet his desire for fame is his driving motivation. Fame becomes the goal in itself, which we see strikingly today in the mindless voyeuristic “reality” shows such as “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” or “Jersey Shore,” whose stars are merely famous for being famous.Guare also explores the bizarre twist some have taken for notoriety stemming from violent acts such as shootings and bombings. Artie’s son, Ronnie, is the prototype for this behavior. He feels he is a weak and incompetent failure, completely unnoticed by the world around him. His remedy for his feelings of impotence is to commit an act so heinous that his name will be everywhere in the media.  He seeks to bomb the Pope,  himself so the entire world will know him.“This play talks about very mature and dark topics that you wouldn’t expect a high school theater department to put on,” Hubbard-Warshafsky said.Guare’s use of symbolism evokes the soul-sickness of our society’s quest for fame. In an uncomfortable moment, the mentally ill Bananas vacuums one of the nuns, illustrating that even the supposedly “pure” are tainted and unclean with the desire for fame. And Bunny’s withholding of her delicious cooking from Artie shows us the elusiveness of his desires. He begs her to cook for him, showing us his deep need for outside gratification.Director Kate Soller could not be prouder of the students and their commitment in rehearsals and performances.“The cast is fabulous,” Soller said. “They have good attitudes, they’re friends, they support each other, help each other, laugh with each other, get frustrated by each other and come back to the play with full commitment.”The production was held in the Humanities Center, allowing for a more intimate and personal experience compared to the more formal Spring Musical held in Barnum Hall.“In the Humanities Center, you are at the audience’s level so you have a much closer connection with the audience members,” Caroline Macou (’16) said.“The students who are playing these roles have really connected with the parts and they get into the challenge of playing such disturbing characters,” Soller said.Overall, the play was an impressive rendering of Guare’s “The House of Blue Leaves,” with the actors totally giving themselves over to their parts.Guare’s thought-provoking and witty play was a challenge for the talented actors of Samo. However, their commitment and mutual support came through clearly in their exciting and inspirational rendition of “The House of Blue Leaves.”snickman@thesamohi.com