FringeNYC 2013: Our Kiki: A Gay Farce
You're Invited! Hosted by my BF and I (yes, we're gay) and his fake wife (my BFF) and her BF (my fake BF). Confused? So's the Immigration Investigator paying us a surprise visit. I'll be drinking so BYOB! Cheers, Phil
Official production websiteShow details/ticketing at FringeNYC
Review by Sarah Lang · August 9, 2013
Our Kiki: A Gay Farce is a delightful (if a little heavy-handed) topical farce that depicts the antics of a group of friends on the night of an anniversary, a surprise visit from the Feds, and a crippling snowstorm! The play opens with Phil attempting to prepare an anniversary dinner to celebrate six years with his boyfriend Matt (a native of Finland). As he frantically prepares for a romantic evening, he quizzes his roommate Molly on the details of Matt’s upbringing. Molly and Matt, we learn, have gotten married to help Matt acquire his green card after losing his job and work visa. The surprise guest of the evening is George, the immigration officer who arrives for their surprise home interview, and stays (with Charlie the taxi driver) to wait out a winter storm. Molly’s boyfriend, Andrés, arrives home to find that he’s been assigned the role of Phil’s boyfriend for the evening, and predictably, hilarity ensues.
Though the characters seem at first to be a little extreme or stereotypical, the spirit of farce soon takes over to lend these exaggerations context. The play is absolutely the farce it professes to be, with classic gimmicks: group freezes, chase scenes, identity mix-ups (complete with costume changes), and unfortunately placed furniture. Moments of dramatic irony abound as the four roommates communicate in Finnish (which Phil has been learning with Matt) and Spanish (which Molly and Andrés both speak) to pull one over on the inspector, while the audience enjoys projected translations. Writer, director, and actor Seth Tucker is to be commended—it must have been difficult to direct such visually and timing specific comedic moments from within the scene.
To an audience already sympathetic to Matt and Phil’s plight, the explanation of DOMA’s evils and consequences at the moment of climax feels like unnecessary exposition. Similarly, Charlie’s (the taxi driver whose Ph.D. in Linguistics has made him privy to the multilingual shenanigans of all parties) retrospective summary of the evening’s events seems a little redundant, and slows the pace of the play’s conclusion.
Lighting design by Joanna Emmott and set by Adan Gonzalez were minimal but effective, setting mood and location without drawing attention to themselves. Costumes (not credited in the program) enhance both our character understanding and the entertainment of the farce.
Despite a slightly heavy-handed dénouement, Our Kiki makes for a fun-filled and at times touching evening of theater.
Preview: Interviews with Artists from Our Kiki: A Gay Farce
We're asking artists from each show to answer questions about themselves and their work to help our readers get a detailed advance picture of the festival:
Many Faces of Theater · Jen Goma (Director)
- What type of theater do you like most to work on?
I have a lot of experience working on theatre in the round (arena theatre/ central staging) but there's something nice about classic proscenium, everyone knows where to look, especially if the stage is raised. Yea, raked seating, raised stage- that's the dream. - What is your signature style or aesthetic as a director?
To let the style/aesthetic of the show be decided by the people who are in the show. I've always heard that's why live theater is unique, because it's specific- that is would be a different show if it were performed at another place and time with different people. I've never been able to beef with that logic. - Are audiences in New York City different from audiences in other cities/countries where you’ve worked? If so, how?
If I had to put them on a map, I think NY audiences would fall somewhere between London and Hawaiian audiences. I think they feel the same sense of duty to art imbibment as London audiences but, they're a little more casual. - Where would be your ideal working environment: New York in 2013, Shakespeare’s Globe, the theater of Sophocles and Euripides, Stanislavski’s Moscow Art Theater?
That's hard, some classic prosceniums but some even more classic theaters in the round. There's not a lot of control in outdoor shows which I'm not crazy about and I think Sophocles and Eurpides were kind of in to performing outdoors. If there was a dome on the Globe it would be the best of both worlds but, then there's still no microphones, speakers or amplification. And Moscow Art Theater is beautiful but, it seems like a lot of pressure and no raked seating. I think New York sounds the most ideal, there are a lot of easily accessible and small theaters that make it easy to see shows and have shows be seen. - Groucho, Chico, Harpo, or Zeppo?
I had use a lifeline on this one so I called Seth Tucker (Writer/Director/Actor of Our KiKi) here's what he had to say: "God I don't know, ok. Groucho... I mean I dunno, maybe Harpo?"
Theater Beats Movies · Joanna Emmott (Designer)
- Why do you do theater (as opposed to film, or TV, or something not in the entertainment field)?
When I'm doing lighting for a show, I really feel I have a huge hand in creating the tone of the event. The angles I pick, the timing, the colors, all bring together the hard work the actors and director have already done, and I am like the icing on the cake that makes it taste even better. The small amount of film I have done doesn't feel as creative, it feels like problem solving, which is important, but not for me. - What things does live theater allow you to do that you can’t do in movies?
I get to sculpt a human with light! How they move, where they go, changes what I do. When the audience sees that its not special effects or computer animated, these things are actually happening in front of you. - What have you learned from movies that is helping you with your work on this show?
In general movies are great for research. Although this play is a straight play, (haha, yeah right) I still want to consider where these people have been, what their apartment looks like and ultimately how changing the design will effect their story. I can watch stories or characters from films with similar personalities to help me get inspiration. However, this story is pretty unique, so maybe I should just hang around Phil and Seth more. - People who like which of the following recent movies would also probably like your show: BOOK OF PI, LINCOLN, BRIDESMAIDS, MAN OF STEEL?
Ugh, of these films I have only seen Bridesmaids. But I think I would have picked that one anyway. This show is so funny, and is full of such crazy characters you can't help but love them. I think the underlying themes for both is love and friendship. And boy do we have a lot of that with this team. - Groucho, Chico, Harpo, or Zeppo?
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say Chico. I love a man who can play the piano.
Theater is Political · Shayla Benoit (Other)
- Are there boundaries as to what kind of theatre you will take part in?
I am really open to most theatrical experiences. I feel the more you can expose yourself to, the more you can learn. I was really excited to be a part of "Our Kiki" because it comes across as a light-hearted comedy, but then you are hit with a huge social issue. I truly feel that this play can make people view the subject matter in a different light. - Should “hot button” topics be the subject of theater works?
Absolutely. Bringing political and social issues to the forefront through art can often make some of the biggest differences. Look at "Waiting for Lefty." Even SNL makes their political statements through humor. That's what "Our Kiki" does. Audiences open up to these characters and laugh with them. They come to see real people instead of a stereotype, and hopefully they will see how far we've come, and how far we need to go in regards to gay marriage and it's ramifications on immigration issues. - How important is diversity to you in the theater you see/make?
I believe art should reflect real life, and diversity is very much a part of everyday life. The more diverse a cast is, the more audience members can relate to some character in the show. "Our Kiki" includes different races, different sexual preferences, and different cultures. There's really something for everyone because our show is so diverse. - Can theater bring about societal change? Why or why not?
I wholeheartedly believe social changes can be made through theatre. That was one of the most appealing things to me about being involved with "Our Kiki." I am so proud of Seth and the voice he has given to the voiceless. He has brought to the forefront what a lot of people are scared to bring up: gay marriage and immigration rights. The beauty of the piece is the humor that Seth brings to such serious issues. It makes you think, "Why can't these two men who love each other dearly, marry and prevent the deportation of a loved one?" If we can make even one person question their previous beliefs, then we've done our job. - Groucho, Chico, Harpo, or Zeppo?
Groucho. Hands down. The cigar, those eyebrows, the 'stache.... what's not to love?
The Folks Back Home · Peter Graham (Actor)
- Where were you born? Where were you raised? Where did you go to school?
I was born in the middle of nowhere - Midland, Texas; Raised in Texas/Virginia; and then took a wonderful change in pace and moved up to New York to go to NYU. - When did you decide to become an actor, and who or what inspired you to make that choice?
I was always a bit out there growing up; and in the 8th grade the drama teacher encouraged me to audition for the after school play, Cheaper by the Dozen. I told her there was no way I could, because I had tennis lessons every Friday, and thus, was way too busy. But she encouraged me to come anyway, saying, "We'll see what happens". She cast me as the father and I've never looked back since. She even still let me go to my tennis lessons. Thanks Mrs. Dillard. - What are the folks back home never going to forget about your performance in this show?
I tend to play the guy who seems like an angel, showers you with warmth, and then ruins your life with a smile on his face. So my Mom will probably be pleased that I'm a bit more "well intentioned" in this play. I mean, I've got secrets galore and am lying 80% of the time I'm speaking...but it's all in the name of love. I don't cause anyone to have a psychological breakdown in this show...and that may actually be a first for my resume. - Does this show remind you of a particular person or place from your past?
This show is remarkably current and reminds me much more of our present than my past. Until I read the script I'd never thought twice about the particular hardship of being in a bi-national gay relationship. Up until the Supreme Court rulings two weeks ago, even if you were lucky enough to live in one of the (now) 13 states that allows gay marriage, if you fell in love with someone who was not a citizen of this country you were out of luck - or forced to enter a complex hetero green card marriage and hope for the best...as we do in Our Kiki. Our play has become a period piece in a handful of states now; but for the other 37 states, this play still illuminates an issue that is only just beginning to be talked about. - If grandma left you ten million dollars that you had to spend only on theatrical endeavors, how would you use the money?
I could give a noble selfless response; or I could produce a new production of the Lion King where I'm neither too old nor too Caucasian to play Young Simba. Then, really, all of my dreams would be coming true. And if there were any leftover money I'd move us into the Foxwoods Theatre where Spider-Man is playing so that we could use their fancy tech equipment. Because why not have Simba fly? It's what Grandma would've wanted.
All About My Show · Seth Tucker (Writer)
- Complete this sentence: My show is the only one in FringeNYC that...?
touches on the major current event issue of same sex marriage and the struggle of young gay couples. - What do you think this show is about? What will audiences take away with them after seeing it?
It is about a binational gay couple, Matt and Phil, that faced being separated by deportation, so Matt marries Phil's best friend Molly. The story starts on the night an Immigration Officer pays a surprise visit to test the validity of the marriage. It might sound heavy but it is a light, fast paced comedy that touches on an important issue. People will have an evening of hilarious theatre that also sheds light on a underrepresented relationship that most people don't fully understand. - Why did you want to write this show?
Prior to the recent changes for gay marriage, I was surrounded by people who felt voiceless. One of the many important rights that same sex marriages were being denied was immigration protection. So, if a man falls in love with a man from another country their marriage would not be enough to keep them from being separated by deportation. Many people used to argue that Civil Unions should be good enough, but what good do they do when you are still being torn apart and separated by oceans. This Federal right of rewarding a married couple with a Green Card was a valid one that I felt needed to be pushed to the forefront. If I could get someone to believe that any American should be able to keep the one they love in this country, despite their gender, then I felt like I could build a case for marriage equality on that foundation. - Who are some of the people who helped you create this show, and what were their important contributions to the finished product?
Definitely too many to count. But I'd have to say Jen Goma, Brittany Bradford, and Ashley Ball. They helped me see the picture past what I had already set in my mind. They helped stage, edit and improve, which is invaluable for a first time writer/director. And Phil Zisman who jumped right into everything with excitement and professionalism! - Which character from a Shakespeare play would like your show the best: King Lear, Puck, Rosalind, or Lady Macbeth -- and why?
Rosalind because she knows what it's like to be an outsider as well as having to pretend to be someone you're not, especially when the stakes are high.
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