Le Mirage

reviewed by Case Aiken

Jun 20, 2009

Making an effort to provide an open-minded assessment of a group like The Order of the Solar Temple, infamous among media outlets for a rash of ritual suicides throughout North America and Europe, is certainly a challenge. It would be easy to harp on the controversy, I imagine, but to give the opposing view a fair amount of time to speak would be a far harder task. Le Mirage, the Laboratory Theater's contribution to the Brick's Antidepressant Festival, offers a surprising amount of insight into the rationale of the members of this cult by giving them that time.

Set against the backdrop of modern-day Las Vegas, which we infer from cards laid out on the floor with the names of casinos and the first noise we hear being the sound of slot machines, we follow archetypal cultists taking form as three performers (Corey Dargel, Sheila Donovan, and Oleg Dubson). They coyly begin the piece by smiling, showing us their contentment and the serenity that they have found, before engaging in brief dances that are linked to names of various casinos. I say "performers," because I had trouble easily defining what I was watching. There is a strong element of movement that permeates the work, but it is in stark contrast to the text that flows throughout, which apparently was taken from real notes left behind by the group. For the most part, this takes the form of an open letter, read interchangeably by the three, explaining their beliefs and goals.

The first portion of the piece seems Dadaist, with random musical changes occurring alongside curious blackouts that seemed entirely random and I'm not sure that they weren't technical errors. It was only when the format shifted to a mock ritual of the cult, with the sounds of outsiders trying to interrupt their ceremony and a very subtle tension coming across in the performances, that I became truly engaged in the work. The earlier portion, set against this far more introspective scene, took on a new meaning to me and I found myself truly enjoying the work and just maybe finally understanding a sliver of the intent of the work. Enough at least to appreciate the mounting tension as the show ponderously builds toward its tragic conclusion.

Director Yvan Greenberg has put together a show that I can't properly explain. I know that I enjoyed it, but it definitely took some time to come to that conclusion. Make no mistake; this isn't an easily accessible show. The subject matter is difficult and the form of expression is extremely abstract. The show forces the viewer to approach it as mental jigsaw puzzle to be pieced together, but perhaps that is Le Mirage's strength: it encourages reflection.

Director: Yvan Greenberg
Producer: Laboratory Theater