The Prufrock Theatre takes on social stratification

“Landscape of the Body”
WHERE: Minneapolis Theater Garage, 711 Franklin Ave. W., Mpls.
WHEN: Nov. 6 – 21
TICKETS: $8-18

Imagine a lounge singer in the afterworld, wailing while her still-living sister curls over her chair in a dank interrogation room. The suspect, in a flashy red dress, is prodded about her recently decapitated 13-year-old son, who had been hustling older gay men and stealing their watches. Now, place this whole scenario amidst the glittery disco, polyester leisure suits and ’70s splendor in Greenwich Village, and the result is Prufrock Theatre’s inaugural production “Landscape of the Body.”
“The beautiful thing about this play is that on the outset, it sounds gruesome,” says Bethany Ford, artistic director of Prufrock and star of the show, “But it’s presented in a wisely colorful, humorous way.”
The script is a quick-maneuvering drama interplayed with comedic moments, punchy puns and quirky pop culture references, all within the confines of an otherwise serious play.
Leah Cooper, the production’s director, chose the play shortly after Prufrock’s inception in early 2008. According to Ford, Cooper “chose ‘Landscape’ because she felt that it really was a good inaugural piece for this company. It did a beautiful job representing all walks of life, particularly in America.”
In fact, nearly no American story is left untold. The play includes the dreaming-too-big single mother, a Cuban immigrant who wears evening gowns over his three-piece suits as a display of his newfound American wealth and a neurotic ice cream truck driver from South Carolina.
Capturing this moment in American life was not a simple task considering Prufrock Theatre’s mission statement. The theater company focuses on “financial and socioeconomic accessibility,” says Ford, “[Prufrock is] targeting people who are oppressed. They don’t go to theater because their stories aren’t being told and because they can’t afford a ticket.”
No matter the theater’s tight budget, the company pulled off a play equal to more high-budget Minneapolis theaters. The props and stage equipment are simple — probably hand-me-downs or thrifted gems. The costumes, however, are not always time-appropriate for the 1970s or the 2000s and revolved frequently enough to suit the flashbacks and interrogation room.
No matter the actual decade in which the play is set, the themes are never irrelevant. “The opening monologue is a look at the Kennedy compound,” said Ford. “There are so many parallels between the Obama administration and the Kennedy administration. It’s very much of the now.
“Yes, we've been through hell, but we can hope for better days,” Ford said.
Though in that hope, Americans should pray that it never comes to the metaphorical decapitation of a son stealing watches from aged gay men to inspire change.