Feminist Review: Lizzie Borden – The Living Theatre
by Caitlin Graham, Feminist Review
September 15, 2009
How do you spin a nursery rhyme into a full-length musical? In this case, the uber-creepy poem in question is, thankfully, based in reality: the eponymous Lizzie Borden who reputedly “took an axe” and “gave her father forty whacks” was a real life New England girl accused—and acquitted—of murdering both her parents in the late nineteenth century, so there’s more than enough material to mine. But the rock musical bearing her name, like the nursery rhyme, doesn’t take this grim piece of history so seriously, blending period and punk to create a tongue-in-cheek murderous romp.
In Took An Axe’s production of the tale, our bloodthirsty heroine (and she is treated as such) goes from prim and pale to full-on goth, trading her petticoats for a pair of leather gloves and black lipstick post-patricide. Meanwhile, the Bordens’ housekeeper Bridget (Carrie Cimma) is pure punk from the moment she steps out on stage, from her spiked-up bleach blonde hair to her leather corset. We quickly discover the symbolism of such costuming as Bridget whispers encouragement in the trepidatious Lizzie’s ear, providing a sort of heavy metal devil on her shoulder. By the time the second act begins, the entire cast has completely abandoned their period posturing to wield their mics like modern rock stars.
On the night that I attended, the audience ate up such irreverence, cheering openly when Lizzie spattered her parents’ blood all over the white backdrop upstage. As with Rocky Horror, though, Borden isn’t just about the gimmick; the music is fantastic too. The full-on rock numbers, like the joyously hard “Why Are All These Heads Off?,” pull no punches, while the more traditional musical theatre tunes are full of gorgeously executed harmonies. “Burn the Old Thing Up,” which the somewhat wistful Lizzie (Jenny Fellner) sings while setting fire to her bloodstained dress, is a poignant farewell to both her younger, repressed self and the evidence of her adult murder.
The Living Theatre’s tiny space is used commendably well, with a red scrim dividing the stage and separating the actors from the band. This gauzy curtain is pulled aside at times, opening up the upstage area for scenes set on the Bordens’ rooftop, which are beautifully staged with creative, unexpected lighting effects.
As one of very few all-female rock musicals in existence, Lizzie Borden is valuable for any feminist theatergoer, and this production is particularly fun. Admittedly, the tone of the show as a whole is a bit muddled, as certain actors play it almost too straight, but if you make a pact with yourself at the door to just surrender to the mayhem, you’ll be cheering too.
Theatre Is Easy: Lizzie Borden-The Rock Musical (The Living Theatre)
by JulieAngelica, Theatre Is Easy
September 14, 2009
5 POINTS OR LESS
impressive powerhouse vocals • high energy rocking • a well-blended mix of headbanging punk, flowing-folk and rock ballads, but all played very loudly • one hour and forty minutes with one intermission
BOTTOM LINE: Lizzie Borden’s insane rock vocals and infectious energy will blow you away (if the volume doesn’t first). I seriously enjoyed this one, a cult classic in the making.
Jenny Fellner plays the young Lizzie Borden, a fragile girl who likes to talk to pigeons and fool around with her neighbor in the attic. Throughout the play, she flawlessly transitions from the innocent slow-on-the-uptake Lizzie, to the psycho, dark, getting-away-with-murder Lizzie. This chick rocks. She is way fierce. She belts notes that will make your hair stand on end. The chemistry between Fellner and the neighbor, played by Marie-France Arcilla, is great; I loved their relationship. There was none of that “yea, we’re lesbians and it’s hard” crap that you might expect between two chicks. Instead, Arcilla delivers an unapologetic and haunting love song, “Will You Stay,” the most outstanding of the show’s many highlights.
Things really get stirred up in the Borden house when Lizzie’s older sister Emma, played by Lisa Birnbaum, decides to skip town for a few days after planting some “killer” ideas into Lizzie’s head. Emma and Lizzie aren’t too fond of their abusive father and money-grubbing stepmother. This part of the story could be a little meatier. I didn’t really understand if he was sexually abusive, or if the Borden girls just wanted all of Daddy’s money for themselves, or why they hated the stepmother so much. They might have sucked, but enough to deserve 40-41 whacks? But, for all intents and purposes, I don’t care. I mean, it’s a rock musical, it’s not Chekov, and you know they’re going down, the question is how. And how they died…well it’s pretty much the COOLEST DEATH SCENE EVER. It’s the perfect combination of driving rock music, blood, and wailing dissonant vocals from Carrie Cimma. Totally awesome.
The actors / script had a hard time finding the pace in the beginning of the show, but by the forth number Lizzie Borden takes off and doesn’t stop. You’ll headbang along with “Why Are All The Heads Off!?” and become entranced by “Shattercane and Velvet Glass.” There are some very Spring Awakening-esque moments: actors standing behind mikes to deliver lines and songs, very organic choreography, full rock band onstage, mixing period and postmodernism blah blah… and aside from some “Emma, where’s your skirt?” moments, I thought Lizzie Borden achieved these concepts better then Spring Awakening. It works really well in the cozy Living Theater setting.
Lizzie Borden is a really good time. The costumes are fierce, the vocals from all four ladies are fierce, the visuals are fierce and the rock music is fierce as long as you are prepared for rock concert volume (as my date pointed out “freaking drummers, man”). They had free peanut M&Ms at the bar in the theater, and it’s two acts with an intermission in one hour and forty minutes, what’s not to love?
Pataphysical Science: Bloody Bloody Lizzie Borden
by Pataphysical Science
September 13, 2009
Lizzie Borden is not the first musical to feature a murderer as its protagonist. And with its rock concert microphones and anachronistic language and props, it calls to mind Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (I think it’s a coincidence that Lizzie’s father is also named Andrew Jackson) and Spring Awakening (the original incarnation of Lizzie Borden actually debuted in 1990 so it predates both). And yet there is something very fresh about this production, playing at the Living Theatre through October 17.
In 1892, Lizzie Borden was the primary suspect in the murder of her father and his wife. She was declared innocent, but this musical assumes her guilt and explores the reasons why she gave them those brutal 40 and 41 whacks. These reasons include sexual abuse by her father and the fact that his new will leaves everything to his second wife.
Lizzie is played by Jenny Fellner as a sweet young bird-lover, who slowly becomes an angry and confident rock chick. Her transformation is aided by Bobby Frederick Tilly II’s brilliant punk period costume designs. All four women—Fellner, Lisa Birnbaum as her sister Emma, Marie-France Arcilla as her lover Alice, and Carrie Cimma as the maid Bridget (also known as Maggie)—are given the chance to display their powerful vocals, but the true star is the heavy-metal and punk infused rock score by Stephen Cheslik-DeMeyer and Alan Stevens Hewitt.
Tim Maner’s direction makes excellent use of the minimal stage and the murder scene is particularly well done. Especially effective in creating an eerie setting are the video design by Zoe Woodworth and lighting design by Christian M. DeAngelis.
This is the most fun I’ve had at the theater in a long time. See it at the Living Theatre just in case, but if there is justice, this won’t be the last we’ll see of Lizzie Borden.
"Lizzie Borden Live!"