CAPITAL FRINGE FESTIVAL #3: Karel Capek’s 1920 sci-fi drama R.U.R. (ROSSUM’S UNIVERSAL ROBOTS) has had most of its original ideas worked to death over the past century. A Fabian-socialist parable of class consciousness and proletarian rebellion, Capek’s best-known work depicts nothing less than an uprising of robot workers and the end of the human race. Not only is R.U.R. the play that invented the word “robot,” but it’s also the uncredited basis of nearly every post-apocalyptic technological dystopia to grace the silver screen. Fritz Lang’s METROPOLIS, Ridley Scott’s BLADE RUNNER, Michael Bay’s TRANSFORMERS and even the “Evil Robot Insurance” commercial on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE owe a great debt to Mr. Capek. The original R.U.R. has not aged well at all, but in the enthusiastic hands of the newly formed Naked Theatre Company, it still packs a considerable dramatic punch. Alas, most of the play’s action is described rather than dramatized, and no one in the eleven-member cast removes any clothes. But strong performances, nimble staging, and a brisk 95-minute running time see the company through with flying colors. I hope we’ll see much more of Naked Theatre Company, clothed or otherwise.
Posted on: Sun, 04 Aug 2013 08:22:57 +0000
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