Anarchy reigns at Swirnow Show

Anarchy appeared to rule in the JHU Barnstormers' fast-paced, high-level comedy last weekend, but closer consideration reveals the organized chaos of a well-crafted production. Director Noah Stanzione, the cast and the crew collaborated to produce a nearly flawless comedic gem.

Dario Fo's Accidental Death of an Anarchist, first staged in Italy in 1970, is a sharp and hilarious satire of the hypocrisy and incompetence of the post-fascist Italian authorities. Since its debut in the United States in 1984, the play has received much acclaim for its biting wit and its audacious leftist rhetoric.

In a monologue typical of the show's tone, Inspector Bertozzo (Akshay Uberoi) addresses the audience directly: "I ought to warn you that the author of this sick little play, Dario Fo, has the traditional, irrational hatred of the police common to all narrowminded left-wingers and so I shall, no doubt, be the unwilling butt of endless anti-authoritarian jibes." Fo proves, indeed, merciless toward the police in his ensuing farce.

The incident alluded to in the title is the catalyst for the events of the play. It concerns the case of an anarchist railway worker who "falls" to his death from a window at police headquarters. Shortly after this scandal, a maniac (Angelo Santiago) finds himself in a police station filled with self-righteous lawmakers and politically-motivated puppets. While the Superintendent (Stanzione) and Inspector (Michael Levy) responsible for the death are awaiting the arrival of the examining magistrate, the maniac discovers the perfect opportunity to wreak havoc.

The maniac assumes the magistrate's identity, tricking the men into recreating the events prior to the anarchist's death. After it becomes clear that they are responsible for his fall, the maniac helps them write a new version of the events to hide their culpability. The real madness begins when a sexy, relentless reporter, Maria Felletti (Michelle Lesifko), arrives to question the police, who trust the maniac, in a new disguise, to protect their secret. She ultimately faces a difficult decision, and Fo offers a double ending, allowing the audience to decide which path she takes.

In his director's note in the program, Stanzione seemed self-conscious about the blatant leftist political philosophy espoused by the show. While one can respect his personal philosophy of art for entertainment rather than education, it seems rather weak in light of the particular interpretation he chose for the production. Having never seen this show before, I must confess that I am not sure if the additions to the script were from a professional editor or Stanzione's own imagination, but the anachronistic references to Nixon and Carter felt distracting and out of place, not to mention out of sync with Stanzione's self-professed artistic philosophy.

Other than these annoying additions, however, Stanzione's work as both director and actor was exceptional. He demanded high-energy performances from all of his actors, a critical factor in a play that requires both fast-paced witty banter and sheer physicality. All of his actors did a great job of staying in character even when they were not part of the dialogue. As the Superintendent, I enjoyed Stanzione's hilarious facial expressions; he was able to speak volumes without saying a word.

The two other actors who delivered the strongest performances were Uberoi and Santiago. Uberoi's role as Inspector Bertozzo was rather small, but he made the most of his time on stage. In a physically demanding performance, Uberoi showed no hesitation while throwing himself on the floor and over furniture repeatedly during his fight scenes. Santiago, by contrast, almost never left the stage and deserves an award for sheer endurance. Having memorized hundreds of lines of complex dialogue, he delivered them almost perfectly, perhaps only slightly too fast at times. The role of the maniac requires a strong actor to carry the play, and Santiago proved worthy of the challenge.

Senior Joseph Mathew deserves mention for his role as the Constables. Mathew, another highly expressive actor, was disappointingly cast in a smaller, flat role, but his understated performance protected the play from devolving into camp and created a few good chuckles along the way.

Unfortunately, Accidental Death of an Anarchist ran for only one weekend, so if you missed it, it's too late to see this wonderful performance for yourself. However, the strength of the production is an indication of great work to come in the Barnstormers' new season, so make sure you check out the freshmen one acts and the fall main stage, Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit, in the upcoming months.