In THREE SOMEBODIES: Plays About Notorious Dissidents,
poet-playwright Kat Georges offers a trio of fascinating, cutting edge
plays about notorious dissidents--people who shook up the world-- for
better or worse, including "SCUM: The Valerie Solanas Story," "Art Was
Here," inspired by poet-pugilist and Dada precursor Arthur Cravan, and
"Jack the Rapper," a mash-up of Jack the ripper and T. S. Eliot.
Shakespeare had his kings and princes. Georges chose royalty of the
infamous variety: Valerie Solanas, author of The SCUM Manifesto, who
famously shot Andy Warhol. Arthur Cravan--nephew of Oscar Wilde, wild
child pugilist and poet--whose legendary antics preceded and influenced
the Dada movement. Jack the Ripper as sculpted through the words of
Eliot's poem "Rhapsody on a Windy Night."
All three plays received their world premieres at San Francisco's
notorious Marilyn Monroe Memorial Theater, known for its focus on
"demolished texts, deconstructed classics, and new works." As such, the
plays are not representative of standard "bio-dramas." Rather these are
stripped down, twisted, juxtaposed, hard-bent works of intensity
designed to bring each of the subjects to life as three-dimensional
portraits, and to examine their particular personas from the inside out.
The subjects of these three plays refused to be handcuffed by linear
drama so they roar to life in twists and shouts, psychedelic tremors,
and whirlwind ebullience.
Playwright Georges paints each of these plays with bold, innovative
strokes that expand the boundaries of the theatrical milieu. As
compelling to read off the page as to perform, these three plays offer
sharp dialogue and prismatic views of their rebellious subjects, casting
aside stereotypical, bullet-pointed personalities to establish new
perspectives on their subjects.
