Ennio! One-Man Spectacle at Huntington Theatre Company's Calderwood Pavilion
A Quick Change Artist Conveying Wit and Wonder
By: Mark Favermann - May 26, 2008
Ennio!
A One-man show conceived and performed by Ennio Marchetto
Designed and directed by: Ennio Marchetto and Sosthen Hennekam
Lights and Sound by Sosthen Hennekam
Presented by Glynis Henderson Productions/ Jonathan Reinis Productions and the Huntington Theatre Company
At The Wimberly Theatre, The Calderwood Pavilion
of The Huntington Theatre Company
At Boston Center for the Arts in Boston's South End
Through June 1. Tickets, $15-50, 617-266-0800
http:// www.huntingtontheatre.org
Like a human fireworks display, Ennio Marchetto performs his highly original quick-change artistry. Colorfully exploding from one celebrity or visual icon to another, he turns his version of theatrical origami into joyful and humorous visual magic. And it is thoughtfully often perceptively clever as well. Right before your eyes, he transforms himself into famous men and women, into Eminem who morphs into a disco diva, an ancient mummy's unraveling reveals the plastic surgery secret to Cher's eternal youth, plus a flirting Mona Lisa and of course a high stepping Elton John. He visually channels Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Amy Winehouse, and Madonna among an army of others who suddenly materialize and disappear in a colorful flash. In fact there are about fifty characters to delight almost everyone.
This is not a play but a playful performance. Mr. Marchetto is back in Boston for the first time in 14 years. It is a special event that needs to be seen. It is not particularly easy to talk about or exactly describe. Due to the utter cleverness of the performance, often sitting in the dark in wonderment and surprise, the audience seemed to be smiling or laughing all of the time. The music was spot on. His characters performed to the music and were often as transformed by it as the costumes.
Ennio Marchetti comes out of the Commedia dell'Arte tradition. This is a form of improvzational theatre that began in Italy in the 16th Century and held its popularity through the 18th Century. It is still performed today. Performances were generally unscripted, held outside, and used only a few props. Commedia dell'Arte performances generally followed rather conventional plot lines written on specific themes. These often included adultery, jealousy, young and old conflicts and love.
Many of the basic plot elements can be traced back to the Roman comedies of Plautus and Terence.which were themselves translations of lost 4th Century BC Greek comedies.. Since the productions were improvised, dialogue and action could easily be changed to reflect and satirize local scandals, current events, or regional tastes. Characters were identified by their specific costumes, masks or props.. These characters included the ancestors of modern clowns.
Ennio came up with the idea for his show while studying at the Scuola D'ell'Arte the preparatory school for the Accademia Dell'Arte. Apparently his first character was a Paper Marilyn, a Marilyn Monroe created by placement of paper to create her signature bust and other curves. Ennio's stylized movement and mime's timing transformed him into her. He started to build up a repertoire of other characters all structurally and characteristically assisted by paper costumes, masks, props and wigs. In 1990, he first performed his show at the Edinburgh Festival. At this large venue, he was launched. His work has been referred to as living cartoons.
The show is a series of quick, sometimes rapid vignettes of a combination of mime, drag, lipsyncing, and mimicking. By using paper and plastic and a bit of fabric that are adroitly folded and attached, Ennio is able to transform and retransform himself. His ability to use a few strong gestures to establish a known celebrity or symbolic figure is a talent that few have. He is able to capture the essence of the familiar individual in the fewest movements possible. Ennio is a bit like a caricaturist able to deftly capture a likeness in a few quick strokes of his pen. Ennio's bodyis his pen and the ink is his brilliant costumes.
A part Marcel Marceau, a bit Japanese Kabuki player and a piece Felliniesque clown, the range and presentation of his characters cuts across decades of pop icons. From the Singing Nun and her ubiquitous guitar playing Domonique to au currant Amy Winehouse, from The Mummy to Cher to C-3 PO and from Tina Turner to a Singing in the Rain Gene Kelly, Ennio uses his rubbery mug and his dancer's body to bring joy and wonder to a unique type of entertainment. He is a perpetual moving machine that continues literarily to peel away layers exposing persons and personas by color, form, gesture and expression.
Mr. Marchetto's show has been recognized for his brilliance by being nominated and awarded many honors including recognition for an Olivier Award nomination for Entertainment in England, a Drama Desk Award in New York nomination for Unique Theatrical Experience and has won the Garland Award for the Best Costume Design in Los Angeles.
Sosthen Hennekam is Ennio's collaborator. He has worked with Ennio Marchetto for over 20 years. Hennekam studied costume and fashion design at Studio Bercot. Also, he trained at an atelier of Christian Dior. During this time, he worked with fashion stars Jean Paul Gautier and Thierry Mugler. After this French training, he moved to Italy and first saw one of Mr. Marchetto's performances in Bologna. After collaborating on a television program, they have worked together ever since.
They develop new characters and routines together. His fashion and costume skills have allowed for the development of improved durability and reliability of the costumes. He has also developed the technique of creating costumes that morph into others on stage. Mr. Hennekam also designs both the lighting and the soundtrack for the shows. At the end of each of his performances, Ennio Marchetto literally applauds his costume pieces left on the floor of the stage.
Ennio! is a rare treat. It is a brilliant visual and experiential confection. This is a big must see and a certainly don't miss. The show is somehow all at once about silliness, ephemera, essence and brilliance. Ennio! is about the illusion of joy, wonder and wit and the reality of real entertainment.