Stacey Addo | Arts and Entertainment Editor
Photos via ECSU Communication, Film, and Theatre Department/ Blood on a Cats Neck/ Oct. 2023
On Oct. 12 to Oct. 15, the ECSU Communication, Film, and Theatre Department and the Drama Society presented Blood on the Cats Neck by Rainer Werner Fassbinder in the Proscenium Thrust Theater. The play was directed by David Pellegrini and choreographed by Alycis Bright Holland.
Blood on a Cat’s Neck is an absurdist play following the alien Phoebe Zeitgeist (played by Elyon Udokwu). She learns how to speak from watching some of the worst parts of humanity. There are three distinct sections of the play. The first part of the play featured monologues from the main characters that revealed information about each of them. In the second section of the play, Pheobe begins interacting with all the other characters individually and then observes their lives and hardships. She begins to pick up phrases and movements from each of the characters. During the final section, she has picked up a limited vocabulary but still doesn’t truly understand humans or the language. She attempts to interact with everyone by repeating phrases she has heard throughout her time on Earth.
The oddity of the play made it an immersive experience. The play explores the human condition and how we treat each other through the view of a (literal) alien to the human experience. By hearing the phrases that characters repeated by someone unaware of their meaning, it was only then that the characters felt the repercussions of their words. The characters themselves were intriguing, but I definitely needed a second watch to completely comprehend the relationships between all the characters and their lives. The play provided an interesting social commentary on human nature and how people treat each other.
All of the actors and ensemble members did a great job portraying their roles. A stand-out performance for me from Karynn Hardy and her incredible vocals portrayed in her role as the mistress.
The cast included: Jasmine Lee Clark (Wife of a dead soldier), Matthew Corbin (Butcher), Kevin Flaherty (Policeman), Karynn Hardy (Mistress/singer), Xsyanni Jackson (Model), Carys Nardozzi (Girl), Adam Rodowicz (Soldier), Wesley Silva (Teacher), Elyon Udokwu (Phoebe), Brandon Young (Lover), and ensemble members Tiana Bailey, Zoe Calhoun, Zolah Daley, Noah Klein, Janiah Jospeh-Poinson (Dance Captain), and Paola Torres (Dance Captain), Zavier Garcia (Dance Captain).
Congratulations to the entire cast and crew of Blood on a Cat’s Neck for a fantastic performance!
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