Genet Porno – Not for Children!

 

 

 

Review by Joe Regan Jr.

 

Here is presenting Yvan Greenberg/Laboratory Theater piece with direction, choreography, sound design, video projection and scenic concept by Greenberg of Jean Genet’s once banned book “Our Lady of the Flowers” under the title of “Genet Porno.“ Greenberg has changed the local of the original from France to Los Angeles.

Greenberg appears on the stage initially full frontal naked and explains who he is and what he needs to do. He seems to smoke cigarettes that light without lighters or matches (as does another character in the piece) and discusses drinking Starbucks coffee and needing to go to the rest room. We hear the sound effects of his rest room visit. Then he dresses in male attire and explains that he is a visual artist and is directing porn for YouTube exposure. His subject is Divine, a male prostitute who dresses as a woman. He is played by Oleg Dubson in a blond wig and make up (except for one violent scene when his wig is knocked off).  Divine’s pimp is a sailor with an enormous phallus very evident in his sailor pants. Gabriel is Joe Joseph who also doubles as Darling Dainty Foot when Greenberg doubles as Damon Dogg and Our Lady of the Flowers. Although the entire play lasts only seventy five minutes, all three actors go through their constant physically exhausting action in the drama without any sign of exhaustion.

One should warn everyone that this piece is not for children. There are explicit scenes of fellatio, masturbation, anal sex, and ejaculation (squirting white fluid out of the exposed phalluses).

In addition there is a lavish sound track incorporating music by Ravel, Debussy, Olivier Messiaen and The Art of Noise (“The Seduction of Claude Debussy; In No Sense? Nonsense!”) plus lots of disco pop songs, especially when they visit a gay disco and dance sexually explicit dances. At this point both Greenberg and Joseph are sporting huge cock ringed phalluses.

It’s a long time since “Our Lady of the Flowers” was smuggled into the United States and Genet was a convicted felon who could not attend the U.S. premiere of “The Balcony,” directed by Jose Quintero, with a great cast that included Nancy Marchand, Grayson Hall, Sylvia Miles, Roy Poole, Salome Jens and became the longest running play in its initial run with language that hadn’t been heard on the U.S. stage. This production has much of that language and we’re so inured to it no one walked out. The climactic scene (spoiler here) is Divine’s death and the three actors were given standing ovations. Anyone who wants to see an extraordinary unique piece of theatrical art should not miss “Genet Porno.”

Here’s staff includes Kristin Marting, Artistic Director, and Kim Whitener, Producing Director. There are many familiar names among the other advisors and supporters, and they all deserve credit for helping fund Here’s mission.

“Genet Porno” continues its run at Here through September 26. The box office telephone number is (212) 352-3101 and their website is here.org They have an impressive line of future productions.www.Here.org

Yvan Greenberg’s website is www.laboratorytheater.org

Photos: Paula Court