By Venus Zarris

One day, when I was very young, I stepped out of the front door to play and discovered a stiff, dried, dead frog on the sidewalk. Having a scientific mind, not yet burdened with scientific facts or methodology, I hypothesized that the frog simply needed rehydration. I set out to reanimate the amphibious corpse with some tap water in a Tupperware container. Now when I say this frog was stiff, I mean it was the green equivalent to a sun dried tomato. But I felt confident that a little water would make it as good as new. I dropped it in the plastic bowl and imagined the break through soon to follow.

Surely the frog, being delighted by and appreciative of its renewed existence, would immediately recognize me as its savior and friend. We would become great companions. I did not plan on the frog acting out my revenge fantasies or doing my bidding, unless he came back as an angered Frankenfrog. But I did imagine a dramatic Frankenstonian scene where, upon the frog’s first breath, I would boldly proclaim for all of the neighborhood children to hear, “It’s Alive!”

But the jealous god of creation was not willing to share this miracle with me. The frog became damp but stayed stiff and lifeless. I never got to shout my triumphant words but I did get cracked for ruining a perfectly good piece of Tupperware by using it for dead animal storage. (He had been in there for quite a while before my Mom discovered him, as I was hoping for some lightning since the water didn’t work.)

I tell this story for two reasons. One, the magical imagination employed in Redmoon Theater’s production of Dr. Egg And The Man With No Ear evokes the sometimes benevolent, sometimes maniacal but always limitless possibilities of a child’s mind. And two, this play illustrates the startling realization that in our continuing search for scientific breakthroughs, we shortsightedly neglect the potential ethical dilemmas and physical ramifications of these actions.

This unique U.S. premiere comes to Chicago, via its Australian productions, by way of collaboration with original director Jessica Wilson and Redmoon Artistic Director Jim Lasko. Wilson believes that this production “has brought the work to its strongest place” and the evidence of this statement is clear from the staging’s powerful impact.

The cautionary tale unfolds through a spellbinding and seamless blending of animation, puppetry and live action. The daughter of a man who lost an ear seeks to end her father’s depression by contracting Dr. Egg to genetically create a new ear. She agrees to the disclaimer release, which hysterically sounds like the terrifying ‘side effects’ listed on prescription drug commercials, and donates some of her own flesh. When her DNA blends with the cells of a fish and a tomato, an ear emerges from the experiment but the ‘new growth’ does not stop there as they have “planted the seed of an unknown harvest.” What is to be done with this unexpected, unpredictable and unwanted ‘development?’

The narrative, delivered by way of a clever snake, opens with the proposition of a ‘mille of mutations and an assortment of abominations,’ thereby creating an automatic suspicion of this thing we call progress. The story and characters are simple enough as Playwright Catherine Fargher’s script acts as a canvas to the creative conceptualization that is nothing short of amazing.

The cast is solid but the real magic of this production is in the making of it. The puppets, constructed by Graeme Davis, create beautifully intimate scenes as well as humor and anticipation. The animation, by Jamie Clennett, flows in and out of the visual narrative like an elegant breeze. Amanda Carr’s whimsical costumes and John Horan’s atmospheric lighting direction provide dramatically lovely accents to the show. Lara Golan’s original music is haunting, mesmerizing and lingers with you after you leave.

This world-class collaboration achieves a breathtaking spectacle with poignant connective substance and poses a question that transfers to almost every aspect of modern life. In a new emerging world, as you seek the things you desire do you risk being inhumane?

But this is not church and it is not preaching. Redmoon’s ‘Dr. Egg’ is storytelling as only they can present it; a brilliant, fantastical, melancholy delight.

3 ½ STARS

(”Dr. Egg And The Man With No Ear” runs through October 19 at Redmoon Central, 1463 W. Hubbard St. 312-850-8440 x111 – www.redmoon.org)

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