ONE LEFT HOUR: THE LIFE AND WORK OF DANIIL KHARMS by Good Old Neon (Good Old Neon). At the Randolph Theatre. July 11 at 5:15 pm, July 12 at noon, July 13 at 11 pm, July 14 at 5:15 pm. See listing. Rating: NNNN
To translate the poems of absurdist Russian poet Daniil Kharms to the stage is a heady task, but the players behind Good Old Neon pull it off with engaging physical theatre and lots of charm.
Rather than read poems and build scenes out of Kharmss work, the actors float in and out of vignettes that interpret the poetry with a dream-like quality. Breaking the fourth wall, even before the show begins, is at first jarring but it later pays off in the second half.
Flipping the script of a traditional production serves the avant-garde source material. Dance, puppetry and soliloquies all mesh to create a memorable show that lingers long after the lights dim.
