NACL stages Kafkaesque redemption story

HIGHLAND LAKE, NY — NACL will present “The Passion according to G.H.,” a solo performance adapted from the Brazilian novel by Clarice Lispector at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, August 17 and Saturday, August 18. Seating is limited to 28 spectators per show.

Tannis Kowalchuk portrays G.H., a woman whose normally uneventful life is turned upside down by the discovery of an enormous cockroach in her home. When she encounters this cockroach, she is forced to delve into personal and universal concepts of existence, spirituality and awareness. When she re-enters reality, she has undergone a Kafkaesque transformation of the human psyche.

Kowalchuk sings songs, dances and brings to life simple objects and set pieces, keeping a brisk story-telling pace from start to finish, while transforming the performance space, a four-sided formation of chairs set up for the 28 spectators. As G.H., she builds a white room around the spectators, magically creating the environment where her story takes place. She projects slide images on the walls of the room, uses objects and costumes in surprising and unexpected ways and carries the audience along on her mutation from “human” to “being.”

The Village Voice wrote, “Kowalchuk’s beautiful performance makes the evening a delight. She simply glows as a woman whose ordinary life turns on its head when she discovers a cockroach in her home. Kowalchuk has one of those rare qualities only good Beckettian actors have: she manages to wrench meaning and drive spectators to metaphysical flights out of the most quotidian matters.”

The play is directed by Brad Krumholz. Tickets cost $10 and $15.

For more information visit nacl.org or call 845/557-0694.