‘Yellow’ the usual astounding project by Troy Foundry Theatre
TROY, N.Y. – “Yellow” is the newest project by Troy Foundry Theatre.
Set in the decaying Trojan Hotel on 3rd Street in downtown Troy, this original piece of theater sets a mood as bleak and depressing as is the site that has stood vacant for most of the past two decades.
As has become expected with Troy Foundry Theatre, the performances and commitment to the material are astounding. The material is obtuse, but the actors, even when eyeball to eyeball with the audience, seem totally focused and engaged with each other.
However, lacking a clear story line, the event seems almost voyeuristic rather than being emotionally encompassing. You might deeply appreciate what is going on in “Yellow,” but it’s very difficult to care about the people or the situation.
If you have attended a previous production of Troy Foundry, this will all seem very familiar. It is very much the same as their immersive site- specific works like “The Prohibition Project: Illium Was” and “La Ronde.”
Despite a disciplined cast who displays a remarkable commitment to the material, this presentation lacks the subliminal power that might compensate for the lack of clarity found in abstract theater. There is, sadly, an emptiness of purpose that dominates “Yellow.”
The work is presented in fragments. The cast is broken down into about a halfdozen of mostly two-person units with one actor doing all the speaking. The other figure is there as a presence and adds a sense of mystery to a stream- of- consciousness monologue. The speaker enters uncharted terror about things they cannot control and barely understand.
Sometime, during the course of the evening, roles are reversed as the silent actor becomes the dreamer and speaker, the other takes the role of silent, but not passive witness.
All scenes take place on the second floor of the building. Some are in private spaces, like the bar and adjacent rooms. Others are located in divided sections of a larger room. Kudos to doug green, who designed a space that is both real and psychologically disturbing.
The actors never acknowledge each other except for the occasions the cast come together in formation. At this time, they chant, grunt, moan and breathe deeply while offering sensual movements to support all the guttural sounds.
When performed in pairs, the themes and topics addressed are based on fear and disorientation. Dreams of captivity, loss of mobility, a lapsed sense of consciousness, a confused sense of sexuality and frustrated sexuality in general – amongst others. Almost all concern a loss of power and portray life in a state of perpetual anxiety.
In “Yellow” there is no through-line, plot or clear storytelling. It is the hope of the creators that by experiencing the fears, frustrations and terrors that exist in individual minds, an audience member might apply them to the real world in which we spend most of our waking hours. It is a world in which many share the fears, dread and uncertainty that are portrayed in the dream segments.
Those who like to engage in navel-watching will be at home with this Troy Foundry production. It captures the mindset of a victim mentality that says life is desperate and intolerable. And it suggests it is hopeless to think otherwise. It lacks humor, joy and hope. It is theater for the pessimist. Though, others might argue it is theater for the concerned realist.
“Yellow” is at times a fascinating visual theater experience with its own unique style of performance.
It is valid and truthful, but it’s points are obvious to the point of being inconsequential.
“Yellow” continues at the Trojan Hotel, Troy N.Y. through Nov. 9. For schedule and tickets go to troyfoundrytheater.com