Goodman Theatre presents WE’RE ONLY ALIVE FOR A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME Review

The audience enters the Goodman’s Albert Theatre to see a dark and bare stage. Other than a single microphone and black stool there is no furniture, and the backdrop is simply black. Hanging from above however, are a series of bird cages, ranging in size and shape. Each bird cage is lit ever so slightly, creating the sensation that they are floating in this dark space.

Though simple, the effect is stunning, and offers a useful window for that which is to come. David Cale’s production may not be over the top in terms of design, but the simple approach allows the opportunity for the images and memories he describes to truly take form in a beautiful manner.

Goodman Theatre presents David Cale’s One-Man-Show: We’re Only Alive for a Short Amount of Time

Written and performed by David Cale and directed by Goodman Theatre Artistic Director Robert Falls, the musical memoir tells the story of Cale’s childhood – specifically looking at his relationships with his mother and father, as well as the relationship they shared with each other. As with any re-telling of family history, Cale’s story has its ups and downs, and he explores the depths of those moments through embodying his younger self, as well as his mother, father, and grandfather.

Creative Storytelling

Infused into the storytelling are a series of songs written by Cale himself, that further highlight his dark, but fun humor. The music itself may not have the most poetic of lyrics, but the storytelling also does not necessarily call for it. We all experience memory in different ways, and for Cale, the best way to access those moments is through song. For example, in order to describe the gloomy and seedy city in which he grew up, he breaks into the song “Luton,” that resulted in an uproar of laughter from the Opening Night audience. “All the Smart Girls” explores the moment that a high-school aged Cale found that he preferred friendships with women, and “Will I Ever Love a Man Again?” is sung from his mother’s perspective, exploring the dead-end marriage she shares with Cale’s father.

As Cale tries to gain a better understanding of his relationship with his parents, he also tells the tale of how he came to enter a life of performance, and found a love for singing. He had many in his life tell him he would never make it as a musician, and so the music adds yet another layer to Cale’s piece. Not only does it add a lighter tone to some of the darker moments, but also acts as a fun way to show that no matter what anyone said to a younger Cale, he grew to prove them wrong as he sings on the Goodman stage.

This writer does not want to give anything away, but this British actor’s past certainly takes some turns – particularly as he recounts his relationship with his parents. While he rose above those setbacks, there is no denying that Cale had quite a lot to more to overcome than any young person should. However, while the story has the potential to live in that darker realm, Cale is never afraid to bring out the humor, adding a release that allows the audience to continue along on this journey.

Gorgeous Design

Helmed by Falls, the artistic team appropriately brings this musical memoir to life in what seems to this reviewer to be a striking, yet subtle manner. Set Designer Kevin Depinet and Lighting Designer Jennifer Tipton collaborate to embrace the theme of memory, allowing for a dark, abstract space on the stage in which anything can happen. At key moments, a stool or microphone will rise from beneath the stage when Cale is about to sing, or a piece such as a bird cage or even feather will descend from above when Cale describes his animal hospital of birds in the garden shed. As Cale tells the story of growing up with a drunk father and a scared, timid mother – both from his and his mother’s perspective, the added elements appear as needed, creating the sensation that Cale is allowing us into his own memory space that he controls – which includes the music.

At the back of the stage lives a five-piece orchestra of talented performers, including piano (Music Director Matthew Dean Marsh), Viola (Dave Belden), Harp (Michelle Campbell), Cello (Desiree Miller), Trumpet (Jered Montgomery), and Clarinet (Anna Najoom). However, the group is hidden behind a screen that is dark until they are needed, creating a small surprise whenever they are lit. The use of this abstract setting in which musicians and furniture appears only as needed heightens a magical element to Cale’s piece. As a child growing up in such a difficult environment, he may have felt out of control. However, in performing the story aloud, he is able to find a sense of ownership, and the artistic team furthers that concept in their designs.

Thought-provoking and both sweet and dark, We’re Only Alive for a Short Amount of Time makes for an enjoyable way to speed an evening.

Goodman Theatre presents WE’RE ONLY ALIVE FOR A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME Review: David Cale Explores His Complicated Past Through Song

Goodman Theatre presents David Cale’s One-Man-Show: We’re Only Alive for a Short Amount of Time

Creative Storytelling

Gorgeous Design

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