You know that white space
between the panels in a comic book?
It’s called the “Gutter”.
Have you ever wondered what superheroes do there while they’re waiting
for the next panel to begin? Well,
a new play performing in the Comic Book Theater Festival in Brooklyn New York
asks (And answers) this question. Gutterspace is a super-powered existentialist comedy; sort of the
Justice League equivalent of Waiting for Godot, or perhaps Batman meets Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead.
Despite the high-falutin’
premise and all of the heavy philosophy, it’s all played for laughs, in Gutterspace. We
start out with a blank stage that exudes a pair of performers clad only in
black. Suddenly a set of superhero
costumes appear, and these blank vessels are transformed into the heroic White
Raven (Zach Clark) and his
sidekick Condor (Blaze Mancillas).
They’re aware that they’re only playing the roles of these caped heroes,
and that an unknown force compels them to stand in silly poses inside a comic
book panel, but they don’t know why any of this is happening. This mystery fills Condor with anxiety,
while instilling the White Raven with a sense of adventure. 
They’re soon joined onstage
by the villains Stella Stilleto (Paige Patterson) and Barron Black (Hardy
Pinnell). Stella refuses to
believe that she’s merely an actress playing a Femme Fatale; she’s positive that
she really IS Stella. Barron Black
on the other hand knows that his villain role is just a part he’s playing. Overseeing the production of these
comic panels is a silent Stage Manager (Nika Ezell Pappas), who might be more
than she appears…
When Condor suspects that his
character will die in the issue they’re shooting, he’s filled with terror as to
what will become of him after his character dies. Will he cease to exist as well? Will he end up playing another role in another book? This launches the characters into a
debate about the nature of their existence, and the purpose of life, much like
the absurdist works of Becket, Stoppard, and Pirandello before it. Eventually, the joke begins to wear a little thin, but the show remains
enjoyable to the end thanks to a clever plot twist.
The set is deliberately
minimal, nothing more than a white frame upstage where the performers pose for
their panels. The props are
cleverly done, with 2-dimensional cardboard items used to create a comic book look. The costumes on the other hand, are
quite good for an off-off-Broadway show.
The hero outfits are elaborate, and Stella Stilleto struts around in a
slinky dress.
The script by Keith Boynton
is funny, and the White Raven comic book that the characters are creating
within the show is full of sharp superhero parody. Direction by Benjamin Kamine switches effectively between
the superhero lampoon and philosophical debate. The cast suits their roles well; they’re a young group, but
were certainly entertaining to watch.
Gutterspace closed earlier
this week, but comic fans should keep an eye out for future productions of
it. The Brick Theater’s Comic Book
Theater Festival runs throughout the month. Check back with us for reviews of the other projects in the
festival, and see the schedule for upcoming performances on The Brick’s
website.