Virgin with 10,000 Arrows: A bizarre, but brilliant look at the twisted mind of an artist

 There have been many plays over the years that chronicle the artistic temperament, but few take as many strange turns as the avant-garde little piece taking over Austin Playhouse’s Larry L. King Theater, Debutantes and Vagabonds’ The Virgin with 10,000 Arrows. The play, written by Jason Tremblay, begins right as famed artist Andres Marca Relli, one of the most heralded names of his generation, steps off the Golden Gate Bridge, and ends four seconds later, as he hits the water. Those four seconds stretch out to two hours, as we’re taken through the last few days of Andres's existence.  The result is a bizarre and original trip through the tortured artistic of mind of a genius, a trip that will be sure to stick in your head for days.

Ray Oppenheimer’s beautiful and inventive lighting design are sure to catch the eye of audience members almost as soon as the play begins. Early in the production he begins to play with the combinations of orange and blue, one representing the night, and one the morning. These two colors play and shift to help set the mood flow through the piece, with startling and abrupt interruptions from shocking white light, usually emanating from the footlights or from single spots. The play also features live music from Joey Reyes, whose soft, gentle cello notes help to set the tone for this piece, his soundscapes helping to sculpt and shape the action on the stage.The most innovative element of all, however, comes from the painting, which sits as the core of the production. Starting with little more than a plain white canvas, is grows and grows artistically as the play progresses, numerous different characters putting their mark on the piece.. By the end of the play, the large canvas is an explosion of color, form, and word, which our narrator offers up for us to take home.

As we watch Travis Emery walk the stage as Andres, we see him as a man constantly in his own head. Even as he goes on drug binges with his drug-addled friend Pea, played by Noel Gaulin, or attempting to win the heart of his hard-working, beautiful assistant Jaina, played by Kim Adams, he still seems to be on another planet. The only time he seems truly in the moment is when he’s painting, an explosive process which involves throwing paint on to a canvas than any subtlety of brush stroke, an amazing burst of passion spewing forth from the actor. 

Keeping these passions in check are his two sponsors, gallery owner Miller, played by Our Town’s Emily Everidge, and art critic Harold, played by award-winning actor Eric Porter.  They are the no-nonsense logical side of Andres’s "business", their financial concerns constantly putting them in conflict with the artist himself, their attempt to make big bucks off of him creating much of the major dramatic conflict in the work. Both actors shine , and several times we find ourselves waiting on the edge of our seats for their next scenes. Porter performs especially admirably, portraying Harold’s stone-cold intellectualism with panache, while still allowing some true emotion to show through the cracks. It all comes to a head when, one drunken night, Harold lets his romantic feelings bleed through, and everything begins to rush downhill in an explosion of jealousy and petty revenge.

Virgin with 10,000 Arrows is a strange journey into some dark territory, and may be a bit too extreme for some viewers. Director Francisco Rodriguez has a very specific and unique vision, and makes no concessions, creating a work with startling clarity and innovation.  The play is unlike anything you will see in town, making it a must-see for anyone with the capabilities to handle this odd, cerebral exploration. 

Virgin with 10,000 Arrows is playing at the Larry L. King Theater through this Sunday, August 1st only, so if you want to catch this amazingly unique work, be sure to buy your tickets now. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit Debutantes and Vagabonds website at bohemianblitz.com