Sometime ago, as in many years, Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick” was performed in the old Cassius Carter Theater in the Old Globe Complex. Today, that theatre is called The Cheryl and Harvey White Theatre.
Also, many moons ago, The West Coast Premiere of Jake Heggie’s long waited “Moby-Dick” opened at The Civic Center on Feb. 18th, 2012. It was visually stunning.
Bartleby” another of Melville’s short stories is being produced in its world premiere at the Old Globe by Fiasco Theater. According to Artistic Director, Barry Edelstein, Fiasco Theatre is no stranger to The Old Globe. Fiasco’s farce “The Imaginary Invalid” by Molière was some laughing matter. Another of their productions at the Globe, some might recall, Fiasco Theatre Company’s bare bones production of Stephan Sondheim’s “Into The Woods” in 2014.
Set on the Cheryl and Harvey White Theatre in the round, Bartleby, our person of interest, applies for and is accepted for a job as a Scrivener.
 |
| Andy Grotelueschen as The Lawyer and Michael Crane as Bartleby |
A scrivener is someone who copies legal documents, word for word, comma for comma for comma, semi-colon for semi-colon, and reams and piles of the same documents, such as wills, property boundaries, anything legal to be presented in a courtroom.
What to expect from Fiasco’s newest play, “Bartleby”?
Fiasco Theater’s co- writers, Noah Brody and Paul L. Coffey, have taken “Bartleby, the Scrivener” turned it on its head and the result plays out like the theatre of the absurd… almost.
The plot:
 |
| Andy Grotelueschen as The Lawyer, Devin E. Haqq as Nippers, Myka Cue as Ginger Snap, Michael Crane as Bartleby, and Matt Dallal as Turkey |
The Lawyer or Narrator (Andy Groteluelschen) is the proprietor of a legal office on Wall Street, in New York, close to the courthouse. Others in his employ are: Ginger Snap (Myka Cue), Turkey (Matt Dallal) and Nippers (Devin E. Haqq).
As we will learn, Bartleby(an admirable Michael Crane) scribes so fast and so efficient and proficient that the rest of the team, including The Lawyer, expect more of the same. But one day…when The Lawyer asks Bartleby to proofread his work, Bartleby quietly responds, “I would prefer not to”.
And we are off and running!!
As time goes on, Bartleby does less and less at the office refusing to anything until he just spends his days gazing out the window at the brick wall, while is former co workers perform their daily tasks.
When the narrator stops by the office one Sunday morning, he discovers that Bartleby is living there. He is saddened by the thought of the life the young man must lead, but knows nothing of him.
 |
| Andy Grotelueschen as The Lawyer, Matt Dallal as Turkey, Michael Crane as Bartleby, Devin E. Haqq as Nippers, and Myka Cue as Ginger Snap |
Even when The Lawyer tries to reason with Bartleby, he gets no response up to and including moving office space. The kicker is that Bartleby doesn’t even leave the old office until he is evicted , becomes a vagrant and sent to jail; all because he preferred not to…do anything.
Clocking in at about 120 minutes, Bartleby the scribe, first becomes a joke, then as time goes on he becomes a more removed from reality character and one begins to have rachmanus (sympathy) for the man. When The Lawyer returns to the jail a few days later to check on Bartleby he discovers him dead of starvation, having preferred not to eat.
 |
| Devin E. Haqq as Nippers, Matt Dallal as Turkey, Myka Cue as Ginger Snap, Andy Grotelueschen as The Lawyer, and Michael Crane as Bartleby |
“Months later, The Lawyer hears a rumor that Bartleby had once worked in a ‘dead letter office’ at the post office and reflects on how this might have affected him.
The story ends with The Lawyer saying, "Ah Bartleby! Ah humanity!" To this I might add, to what do we owe our humanity?
Thanks to Emily Young’s smart direction, the entire cast is above reproach keeping the characters in play from Andy Grotelueschen’s prudent The Lawyer to Michael Cranes stalwart and unwavering Bartleby, to Matt Dallal’s Turkey(who drinks too much) to Devin Haqq’s Nippers and Myka Cue’s intern.
Every move, every gesture is excellently choreographed by Chelsey Arce on Lawrence E. Moten III rotating set on the White Stage. Early period costumes by Emily Rebholz (set in the 1800’s) is neatly appointed to each character’s place in the office hierarchy and Reza Behjat’s lighting design keeps the focus where needed.
Whether Bartleby refers to passive resistance to dehumanizing the workplace or challenging authority or alienating or isolating oneself from society, it grabbed my attention thoroughly. I left the theatre feeling sad and wondering, yes, ‘to what do we owe our humanity and to what do we owe ourselves?
Enjoy.
See you at the theatre.
Fiasco Theater’s ‘Bartleby’
When: Runs through March 22. 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays
Where: Old Globe Theatre’s Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park
Photo: Rich Soublet II.
Tickets: $44 and up
Phone: 619-234-5623
Online: theoldglobe.org
