Henrick Vartanian
James Cameron’s Titanic launches into theatres this April in 3-D. We caught up with another Titanic taking place in Chicago right now that has been generating an incredible amount of internet buzz. Cock and Bull Theatre produces experimental plays in the Windy City and we caught up with Artistic Director Chris Garcia Peak.
So this Titanic is not the film Titanic, but a play written by Tony nominated Christopher Durang. Was the Cameron film an inspiration?
I was never really a fan of the Titanic film with Kate & Leo. I did watch it recently and I did shed a tear or two. This play has really has nothing to do with the Titanic story or movie. It’s about the destruction of the family, if I had to summarize it. They tank at the end. This is definitely Durang’s most sexually outrageous play, but with a sense of innocence…like Kate Winselt in the film, but not. I emailed Christopher Durang many times during the rehearsal process with a ton of questions and things we were trying or doing. He graciously responded and gave me great insight into the work. He really answered a lot of questions we had and made me see the play very differently, especially about the vaginal teeth.
Vaginal Teeth, please explain.
One of the characters keeps animals in her vagina.
Sigourney Weaver starred in the premiere of the play in 1975, right?
Yes, which makes me automatically love it. I love anything Sigourney Weaver was in accept Working Girl. I did think of her when directing the play …. her style, her physicality, and especially her vocal pattern, because I think Durang really wrote it in her rhythm.
Why do you think people are picking up on the play now?
The play is chaotic and frenzied with a great sense of fun. I think people hear the name ‘Titanic’ and have all types of preconceived ideas, but in the end they just want to see a ship sink. I hope they see our Titanic and forget all of their ideas and laugh and not think too much about their lives for 80 min.
Titanic plays through Jan 28th in Chicago at The Athenaeum Theatre. Www.cockandbulltheatre.org