Ottawa Fringe: In Defense of Spontaneity – Bat Brains
Two versions of Bat Brains exist; the show Sam Kruger originally meant for the world to see, and the one that occurred during Bat Brains’ opening. I can only review what transpired rather than what was intended; the show I saw was deeply personal and visceral, a magnetic hour of stylized movement and Brechtian alienation. It was revealed in the show’s conclusion that many of the highlights of the performance had been accidental or “unfinished,” and I found myself wishing we hadn’t been told this, as those moments of freneticism and spontaneity felt absolutely inspired. That being said, as far as I know, Bat Brains has evolved since its opening, and I hope to see it again before Fringe’s closing.
Sam Kruger is a charismatic gem of a performer; his command of his own body is incredible, each movement heavily stylized and precise. Additionally, Kruger’s rotating canon of voices is equally dynamic, a bizarre yet effective blend of humor and tactile anxiety. The descent from Sam to Scudd resonated deeply with me, as someone who has personally cocooned into my own mental illness before. What made Kruger’s spiral so effective was its resurfacing into “regular,” Actor Sam. It has been revealed that this return to Actor Sam was unplanned; this is unfortunate, as in the opening performance, this really conveyed a lovely sense of the cyclical nature of mental illness and an inevitable rise from psychosomatic troughs. Kruger’s down-to-Earth, good-natured explanation of technical difficulties sustained the narrative presented in the performance’s exposition, and satisfyingly completed the journey from Sam to Scudd.
Kruger is a natural actor with a keen sense of trajectory; he also writes with purpose and absolute clarity, with no metaphor untethered from its correspondent, real-life concept. Bat Brains walks the thin line between bizarre and genius, and for those willing to do the emotional, empathetic work, Bat Brains is a transformative theatrical experience. Art transcends the limitations of Qlab, the transgression of a misplaced prop. Sam Kruger has the benefit of a cult following from previous projects, and backs it up with raw talent and technical finesse. This is a rare instance of perhaps poor preparation being a complete non-issue; spontaneity was the welcome co-star of Bat Brains’ opening performance, and it is my hope that in future Fringe circuits that these moments of honesty and flaw are honed and maintained.
Bat Brains runs through June 23. For full scheduling, visit www.ottawafringe.com/schedule. Bat Brains is in Venue Two – ODD Box.