BREAK OUT
Eardrums beware! In other words, don’t sit too close to the stage when you buy your tickets to “Break Out.” And you should buy tickets especially for the over 6-year-old set, though I did observe adults laughing out loud in spite of themselves.
“Break Out” (not to be confused with Fox’s “Prison Break”) shares a similar storyline but is much less bloody and much more fun. The physical capers of the actors in this theatre piece require the utmost agility and guts. “Break Out” is billed as extreme dance comedy. It hangs on a simple narrative concerning five goofball jailbirds who escape from prison—sort of a “Les Miserables” Asian-style—and the police who chase them for the 75-minute length of the show. The ending is unexpected, as by the last scene one of the policemen has become quite fond of the band of dancing lunatics and hopes they make it to Canada to live happily ever after.
Most of the scenes look as if the producer, Kyung-Ah Han, and director, Won-Kil Paek (who brought “Jump” here for a successful run last year), dug into the archives of “The Three Stooges” videos and expanded the material to include five plus a cast of three sexy ladies to fill in the gaps. Unlike the Stooges, these five guys can break dance and rap with the best of them. Spinning on the palm of one hand with an elbow foraged into the waist line for support; multiple pirouettes while balanced on the head; many versions of the simple cartwheel often coming to a dead (no teetering) stop with the legs split in the air; well, they toss it off like a piece of cake. In truth, the art of break-dancing and rapping require maximum effort and fearlessness, both of which are clearly evident in this ensemble.
There is a zany addition to the narrative that concerns stealing a large book with some sort of magical secrets, but this is too puzzling to matter much as compared to the “extreme” physical exertion these Korean performers put forth. They are left gasping for breath at the curtain call.
Because audience participation was a big hit in “Jump,” there is some of the same in this piece. In their merry chase racing from wing to wing on stage, they also jump into the audience, racing through the seated patrons in one aisle with many “excuse me’s” uttered in passing, as well as some invitations to come on stage and be the sixth stooge for a moment in the spotlight. The show begins with a riveting opening dance number, and each chase scene ends with a well-choreographed dance sequence that is so fast and furious mistakes go unnoticed.
One morning in the exercise yard, the prisoners hatch the plan for escape and observing the distracted guards, go for it. The high point of the escapade takes place on a set piece that looks like a miniature wall of the Roman Coliseum. The five guys have stuffed dolls tied around their necks hanging down beneath their chins like baby bibs. This is clever. Though they are agile and fit, the guys are too big to move on the doll-like set. They maneuver along the rims with only the stuffed doll-like legs and arms moving, resembling little people scurrying to the outside world. Once here, they have misadventures in an infirmary and in a convent, finally meeting the sexy ladies now turned nuns. If this all sounds confusing, it is—but the plot line is clearly saved by the lively dancing and the wackiness of the performers.
If I had my druthers, the “butt grabbing” would be eliminated. No need for this jarring message inserted in the midst of all the playful movement. Bopping one another on the head with big rubber mullets is one thing, even sitting on an outsized hypodermic needle can pass for good vaudeville, but why venture into smarmier waters? Not necessary in kids theatre.