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| Earthlight ensemble. |
EARTHLIGHT [Revue] B: Allan Mann and the
Earthlight Ensemble; M: Pure Love and Pleasure; D: Allan Mann; CH: Peggy
Chieriska; S: Ron Tannis; L: Jim Gaine; P: Garrick Productions; T: Garrick
Theatre (OB); 1/11/71-3/21/71 (56)
One of
several revue-like, New Age, post-Hair
potpourri shows of the early 70s celebrating the joys of hippie youthdom and
rock music, with considerable audience participation. The longhaired,
unisex-jumpsuited, energetic young company performed to the rhythms of the Pure
Love and Pleasure band in fragmentary sketches with much “mime and movement,”
and a bit of obligatory nudity. The laughs came from generation-gap themes and
word play.
The
audience sat on bleachers and pillows spread around on the floor. At the end,
everyone—cast and spectators—joined in a rhythmic love embrace and a sharing of
orange slices.
Earthlight had first been seen Off-Off
Broadway in November 1970, although it had an earlier life, beginning in 1969.
When it moved to this Off-Broadway version, the nudity was cut and Howard
Thompson called the result “thoroughly enjoyable.” Dick Brukenfeld said it was “an
innocent, pleasing little rock musical revue.”
The show’s
chief creative force, Allan Mann wrote a piece
online several years ago, describing the show’s evolution in detail,
mentioning the influence of Hair,
Jerzy Grotowski, the Living Theatre, and so on—all touchstones of experimental
theatre at the time. He mentions with considerable displeasure the show’s being
badly mocked in Ang Lee and James Schamus’s movie, Taking Woodstock. And he writes about his desire to revise the show
for a new production. Those interested in theatrical developments of the late
60s and early 70s will find it an interesting take, regardless of Mann’s
quixotic dream of reviving Earthlight.
