Sunday, April 3, 2016

The Grand Guignol

Grand Guignol event on Staten Island - April 1, 2 and 3, 2016 was inspired by the theater that was popular in Paris 100 years ago. Doug La Tourette and Kimbra Eberly produced a local version with 5 short plays on themes similar to the original horror plays, featuring study of bleak human behavior with gory special effects and makeup, all written by Staten Island authors. The original theater was considered small with 293 seats but the Hub 17 space where this Grand Guignol took place only accommodated 25 people at one time.

The first night opened with a severed head accomplished with up to date technology. He asked the audience to “turn off your cell phones”. Was hoping he would ask if there was a doctor in the house, but enjoyed the final plea to “vote for me!” The other two dates the head was outside interacting with the audience.

Plays began with a drama based on the Lizzie Borden story. Kimbra Eberly, with a long interest in Borden, had researched the details of the case over the years and created a short drama. A final throat slitting scene drew on the Grand Guignol feature of lurid special effects.

Other plays on the themes of ghost hunting, deals with the devil, zombies and frustrated revenge killing exploited contemporary fears and weaknesses



"Inadmissible" cast - Emma Borden- Mary Campbell, Lizzie Borden- Viv Vassar, interviewer- Margaret Chase and the severed head.