THE HANGOVER REPORT – Wakka Wakka’s production of THE IMMORTAL JELLYFISH GIRL is ingenious, inspired puppet theater through and through

A scene from Wakka Wakka’s production of “The Immortal Jellyfish Girl” at 59E59 Theaters (photo by Richard Termine).

This past week on the main stage of 59E59, I attended the wildly titled The Immortal Jellyfish Girl. The Off-Broadway production (which has been extended through February 19) comes to the city courtesy of New York and Oslo-based Wakka Wakka – in collaboration with Nordland Visual Theatre – who have previously proven themselves to be masters of the niche genre of puppet theater (e.g., the Drama Desk Award-winning Made in China). Set in the environmentally dire, war-ridden year of 2555, the play tells the story of a genetically engineered jellyfish girl who finds herself at the center of the battle to save biological life on our planet.

Don’t let the puppetry scare you away. Written and directed by Kirjan Waage and Gwendolyn Warnock (the former stars in the piece as the show’s “foxy” narrator), The Immortal Jellyfish Girl is sophisticated, inspired storytelling that embraces both cinematic and theatrical traditions in the most ingenious and creative ways, resulting in one of the most polished and entertaining puppet theater experiences I’ve encountered in a long while. Indeed, you’ll find everything here – humor, drama, action, romance – all in support of a compellling futuristic mythology that’s as absurd as it is convincing (think Star Wars meets The Dark Crystal).

Waage and Gwendolyn’s extravant vision has been realized virtuosically by a crack technical team (lighting, sound/music, and projections are all top-notch), as well as just a handful of skilled puppeteers who meticulously execute each scene through some rather detailed puppet choreography. More importantly, in terms of the larger fabric of theatrical storytelling, the work exhibits a satisfying dramatic arc (driven by Waage’s giddy performance) that’s unafraid to break conventional constraints. Then there’s the artistry of the physical puppets themselves, which have been designed with just the right combination of whimsy and poetry.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

THE IMMORTAL JELLYFISH GIRL
Off-Broadway, Puppet Theater
Wakka Wakka at 59E59 Theaters
1 hour, 20 minutes (without an intermission)
Through February 19

Categories: Off-Broadway, Theater

Leave a Reply