Jackie – A Tragedy of Mannequins and Wardrobe

By Ernest Kearney  — Jackie written by Austrian playwright, novelist and 2004 Noble Prize winner Elfriede Jelinek is like a Rap-poetry rant inspired by David Lynch’s early films. It is at the Broadwater in Hollywood for 2023 Hollywood Fringe Festival.

Everleigh Brenner puts in her sweat as Jackie in Jelinek’s hysterical tirade against what she sees as the devaluation of women crucified on the crossbeams of consumerism and patriarchal power.

Brenner, enters in the historical bubblegum pink tweed skirt and pillbox hat bespattered with JFK’s blood, pushing mannequin parts which she shoves, strokes, and balances throughout the show representing the shattered lives left in the wake of the Kennedy clan.

Jelinek sees Jackie as simply a more intact mannequin putting such lines in her mouth as “My existence only has meaning when I change my clothing…I am clothing!”

The play is a tumbling of political sloganizing, acidic babblings, and grimly dark humor; a drama not so much a feast, but a buffet table to pick and chew on.

Brenner manages the leaps and bounds that the playwright demands with great style and gusto, while Director Brain Eckert keeps the bombastic ball bouncing with laudable dexterity.

The production and Brenner’s performance make this a roller coaster worthy to ride.  As for Jelinek’s play?  Well, let’s just say I won’t be rushing out to see Was geschah, nachdem Nora ihren Mann verlassen hatte; oder Stützen der Gesellschaften.

Silver Medal (via The TVolution)

For Eckert and Brenner’s work – A Silver Medal.

Jackie is playing at the Hollywood Fringe Festival 2023 at The Broadwater in Hollywood.

For Hollywood Fringe Festival Details, Jackie Show Information and Tickets Click HERE.

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HFF2023
Written by

An award-winning L.A. playwright and rabble-rouser of note who has hoisted glasses with Orson Welles, been arrested on three continents and once beat up Charlie Manson. His first play, "Among the Vipers" was a semi-finalist in the Julie Harris Playwriting Competition and was featured in the Carnegie-Mellon Showcase of New Plays. It was produced at the NPT Theater in Ashland, Oregon and Los Angeles’ celebrated Odyssey Ensemble Theatre. His following play, “The Little Boy Who Loved Monsters” was produced at The Hollywood Actors Theater, where he earned praise from the Los Angeles Times for his “…inordinately creative writing.” The play went on to numerous other productions including Berlin’s The Black Theatre under the direction of Rainer Fassbinder who wrote in his program notes of Kearney, “He is a skilled playwright, but more importantly he is a dangerous one.” Ernest Kearney has worked as literary manager or as dramaturge for among others The Hudson Theater Guild, Nova Diem and the Odyssey Ensemble Theatre, where he still serves on the play selection committee. He has been the recipient of two Dramalogue Awards and a finalist or semi-finalist, three times, in the Julie Harris Playwriting Competition. His work has been performed by Michael Dunn, Sandra Tsing Loh, Jack Colvin and Billy Bob Thornton, and to date, either as playwright or director, he has upwards of a hundred and thirty productions under his belt, including a few at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater as puppeteer. Kearney remains focused on his writing, as well as living happily ever after with his lovely wife Marlene. His stage reviews and social essays can be found at TheTVolution.com and workingauthor.com. Follow him on Facebook.

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