InTandem Theatre does a lot of interesting and provocative work. And their newest production, Lamps for My Family, is no exception.
Opening Friday at InTandem's space in the big red church on Wisconsin Avenue, the play is a one-man tour de force about Milwaukee playwright Michael Neville's life in a large Irish Catholic family.
The main character, Jack Duddy, comes back home to a house full of deceased relatives who all want to talk to him. On one cold Milwaukee night, Jack lets them all have their say, through him and the lamps each family members held dear.
Actor Mark Corkins brings 26 characters to life in this play. This presents a unique challenge for a one man show. "It's the balance of both finding something that's authentic and true to what this character is, but then making sure they're distinct from all these other people. So it's a fine balance, especially when they're all talking to each other," says Corkins.
In addition to the different elements Corkins brings to the character, director Chris Flieller also incorporates the setting as well as key props. "I spent a lot of time and thought trying to match up the style of the lamps with the particular personality being depicted, so it's a real menagerie of all different sizes and shapes," explains Flieller.
Flieller also notes that while a one man performance can take a lot of work with very few people, it also makes the working relationship that much better. "We're very fortunate to have a common language and a common approach about the way we do things and get into the piece, and that has been an extraordinary help putting this thing together," he says.
