The Chronic Ills of Robert Zimmerman
Actually, that title in full is The Chronic Ills of Robert Zimmerman AKA Bob Dylan (A Lie) — A Theatrical Talking Blues and Glissendorf. Complex, yes — and an appropriate clue as to the whole experience (the key being ‘Bob Dylan’). Through a combination of monologues, duologues with the veteran ghosts of fame, and songs, […]
Overview
Actually, that title in full is The Chronic Ills of Robert Zimmerman AKA Bob Dylan (A Lie) — A Theatrical Talking Blues and Glissendorf. Complex, yes — and an appropriate clue as to the whole experience (the key being 'Bob Dylan'). Through a combination of monologues, duologues with the veteran ghosts of fame, and songs, the play explores the joint enigma of Dylan's life and his self.
Don't expect a neat biography: that would be inappropriate. 'Glissendorf' is a reference to a word game played by Dylan which was intended to confuse its audience, so take it as a warning. Benito Di Fonzo's text travels in a deceptively laidback fashion, words slung together into abstract patterns like glass beads, while clear definition slides past and always just out of grasp. Words, including names, are not fixed labels but are employed as symbols when and where appropriate.
The songs are not quite literal either. While the production team are the first to admit that this was for legal and not artistic reasons, the re-imagining of Dylan's music and words in new forms seems far more appropriate — Dylan being the last person to play his songs as recorded. This also allows actor/musical director Matt Ralph the ability to sidestep an entirely derivative portrayal and tread new creative ground.
Other characters which appear or are merely gestured to are represented in much the same way. Expect to see T.S. Eliot led as a dog on a leash led by Ezra Pound amid lines such as "burning like a pubic hair on Charlton Heston's crossbow". The mood of mysticism serves to do more than obscure: it is revealing — and quite funny. Tapping into a beatnik version of magical realism, Chronic Ills avoids insincere imitation to navigate far richer waters.
Information
- CP Picks: The Editor's Gift Guide —What the CP Team Is Giving (and Hoping to Receive)
- CP Picks: The Best Gifts for Arts Lovers — From Gallery Prints to Music Gigs
- CP Picks: The Best Gifts for People Who Are Never Home — According to Travel Writers
- CP Picks: From Hot Sauce to Handblown Glasses — Small-Batch Gifts for Big Foodies
- The Best Restaurants in Sydney to Take Your Dad This Father's Day (or Any Day)
- Twenty-Five Exceptional Films by Indigenous Australian Filmmakers That You Can Stream Right Now