Trap Door Theatre: The Mannequin’s Ball Review
Shail Modi and Dan Cobbler
Trap Door Theatre Presents THE MANNEQUIN’S BALL Review - Is Being Able to Move All It’s Cracked Up To Be?
TLDR: The Mannequin’s Ball takes audiences on a journey during the annual night of mannequin revelry where they can dance and move as freely as humans do. It leans heavily into political commentary on the class system in an absurdist/futurism, satirical way.
Trap Door Invites You To The Ball
When I first think of mannequins coming to life, my first thought is that 80s classic film Mannequin filled with love and montage sequences etc. Here, in The Mannequin’s Ball, though mannequins do come to life for one night of the year, it is not filled with moonlit motorcycle rides through the city. Instead, these mannequins revel in their hidden away room, delighted to have this one night a year they can move freely.
The cast walks the stage during the pre-show. Some in graceful, light footed steps. Some stare blankly into the audience. Some stop and hold their poses. The lights dim. Music fills the theater in a minor key giving an unsettling air. Sounds of creaks and shifts add to this foreboding atmosphere. The cast stops and then moves mechanically and stiffly to these sounds, becoming their mannequin selves.
But then it is time for the mannequins’ annual ball. They dance together at this late night party. One enters late, excited they made it on time after their shift at the atelier went longer than expected because it is fashion week after all. They continue discussing usual mannequin things - running out of legs, how a woman shaped mannequin may be obsolete by next season, and of course lamenting their lack of movement.
Suddenly, they are interrupted by, A HUMAN! And this human, though important as he is, cannot be let go and risk revealing their secrets. They decapitate him and all should go back to normal. However, one mannequin cannot help himself and disguises himself as this human, ecstatic he can move freely whenever he chooses.
Welcome To The Party! Are You Sure You Want To Stay?
As he rushes off into the night, he finds himself at a human party and caught in the middle of two warring factory owners mistaking him to be this leader of the labor party. As the night goes on, we find ourselves realizing the deeper political and class tones of this play.
The costumes designed by Rachel Sypniewski create an illusion of a uniform where these mannequins can all blend in together. Clad all in black, each one also has a purple sash tied around them. Then, each has a small hoop skirt type contraption placed somewhere around their body. At first glance, we see them all thematically together. But when we take a closer look, there’s a pattern. Each has a distinct style and placement of their sashes and hoops matching another character similar to their station.
They add to this overall theme of exploring classes and we find ourselves digging deeper into how to interpret each class level and see parallels that still come into play today. Caught in the middle of more political, under the table deals, our mannequin starts to wonder is all this even worth it to be human?
Dan Cobbler and Marzena Bukowska
The After Party Thoughts
For my final thoughts before I give our final recommendation, I’ll say that this show feels like it fits a niche type of audience. It’s a little absurdist, a dash of performance art, moments of camp, and a lot of political commentary. So it may only speak to a specific type of audience, but for me, I liked it.
I thought the play itself was clever and had a few different layers going on that made you think and interpret. The cast was funny as they overdramatized their characters. Marzena Bukowska and Dan Cobbler as the two factory owners raised their eyebrows and grinned like classic villains vying for the leader’s attention to get their own way. Genevieve Corkery and Gus Thomas, the factory worker representatives waiting for the leader’s instructions, relish their chance to sit down on a bench, admiring its comfort. And Shail Modi as the disguised mannequin has us laughing as he tries to copy and learn how these humans act.
For those that are looking for something less absurdist and political, this may not be the show for you. However, for those who lean towards the “eat the rich” mentality, like shows outside the typical show structure, and ones that look at the world satirically, The Mannequin’s Ball would be a good fit for you.
RECOMMENDED
Cat Evans and Dan Cobbler
When
Now through March 1, 2025
Where
Trap Door Theatre
1655 W. Cortland St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Runtime: 1hr 30min, no intermission
Tickets
$15+
Tickets can be purchased through the Trap Door Theatre website
Photos
Chris Popio
Genevieve Corkery and Gus Thomas
CAST
Marzena Bukowska (Levasin)
Dan Cobbler (Arnaux)
Genevieve Corkery (Gentleman)
Cat Evans (Angelique)
Shail Modi (Mannequin Leader)
Emily Nichelson (Solange)
Gus Thomas (Gentleman)
James Wheeler (Human Leader)
Maya Paletta (Understudy)
CREATIVE
Bruno Jasieński (Playwright)
Nicole Wiesner and Miguel Long (Directors)
Merje Veski (Scenic Design)
Rachel Sypniewski (Costume Design)
Brenden Marble (Lighting Design)
Danny Rockett (Music Composition/Sound Design)
Miguel Long (Choreography)
Kayci Johnston (Stage Manager)
David Lovejoy (Props Design)
Zsófia Ötvös (Make Up Design)
Christian Boswell (Fight Choreography)
Michal Janicki (Graphic Design)