The human head is believed to remain in a state of consciousness for one and a half minutes after decapitation. Using this as a jumping off point, Pulitzer Prize winning author Robert Olen Butler wrote Severance: Stories, in which he imagines the thoughts running through 62 minds (both real and fictional) immediately after losing their heads.
Using Butler’s premise for a theatrical adaptation, David Jette directed this "abstract of human history" to tell the stories of many historical figures who fell to such a hideous fate. Put up at the McCadden Place Theatre in Hollywood, Severance is the collaboration of the Brimmer Street Theatre Company and the New Renaissance Theatre who bring Butler’s vision to life.
Based on the statistic that in a heightened state of emotion, people speak at a rate of 160 words per minute, each selection in Butler’s book is exactly 240 words. While the director chose to, as the author himself states, "wisely ignore" this guideline, the stories told span thousands of years detailing the beheaded’s memories of childhood, pleasure or pain.
As every character’s cause of death was as a direct result of decapitation, the victims chosen were gruesomely killed by guillotine, freak accident or in a fit of rage. From Marie Antoinette to Jayne Mansfield to victims of the Iraqi war, most of the deceased portrayed on stage were real, or based on real people. However, there were the occasional fictional characters to balance out reality such as Medusa, the Lady of the Lake and even a chicken.
The stories ranged from the humorous to the morose, but the realization that actor Patrick Baker was running around stage because he was literally a chicken with his head cut off was hands down the funniest scene in the show. Watching Baker bounce off the walls was a brilliant addition to this thought provoking series of stories. If you see the show or read the book you’ll even be given the answer to the proverbial question, "Why did the chicken cross the road?"
While many stories were upbeat, such as Pierre-Francois Lacenaire’s treatment of the guillotine as a lover and an ad exec recalling how he couldn’t leave his work at home, others were as morbid as you’d expect from a play about people being killed. From prisoners in Iraq to a Chinese wife reliving the pain of her final moments, Severance made quite an impact all while leaving the audience wanting to know more.
Perhaps that’s why Nicole Brown Simpson’s story was the most dramatic of the bunch. As most people know just about every detail of this murder, Jillian Szafranski’s blood curdling screams as her character is attacked was quite disturbing. Maybe because it was the most brutally played out scene or because this story is still so ingrained in memory, this was the most affecting display of the evening.
Throughout it’s entirety, all 10 actors portraying headless victims gave strong quality performances and as each scene was only a few minutes long, the hour and a half play moved along nicely. While not every story was completely comprehensible, as a few thought processes were hard to follow, there was a video screen flashing the names of the characters describing exactly how they lost their heads. This helped out considerably and was even an effective tool when showcasing the last thoughts of a dragon.
This unusual play is a depiction of the final ninety seconds of thirty characters’ consciousness. Whether that time is taken to atone for sins, recall childhood memories or relive the awful events leading up to death, each story is unique and will stick with you long after you leave the theatre.
Severance runs through March 31st at the McCadden Place Theatre at 1157 N McCadden Place, Hollywood, CA. For ticket information call 323.960.4484 or go to www.plays411.com/severance.
Production stills provided by Myles Standish III, Production Photography & Headshots
