Art imitating life

The Remy Bumppo Theatre Company aims to provoke thought, reflection on society

By Summar Ghias

Keeping afloat in the world of theater is no easy feat. But for the seasoned group of actors and associates at the Remy Bumppo Theatre Company, success lies in thought-provoking plays and hard work.

“We want to provoke people to think about the world as we walk through it,” says artistic director and co-founder James Bohnen.

The company’s latest play, “Tartuffe,” opened on Jan. 18 in the Victory Gardens Theater in Lincoln Park. The play is an updated rendition of Moliere’s satire and draws on complex themes like temptation and religious hypocrisy. Bohnen says that he chose the play as a direct result of today’s political climate.

“We either take a play that’s old and freshen it, or do a period piece that is reflective of both that time and of the time we are in,” says Bohnen. “It’s a testimony to what’s going on in the community.”

Artistic associate and actor Nicolas Sandys stars as the conman Tartuffe, who uses piety to manipulate others. He says that the play is one of three in this year’s mainstage season and, like every season, it includes one coherent theme.

“The theme for this season is temptation — we like continuity so each play can bounce off the other,” Sandys says. “So you are not seeing the play in a vacuum but are forced to look at them all through the common theme.”

After naming the company humorously after two dogs, Bohnen established Remy Bumppo with two colleagues in 1996 as a for-profit entity. But after a few productions, Bohnen’s colleagues pursued other interests, leaving him with the reigns to take the company in the direction he wanted. In 2001, Remy Bumppo became a not-for-profit organization with a new board of directors and a group of six artistic associates.

“We, aside from performing, are a core team of go-to people who help James bounce off ideas and fill in the blanks,” says Sandys, who has been with the company since ’01.

But for Remy Bumppo, success wasn’t always easy to achieve. The move to a non-profit organization was a hard time, especially after 9/11.

“The show ‘No Man’s Land’ by Harold Pinter was running,” says managing director Kristen Larsen. “Given that title and its content, no relief for our nation’s anxiety following 9/11 was to be found in our theater.”

Larsen says that the company bounced back after the hit “Top Girls” sold out later that season.

Remy Bumppo is currently exploring options to expand, but the powers-that-be know they must do so efficiently. Whether it be the artistic associates, who work with both the business and acting sides of the field, or the board of directors, Larsen says that everyone has their hands full.

For Sandys, who was also in Remy Bumppo’s first production of this season, “Aren’t We All,” theater is life. Like many actors, he has more than one job.

“I work at the Theatre School at Depaul University and have some other related jobs at the same time,” he says. “We have to live theater to make a living.”

But for actor Patrick Clear, who plays the wealthy homeowner Orgon, acting is and has been his one and only full-time job. A first-timer at Remy Bumppo, he believes the theater company has a high regard for literary quality, and that is what drew him into the production.

“Tartuffe is a comedy, but it deals with really meaty ethical issues, especially in this political climate,” says Clear, who has previously worked with Sandys in “Pride and Prejudice.”

“I am used to doing language-oriented plays, and they really are a hallmark of Remy Bumppo.”

With a diverse group of people involved in the upkeep of Remy Bumppo, Larsen says that Bohnen knows the ropes well enough to fulfill the goal of the company with each production.

“The gift of James Bohnen is that he comes in with an exacting vision but allows the actors to bump into walls,” Larsen says. “He says, ‘Here is your living environment, refine your work.’ Then he takes a chainsaw and turns it into a beautiful swan.”

But even with critical acclaim and the respect of his colleagues, Bohnen acknowledges his work is still cut out for him.

“If you have the hunger to do it, you can be part of a national dialogue of how we function in life,” he says. “The best part of theater is that it’s never fully finished.”

“Tartuffe,” a comedy that draws on complex themes like temptation and religious hypocrisy, runs through March 5 at the Victory Gardens Theatre. For more information, visit www.remybumppo.org or call (773) 244-8119.
Victory Gardens Theatre. For more information, visit www.remybumppo.org or call (773) 244-81

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