Review: ‘Mercury Fur’ at Imagined Life Theater

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Playwright Philip Ridley has spent his career delving into the graphic. Ridley’s futuristic drama, “Mercury Fur,” is certainly no exception. In fact, the amount of sheer gore that dominates the action gives new meaning to the phrase “cutting edge.”

Needtheater, producers of the Los Angeles premiere of “Fur” at the Imagined Life Theater, is a boldly experimental group that is certainly not averse to taking risks. Sadly, “Fur” blurs the line between legitimate theater and torture porn.

Illuminated by Brandon Baruch’s crepuscular lighting, Adam Rigg’s burned-out set emblemizes a ravaged Britain where anarchy holds sway and thrill killings are routine. The prevalent disorder has been accompanied, bizarrely, by a drift of hallucinogenic butterflies, avidly devoured by the benumbed and embattled populace.

Elliot (Edward Tournier) and his brother Darren (Andrew Perez) have teamed with the ruthless Spinx (Greg Beam) to survive. With the help of Spinx’s drag queen “sister,” Lola (Jeff Torres), the gang throws parties in which affluent clients live out their darkest fantasies. Now, to satiate a repugnant Party Guest (creepily effective Kelly Van Kirk), they offer up a child (Ryan Hodge, whose participation makes us wonder what his parents were thinking) for torture and death.

The guileless and doomed Naz (Jason Karasev) and a mysterious Duchess (Nina Sallinen) complete the desperate contingent. It’s an appealing cast, led astray by director Dado, whose initially taut staging degenerates into a prolonged screaming match that aggravates the general gratuitousness. As for Ridley, he is an undeniably clever craftsman bent on sheer sensationalism. In that, he certainly succeeds.

-- F. Kathleen Foley

“Mercury Fur,” Imagined Life Theater, 5615 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 5 p.m. Sundays. Ends June 28. $20. (800) 836-3006. Running time: 2 hours.