The Echo Theater Company presents the World Premiere of Crabs in a Bucket. Written by Bernardo Cubría. Directed by Alana Dietze. Produced by Chris Fields and Kelly Beech.
The play starts with Amargo (Xochitl Romero) and Pootz (Anna LaMadrid) contemplating the misery of their lives as two aging crabs in a bucket. From there, the conversation turns to memories of better times and the pathetic state of their current situation, a downward spiral of apathy and hopelessness. With the arrival of Beb (Jordan Hull), a younger and more positive crab, the bitterness reaches another level. Things get even more insane when Mamon (Michael Sturgis) falls back into the bucket after getting out and enjoying the outside for a while. It is now time to re-evaluate their current existence and see if real change is a possibility or just a deceptive chimera.
The play has a universal appeal that allows the story to travel. The subjugation of our lives to deeply ingrained feelings of inferiority can lead us to sabotage ourselves when opportunities come knocking. Even worse, that mentality can lead us to bitter not only our lives, but also the lives of the people around us, whether they’re colleagues, friends, or family members. In the case of Amargo, she once was the joker of the group until life passed her by and her hopes and expectations didn’t materialize. As part of her inner circle, she makes sure Pootz doesn’t go any further than the interior of the bucket, pulling her back if Pootz tries to reach the top to get out.
The surprising character is Mamon, who got out, but ends up falling back into the bucket. This could be interpreted perhaps as a case of insecurity. Mamon got out and enjoyed higher levels in life, but felt inferior, incapable, or thought that he didn’t deserve any success in life. This crab mentality infused with Social Constructionism rules the lives of the crabs in the bucket. What might be seen as an exclusive characteristic of a particular racial group, the reality is that this crab mentality exists in many different groups. The world of entertainment could be an example of such behavior. The success of others sabotages our own success, making us feel bitter, frustrated, and left behind. A perfect recipe to rip the happiness out of our lives. In the play, however, Beb brings the opposite. Her naiveness makes her believe that it is still possible to escape the bucket if they help each other.
The four actors offer a compelling and hilarious performance that exalt the brilliant script. The ingenuity of both the writing (Bernardo Cubría, Revenge Porn or The Story of a Body) and the direction (Alana Dietze) creates a combination that delivers a play that feels relatable and devastatingly human.
Crabs in a Bucket
Echo Theater Company
Atwater Village Theatre
3269 Casitas Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90039
Performances: July 15 – August 21
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: July 21, July 28, Aug. 4, Aug. 11, Aug. 18
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: July 15 (opening night), July 22, July 29, Aug. 5, Aug. 12, Aug. 19
• Sundays at 4 p.m.: July 23, July 30, Aug. 6, Aug. 13, Aug. 20
• Mondays at 8 p.m.: July 24, July 31, Aug. 7, Aug. 14, Aug. 21
Tickets: echotheatercompany.com
Written by Bernardo Cubría. Directed by Alana Dietze. Starring Jordan Hull, Anna LaMadrid, Xochitl Romero, Michael Sturgis. Presented by The Echo Theater Company, Chris Fields artistic director. Creative team: Scenic designer Amanda Knehans; lighting designer Azra King–Abadi; sound designer Jeff Gardner; costume designer Lou Cranch; composer Arian Saleh; fight choreographer Ahmed Best; movement coach Tristan Waldron; and clowning consultant Julia Davis. The production stage manager is Irene Lee and Troy Leigh–Anne Johnson is associate producer.
