King Richard2005

KING RICHARD is a portrait of New York avant-garde playwright Richard Foreman in his Ontological-Hysteric Theatre. Focusing on the periphery of a recent production–the elaborate set design and lighting, the non-speaking supporting cast (the so-called "stage crew") with their frantic movement patterns, props and recurrent imagery, removed from their specific context; i.e., those elements that are "typical" of his recent work, rather than the principals & texts which distinguish one play from the next–Hills utilizes a range of disruptive shooting & editing techniques (as well as color & density alterations) which mimic disruptive theatrical tropes Foreman frequently draws upon to emphasize his non-narrative bias and humorously aggressive relation to his audience. This strand interweaves with a charming yet revealing interview on the set by pre-teen protagonist Emma Bernstein around which the piece is structured. Music is arranged using a selection of Foreman's sound loops. –H.H.