Review: AMERIKA OR, THE MAN WHO DISAPPEARED - an Open Fist and Circle X co-production

Having written only three complete novels, Franz Kafka is a towering figure of 20th-century literature, even earning him his own adjectival term: Kafkaesque, relating to his oftentimes bizarre and surreal narratives. While AMERIKA OR, THE MAN WHO DISAPPEARED is not as unconventional as, say, “The Metamorphosis,” the picaresque is still pretty out there, but in the best way. Written between 1911 and 1914, the unfinished manuscript was published posthumously, following Kafka’s untimely death in 1924.

Following adaptations of AMERIKA into films, television movies, an audio drama, and even a graphic novel, director Dietrich Smith has adapted it into a three-hour stage show following 17-year-old Karl Rossmann (Oqalile Tshetshe) as he emigrates from Germany to the United States in the early 20th century. It’s a Dickensian story, tracking Karl the misadventures and exploits as he tries to find his way in the United States.

The runtime could be punishing, but Smith keeps the action moving at a sprint. The two intermissions are perfect palate cleansers between the three chapters of the story. Charming animated vignettes from the creator of “Courage the Cowardly Dog,” John R. Dilworth, show characters maneuvering their way around the ship, in cars, and in elevators. The shadowy, moody lighting by Gavan Wyrick and sound design by seven-time Academy Award winner Gary Rydstrom are tremendously effective, especially in some of the more Gothic scenes, which would make the Brontë sisters proud. Inventive set direction by Frederica Nascimento brings many different worlds to life, and the smart costumes by A. Jeffrey Schoenberg are quality and colorful. The skillful fight choreography by Tambrie Allsup is shockingly believable, adding realism to what is, in effect, a fable.

The ensemble is aces, the performers playing many roles and each getting their shot to really shine. Pat Towne has a pomposity that is both intimidating and amusing. Jack Sharpe plays smarmy and sniveling, chewing just the right amount of scenery to be half a step from grounded. Grace Soens as a timid hotel maid is the perfect mix of awkwardness, desperation, and befuddlement. But the real MVP of the show is the dynamic Tshetshe, who has a star-making role that he inhabits with complexity, depth, and grace. He is a fresh face and a raw talent and he carries the entire production. Everyone is good, but if the role of Karl was not pinpoint perfection, the show would fall apart, and Tshetshe rises to the occasion with chutzpah and confidence.

While the manuscript was unpublished at the time of Kafka’s death, Smith has done a fantastic job filling out the story, which plays as sophisticated and smart despite handling some pretty dark material. AMERIKA OR, THE MAN WHO DISAPPEARED plays as satire, but, like the best satire, it has an undercurrent of anxiety, because, though it was written a hundred years ago, it still feels fresh today. The way immigrants are abused even now makes the show relevant no matter its age. And that’s a shame. 

Photos by Thomas Alleman

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