Review: BETWEEN TWO KNEES at Seattle Repertory Theatre

BETWEEN TWO KNEES at Seattle Rep is unlike any other show, mixing shame with amusement into a piece that uses comedy as resistance. The 1491s make the voices of Native Americans heard and choose to do so through comedy. With humor as their weapon, the show takes aim at the violence, abuse, and manipulation that indigenous cultures have suffered and those who perpetrated those crimes. The show will make you laugh and make your seat of privilege so uncomfortable that you want to do something about it.

BETWEEN TWO KNEES comes to us from the 1491s sketch comedy troupe. They tell the story of Native American history from the massacre at Wounded Knee in 1890 to the Native activist takeover of the same site in 1973. With dance numbers, game shows, and various other comedy bits woven in, the show follows the story of one family through this period of history. Isaiah and Irma are two Native Americans that suffered the trauma of Indian boarding schools. We follow their story through the decades as they navigate trying to retain their Native culture and fight the ongoing oppression and suppression of their Peoples. They must confront the reality of sacrifice for a government that has been at the root of all their loss.

Young Irma portrayed by Shyla Lefner is the voice of hope coupled with fists of fury. Lefner gives Irma the tenacity necessary for her life's journey. Derek Garza as Young Isaiah reveals the scars that are carried by so many Native people. His reluctance to trust is evident in all that he does. Jennifer Bobiwash as Older Irma is the seasoned veteran of life who has made the best of a very bad deal. Older Isaiah, played by Wotko Long, is the voice of the elders and the connection to the past. His haunting vocals resonate with the truth of all that has been lost. Shaun Taylor-Corbett as William is the embodiment of the future cut short. His bright-eyed enthusiasm is contagious but tinged with something sour. Justin "Jud" Gauthier as Larry is brilliant in providing exposition and narration that give context and facts to the underlying parts of the story. They all deliver the story with sharp barbs of satire, dropping truth bombs with sharpened laughter. It all hits home, and hits hard.

The artistic team is on board with both the needs and the character and tone of the show. They add to the comedy and support the storytelling in some creative ways. Choreographer Ty Defoe and Fight Director Rod Kinter hit the right notes for kitsch and cleverness. Director Eric Ting ties everything together and keeps a very complicated show on target with its message. Elizabeth Harper's lighting design also adds a playfulness when needed as well as illuminating the heavier points. Dramaturgy by Julie Felise Dubiner gives us a window to not only the what and how of the show but also the why.

Mainstream history has taught us that American atrocities are a thing of the distant past, but this show brings the modern elements of injustice into the light. These messages are hard to hear, but BETWEEN TWO KNEES packages them in an accessible form that only satire can provide. Laughing, hurting, and learning is all part of the journey that this show takes. Unfair government practices related to Native peoples, land, and culture still exist, and the best part is that you can help do something to change that.