STAGE REVIEW
'Bloodline' explores relationships and lineages

By Joseph T. Rozmiarek
Advertiser Drama Critic

•	'Bloodline' 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays The ARTS at Marks Garage, 1159 Nu'uanu Ave. Tickets: $10 Information: 536-8047

"Bloodline" is a collaborative production of the Kee Company, presented by Lizard Loft. The intent is to examine blood relationships — cultural, historical, physical and emotional. That's a tall order, and the Kee Company's reach exceeds its grasp.

Conceived and directed by founder Colleen Lanki, the Kee Company performance mixes words, music, dance movement, and video projections. The collaboration comes from Lanki and four performers who draw on their ethnic backgrounds and experiences: Chihiro Hosono (Japan), Eunsook Kim (South Korea), Khetphet Phagnasay (Laos/United States), and Norman Munoz (Philip-pines/Tahiti/United States).

The dialogue primarily is in English, with multilingual punctuation. It's backed up by percussionists Deborah Masterson and Cristian Ellauri, with video projections designed by Josh McDermott to look like laboratory slides and visual aids from Human Anatomy 101.

The classroom image is accentuated by Munoz' character of the doctor, whose narration connects the show's metaphorical vignettes with a string of historical biological antecedents (e.g. The first blood transfusion occurred in the 17th century from a calf to a madman. Both survived.) But if the goal is to examine what blood is, the strongest lingering image is that of lineage.

Performer Kim demonstrates the traditional Korean pansori, showing great physical and vocal control and a remarkable range of mesmerizing and fluid facial expressions. Phagnasay performs a Laotian folk dance, while Hosono stands out in a comic skit set in a blood bank ("When they say 'watch the cartoon', you know it's going to hurt.")

Some images creatively overlap. A comic piece treats blood types like astrological signs in a reading of personal ads, then leads to a sharply choreographed but abortive mating dance. The blood spilled in childbirth leads to bonding between a father and his newborn son.

But while there are interesting things to watch (pantomimes, dances and a creative bit with a piece of string) the show's broad concept introduces too many subjects during its one-hour playing time that are abandoned without sufficient exploration (blood sacrifice, murder and genetic determination.)

The result is faintly disquieting and a bit unsatisfying — like a series of finger pricks instead of a full transfusion.

Joseph T. Rozmiarek is The Advertiser's drama critic.