Flashing lights. Rotating stages. Naked women galore. No, this isn't the set of a tacky music video. Rather, these are just a few elements of this year's Coil Festival, which ends on Jan. 29. Combining innovative theater with diverse points of view, this 25-day winter festival has premiered 11 ground-breaking works at eight New York City venues.
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When the New York based nonprofit arts center Performance Space 122 established Coil six years ago, it was intended to highlight diverse genres of performance theater. The increasingly popular festival has grown to rival other downtown winter festivals in past years, such as HERE's Culturemart.
As its fan base increases, Coil recycles the best shows from previous years in addition to the new performances. While experimental festivals strive to host the next big thing in new theater, what sets Coil apart is its emotional core that shines through while challenging the viewer's preconceived notions of other cultures.
An example is the much talked about festival favorite "Untitled Feminist Show." Critically-acclaimed playwright Young Jean Lee delves into the question of feminism while debunking myths of the female identity.
As the women walk onto a bare white stage, it's impossible to ignore that they are naked. Though this may make viewers slightly squeamish — two men left the show 20 minutes into a performance — watching the show provides audiences with an artistic appreciation for the human body. Yet Lee's show balances this artistry with whimsy.
At the end, the women return to the stage, fully clothed intending to convey their personalities. It is at this point the viewers realize they have judged these women. The woman who made sexual advances and earned most of the laughs wears modest attire. The curvaceous woman hides her body in a loose zebra shirt and leggings. Lee successfully shows us the alarming degree to which society treats people based on their appearances.
Modern theater — often thought of as much bang for little buck — desperately tries to teach us something new but fails to do so because it feels contrived. When done right, modern theater can pack a powerful punch. Contemporary theater does not rely on the bells and whistles of traditional productions. It is shows like "Untitled Feminist Show" that demonstrate the beauty of contemporary theater.
