Aristotle Thinks Again at La Mama

Marcus David
February 2024

Photo by Maria Baranova

What do you get when you take the brutality, obscenity and violence of ancient mythology, mix it with modern catastrophic thinking, add a bit of the ethos from Pink Floyd’s classic album Animals, and finally sprinkle a dash of borsch belt stand up delivered in the vocal stylings of Archie Bunker, that famous bigot from Queens. La Mama may have the answer to that question with their new production Aristotle Thinks Again, presented by the Great Jones Repertory. Directed and choreographed by Dan Safer, definitely someone to keep an eye on.

Images of corporate ghouls and creepy incels will haunt your nightmares as they dance, fight and murder in this exploration of man’s brutal nature towards his fellow man, but don’t be too frightened, because there is also some humor in this ghastly predicament and director Dan Safer is even kind enough break the border between the stage and the audience to check in on our wellbeing. Someone once famously said that a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, and in keeping with that notion we are offered some laughs, some love and a shared bag of popcorn.

Due to the cataclysmic circumstances created by Covid, the work began as a fully online production created and performed entirely on zoom in June 2020. The performers eventually gathered in upstate NY to bring the production together, yet echoes of covid persist as the presentation at times feels fragmented and prone to contemplate the end of the world. Even the masked men in suits bear a resemblance to another infamous bigot from Queens who tortured us all through that dark period of covid.

With rigorous physical choreography and outstanding visual intensity, Aristotle Thinks Again  manages to make one hard underlying point to the audience which is this, if our historic origins have anything to say about our current troubles, then perhaps we’re just screwed. I hope not, but it doesn’t look good.

Jan 25, 2024 – Feb 4, 2024

“Performed, co-created, and co-choreographed by maura nguyen donohue, John Maria Gutierrez, Valois Mickens, Kim Savarino and Guest Artist Marcus McGregor.”

“ARISTOTLE THINKS AGAIN is part of Great Jones Rep’s Humanismo: Ancient Futures Series. Directed by Dan Safer (Witness Relocation) with original text from playwright Chuck Mee, music composed by Julia Kent, set designed by Sara Brown, lighting by Jay Ryan, costumes by Alicia Austin, and sound design by Attilio Rigotti, the work continues a company June 2020 online workshop performance with Safer. GJR members are joined by guest performer Marcus McGregor to explore Greek tragedies, post apocalyptic possibilities, how awful people are, and how awesome it can be to exist on the planet.”