Uno

The notion of performing on a stage is one of the first good ideas humans had. Particularly given the context of this innovation. As such it has continued to this day, more or less unscathed by the changes in century and technology. For much of the time, or so the records would suggest, treater has been a collaborative endeavour. This spirit of co-operation and community is, after all, the main factor that lured T.S. Eliot away from poetry, however briefly, and gave the world the thoroughly depressing play The Cocktail Party. Yet, despite its inherently collaborative nature, theater has had a long tradition of performers eschewing the more traditional, ensemble piece and going it alone. At least in terms of presence on stage. As has been established by years of stagecraft, without the work of the crew for the vital work of lighting, costuming, sound and the like, any actor would be left shouting naked in the dark. It is difficult to know exactly when first one-person show was staged. Just like no one knows the name of the inventor of the fedora hat, as this title belongs to the costume designer on the 1882 play, Fedora, by French author Victorien Sardou. One thing that is certain is that the form started being used quite a bit in the 1960s, particularly as part of that century’s performance art craze. The popularity of solo theater has only grown since then, coming to hold its own, if not rival, ensemble works, particularly in the independent and festival circuit, one-person shows being much cheaper to put on. Among the first to really hit with solo theater in America was Eric Bogosian. Nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in the late-80's, Bogosian is best known for his play Talk Radio, which was adapted into a film by Oliver Stone in 1988. Though a full half of his six produced plays were one-man shows. Most notably Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll, which was recorded and in 1991. Around at the same Spalding Gray was making the scene, the first film adaptation of one of his already successful stage monologues, Swimming to Cambodia, directed by Jonathan Demme no less, being released in 1987. This would be followed in 1991 with the 
adaptation of Monster in a Box, directed by Nick Broomfield. Not 
only did both films get a theatrical release, they continue to enjoy a cult following on video, being two of the works that were largely responsible for putting solo theater into the public consciousness. To the point that Gray has been referenced on The Simpsons and lovingly lampooned by younger performers such as Lian Amaris in her performance art piece Swimming to Spalding. An effort reenforced, if not expanded, by Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues in 1996. While a bit harder to take than much of Gray’s work, Ensler’s episodic narrative became a cultural phenomenon, with a film adaptation and productions still being produced to this day. In an ironic twist, what started out Ensler by herself on a stage, has grown and morphed, some might argue mutated, into amassice ensemble piece featuring celebrities. Those who an e taken to the stage to recite Ensler’s sometimes funny, sometimes troubling words include, Kate Blanchett, Melissa Joan Hart, Kate Winslett, Oprah Winfrey and Viola Davis.

From this ground-work of the late-80’s and early-90’s was built an appreciation for the solo form that has seen in take up much of the space at international theater festivals such as Fringe as well as having entire festivals dedicated to it such as the Uno Festival in Western Canada. It has been the starting point for many a career and there are also those content to do it as a form unto itself. For evidence of this go to the Playwrights NYC blog and see how many of the postings either call for or allow ‘solo plays’. Among the best known of the modern solo performers is Canadian Charles Ross. If you do not know his name, chances are that you are familiar with his work. Particularly the "Trilogy Trilogy". A tongue-in-cheek name for his plays The One Man Star Wars Trilogy, The One Man Lord of the Rings and The Dark Knight Trilogy: A Batman Parody. Notable not only for Ross’s frenetic performance as he managed to play all the characters in, slightly abridged, versions of classic trilogies but also because the Star Wars incarnation is "official". As in it has been approved by, the infamously litigious, George Lucas himself. One of the few independent productions ever to manage this. Not only limited to trilogies, Ross also has several originalworks to his name such as Sev, about his adolescent job at a 7-11.

Ryan Gladstone, a contemporary of Ross, while less frantic, as well as less famous, is no less impressive in terms of what he manages to pull off on stage. Most notably, the piece he did at 2009’s Uno Festival in Victoria. Titled Napoleon’s Secret Diary, the play has none of the politics, intrigue or scandal one might expect. 
Instead, Gladstone manages to pull off a version of the Great Dictator’s early years that is empathetic, funny and even, occasionally, cute. Then of course, there is there is the elephant trumpeting in the corner of the room, absolutely begging for attention. That is actor/writer/director extraordinaire, just ask him, T.J. Dawe. Based in that glittering center of all Canadian culture - aside from Toronto and Montreal - Vancouver, Dawe has turned out some of the most complete and best conceived, except when it is not, solo theater in decades. Some of it works of course. Pieces such as Slipknot and Labrador are near genius. Other such as Maxim and Cosmo and Totem Figures are much further away. A situation which epitomizes one of the downsides to the lottery system of selection used by many of the independent theater festivals such as Fringe, where Dawe has become something of a fixture over the years. You never know what you are going to get.