Philippine Butterfly

Traveling the world and looking for interesting variations on the themes of pop culture can be an exciting ride. It can also be enormously disappointing, because at times it seems as though there’s only disappointing work out there. Most of the time, it’s a bit like being an anthropologist. Looking at how things work in any culture does involve a bit of armchair anthropology, and the specifics of geography and history make for good brain fodder.

Taking a look at the hotel rates Boston might offer at the moment can lead to some very delightful ah-hah experiences. There’s a lot to see in the city, and the heady combination of a long and complex past, with a present that’s even more eclectic, presents a series of interconnected worlds. Anything can be food for anthropological ruminations, but theater is one place where it’s safe to surf without fear of reading too much into it. It’s meant to be read.

And Le Cabaret Grimm is certainly meant to be seen. It’s an unusually charming experience, taking a bit of post punk sensibility into some old theatrical forms. Part of the mission of the Performance Laboratory is to mix forms, and here it’s done with a perfect combination of local charm, and professional excellence. A whole cultural history can be read into the show, and like any good anthropologist, the best field work is at the site, where the show happens in time.

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1. Historic American City of Boston