For some men, its a car; for others, a model girlfriend or a luxury condo or high-status job. For Joe, nothing less than a cannon arm will make him feel like a man.
Thats the premise for ARMED, a new comedic play from Xua Xua Productions which runs at Pacific Theatre July 17 21.
The idea came from one specific guy we knew who really was into cannon arms, says Andrea Loewen. Written by Loewen and Dani Bryant, ARMED expands on a piece the two wrote last year for Walking Fish, a festival of 20-minute plays based on a theme of science and technology.
He wanted a cannon arm really badly, and he suggested for this science and technology theme, that we write a play about a guy getting a cannon arm, says Loewen. So Dani and I, being two women, asked ourselves, why would a guy want to modify his body to this extreme? Well, probably if he lost everything else that made him feel like a man.
Loewen is not speaking metaphorically; Joe wants an arm that actually doubles as an ammunition-firing cannon. Nothing short of extreme body modification with the option of doing damage on a grand scale will satisfy his need to feel masculine.
On one hand its very literal and obvious, says Loewen. On the other hand, it speaks to those deeper needs to show the world who you are, as well as this need to modify our bodies, and the things we need to do to project a certain image to the world.
In the play, Joe (Darren Boquist) has a girlfriend who doesnt quite get his need to modify his body into a killing machine. Two other actors play multiple roles as Joe goes on his quest for a cannon arm.
Theyre all over-the-top, almost like cartoon characters of the people who might help or hinder him, says Loewen of ARMEDs supporting characters. There are two sort-of real-people characters at the beginning, who probably give the most realistic response to someone who announces hes trying to do this.
Among her own male friends, no ones gone as far as Joe to prove their masculinity, says Loewen. But they all have something that is what she calls their manly thing.
One guy is really into barbecuing, and he has the best barbecue and hell make the best steaks, says Loewen, who also teaches yoga. Another guy will be all over his car his car is his baby. It seems like a lot of the guys in our lives do have this one thing, probably not consciously but which they subconsciously cling to as This is what makes me a man.
Still, a cannon arm sounds pretty cool. It does, doesnt it? says Loewen laughing.
