Theater Review - Fan solo
Many an armchair Jedi can do impressions or quote choice lines from Star Wars. But 30-year-old Charles Ross may be in a universe by himself with his One-Man Star Wars Trilogy theatrical show. Ross re-enacts George Lucas’ original trilogy — A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi — entirely by himself, with no sets or costumes. In an even 58 minutes.
Ross virtually memorized Star Wars during his childhood in British Columbia. “I recorded its first broadcast on ABC, and watched that video around 400 times over several years.” As a young actor, Ross joked about making a Star Wars stage show, then turned those wasted hours of viewing time into raw material for a one-man show. For the past three years, Ross’ Star Wars has touched down at theater festivals and sci-fi conventions across North America, and Jan. 13-15 will play 14th Street Playhouse, presented by Stone Mountain’s ART Station.
An impressionist in fast-forward, Ross can alternate between the sarcasm of young Harrison Ford to the lumbering gait of an Imperial Officer without taking a breath. He impressively mimics alien life forms from R2-D2 to Jabba the Hutt, but admits, “I tend to be quite a coward when it comes to imitating the alien languages. But if someone comes up to me trying to correct my Jabba the Hutt-speak, they’re missing the point of the show.”
Ross credits pop-recognition shows like the One-Man Star Wars for providing skittish audiences an entry to live theater. “It’s a comforting thing. It’s like a Big Mac. If you can make sushi look like a hamburger, you can make theater into something familiar. If you’re trying to get Dad off the couch, would he be more apt to see The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov, or The One-Man Star Wars?”
In the future, Ross plans to apply his lightning-fast, man-alone approach to original projects, but he also knows he’s hit upon a successful formula. Since May, he’s also been performing The One-Man Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and may add Indiana Jones to his repertoire as well. One fan to rule them all, indeed.The One-Man Star Wars Trilogy runs Jan. 13-15, at 14th Street Playhouse, 173 14th St. Thurs.-Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2 and 8 p.m. $12-$25. 770-469-1105. www.artstation.org. www.onemanstarwars.com.