As the play opens, Josh Kornbluth’s so-called personal trainer comes onstage to announce his entrance: “Josh has made a living telling stories about things he failed to do.”
“Sea of Reeds,” the locally renowned monologuist’s latest work, was commissioned by Shotgun Players. Kornbluth, a Berkeley resident, has written and performed in six live monologues and three major filmed works prior to “Reeds.” Similar to “Red Diaper Baby” (one of his filmed works) and “Andy Warhol: Good for the Jews?” (one of his staged works), his latest production touches amusingly on his semi-Communist upbringing and exploration into the Jewish faith.
The title of the production is a play on words that refers to both the reed used to play the oboe and the biblical Sea of Reeds (better known as the Red Sea) crossed by Moses and the Israelites. Drawing on both, “Sea of Reeds” is an obtuse nonmonologue monologue of sorts that tells of Kornbluth’s recent religious journey in finding his Jewish faith — with a little bit of oboe-playing thrown in.
A friend of mine (hi, Janet!) wrote to me about this. She really enjoyed it, and I’m still hoping to make it here, although time is running out. Maybe this week? Hmm.
