Combustible Theatre, a new theatrical group, held its debut performance, the Devil Descending a Staircase, last week at 9th and Main Street in Springfield. Invitations were limited to 150 people.
Actors in white-face makeup kicked off the evening with performance art in the courtyard while mingling with the crowd. Masquerade dress was encouraged for attendees as part of the carnival atmosphere.
Spoken word poetry and original sketches by local, emerging authors were spotlighted for the first half of the on-stage performances. Part two featured “No Exit,” a play by Jean-Paul Sartre, which is set in Hell and heavy with existentialist philosophy.
The band Heavenly Noise provided dark groove, funk and electronic music to accompany the evening’s activities. Synapse, a midnight art show, closed the festivities.