Weird, weird, weird, amazing, funny, endearing, way over-the-top. I loved it.
I’d waste time and energy trying to write synopsize Object of Her Affection, so here’s Marsian’s description from their (preferred pronoun) website.
““Object of Her Affection”, (is) an unconventional love story centered on a woman who, in her search for true love, develops intimate relationships with inanimate objects. The performance followed the emotional journey of protagonist, Andrea Lowe (an object sexual) after she has mysteriously fallen from a building. In her last moments, she reflects on her meaningful relationships starting with her first love, a baby’s blanket. As an adolescent, she loses her virginity to a bad-boy hunting rifle and subsequently becomes infatuated with the Berlin Wall. As Andrea evolves, so do her desires. In adulthood, she forms doomed relationships with monumental structures: a high-profile statue, tragic twin skyscrapers, and a bridge who cheats. Each of these relationships has a profound effect, shaping Andrea’s views on life and love. Finally, she finds solace in Roy, a crumbling tenement who ultimately fails her. ”
Best line of the evening as Andrea is swooning in front of the twin towers, “I just love going all the way to the top in your elevator so I can come down on you.” Yes, it’s that kind of show. As the show progresses, Andrea grows from adolescent, to teen, to adult, ending as a dead down-and-out living in a condemned building. Object sexuality is a real thing, researched in detail by Marsian. My favorite tidbit shared on their website is men who have sex with their car. That seems plausible.
Marsian is a talented creator and performer. Wildly imaginative, meticulous in the way they create their off-kilter puppets and settings that perfectly express their stories. Kudos!
Photo credit: Kickstarter
Photo credit: Chicago International Puppet Fest
Photo credit: marsiandelellis.com