11:11 Theatre Company is a current resident of Mass Ave’s own Factory Theatre, an oppressively large loft complex housing a tiny, but neat, black box performance space- with limited seating (49), limited heating (brr), and limited resources (claustrophobic little booth, no access to bathrooms for the actors!) but 11:11 makes the space pleasant and inviting.  This fresh-faced little company has only been on the scene since 2005, when it moved to Boston from Ohio and has consistently provided the audience with tender but tenacious productions.  They dare to be different with regional debuts and under-represented playwrights, sometimes with fantastic results, sometimes, well, lessons in faith and courage.  11:11 Theatre Company’s The Three (Un)Wise Men is rowdy, bawdy, and fun.

Brian Tuttle’s clever little tale is a retelling of the biblical story of the Three Wise Men,  with some pretty serious modifications.  Each “king” is no more than a simple townsman; from dim-witted Caspar, to the violent yet misunderstood thief, Balthasar, to portly Malchior, student of everything from food to the stars.  The motley crew go on a most nefarious journey to obtain wealth so that Balthasar might win the hand of his one true love, Yeetel.  They visit a leper colony, a whorehouse, and fall victim to the trappings of King Herod before reaching Bethlehem and ultimately, the son of God himself.  Along the way they are visited by a host of characters, played with gusto by the small ensemble.  The show is a little rough around the edges, but that is to be expected of a world premiere, and the language is enough to make anyone cringe- but the message is a good one and I defy anyone to not have a smile on their face when they leave the theatre.

I’ve been in many a production at the Factory Theatre and served on the production crew of another half dozen more, so I know the limitations of the space, and one of them is how intimate the actors get with the audience.  Steps away, we can see every line and every sweat stain, and the wonderful cast did a great job of putting us at ease by being so comfortable with themselves.  The three leads strip down into underwear mere inches away from snickering teens and blue haired old ladies.  Greggory Daniels shines as Caspar.  I wanted to embrace him almost from his first line, throughout the story he anchored the audience into a place of love and devotion.  John Greene’s Balthasar is a great brute of a man, clomping around the stage with little regard for his companions- and though Greene got himself into an extremely predictable repetitive vocal pattern for most of the show (I’d describe it as “shouty sing-song”) there were lovely moments of nuisance thrown in to balance out the overall effect.  Danhai Jackson stole the show as Malchior.  With a seemingly endless supply of fruit and treats sewn into his robes, his mouth was almost always full, and his easy gentle way was infectious as he continued to heap on the different schools he is an eager student of.  A good, old time philosopher trapped in the body of a would-be thief, he’s the most fun to watch.  The beautiful Rebecca Mae Davis embodies the entire female ensemble, from shrewish Yeetel to the beautiful and Supine Shiva, and she gives a good flavor to each.  The ensemble is rounded out by Sam Perry and Ethan Scott who wear many hats; leper bandages, laurel leaves, and soldier helmets- and keep the audience guessing.  Both gave fun and fitful performances.

Besides the fact that someone should look into the light transition between the first and second scenes (holy cow that was a bright light!  You might try that one at 75?) the production crew did a very nice job of bringing the desert land to life.

I noticed the show started on the 11^th of the month, is that a coincidence, 11:11?  Because I found it rather clever. You should definitely  take credit for it even if it’s not on purpose.  This is a fun little show and they still have a week left of performances.  It isn’t a good one for the kiddies, but it would be a fun way for some grown-ups to spend a night as we march on towards our own Holiday stars.

The Three “Wise” Men offer their gifts.