One-man show ambles through America

As the dim stage lights slowly went up, Monday night’s performance at Bovard Auditorium took an unexpected start when a veiled bride sprinted across the stage, arguing with her mother in the distance. This unusual, yet gripping, start laid the foundation for a remarkable evening of inspiration in the story of one man’s struggle against racism and police brutality in his search for home.

Heavy Like the Weight of a Flame, an autobiographical solo show performed by R. Ernie Silva, a third-year Master of Fine Arts acting student, offered a chaotic, whirlwind glimpse into one man’s tumultuous life. The show, co-written by Silva and novelist James Gabriel, chronicled Silva’s walkabout through America as a young, troubled artist searching for purpose.

Accompanied by only a guitar and a rudimentary set of black boxes on stage, Silva shared various episodes of his life story: growing up in Brooklyn a rare bookworm among drug-addicted peers and siblings, leaving home to join a group of train-hopping wanderers, and living for weed-induced highs and thriving on refunds from shoplifted items, his family’s discouraging words echoing in his head all the while.

“Some stories have sad endings,” his Puerto Rican mother once told him, and he didn’t soon forget it. The performance reflected Silva’s refusal to end up like his brothers, all of whom eventually succumbed to their drug addictions.

Despite the serious note of the performance, the audience quickly picked up on both Silva’s unique ability to play multiple characters in a variety of scenarios and the comic timing with which every line was executed. Silva demonstrated an enormous level of comfort and control through every scene as the performance jumped from serious moments to break-dance routines, even incorporating a refreshing dose of standup comedy to lighten the mood.

Leaping about the stage like a wound-up toy, Silva reenacted scenes from his cross-country odyssey — scenes alternately humorous and harrowing — with convincing sentiment, portraying a multitude of characters with ease.

His lean, athletic build proved especially helpful here, allowing him the versatility to take on the shape and idiosyncrasies of each character. During his journey through the Appalachian Mountains, trains across the Midwest and a haunting stop in jail, Silva thoughtfully brought insight and humor to his experiences after escaping Brooklyn.

Most affecting was the earth-shattering moment when Silva answered the call relaying his brother’s death — the moment that changed everything for him. Despite the powerful emotion frequently felt in Silva’s performance, one rarely had time to process it. Transitioning from somber monologues about his brother’s death to energetic Jimi Hendrix impersonations in a matter of seconds, Silva sent alternating waves of sober chills and riotous laughter through the audience, rendering the show just as paradoxical as its title.

Such quick, drastic changes of mood can get tiring, however, and Silva’s disjointed, schizophrenic show could have used some breathing room and perhaps a bit more structure. Still, it was obviously more important to Silva that he keep the show real rather than execute a rigidly choreographed act. Accordingly, the show was ballsy, laid back and rough around the edges in a way that scripted performances rarely dare to be.

The show ended on an open-ended epiphany, with a visit from an eagle heralding the continuation of Silva’s journey and inspiring him to go on. The inspiring message was a familiar one, encouraging strength in the face of great adversity.

The very story behind Heavy Like the Weight of Flame might sound familiar, but Silva was anything but unoriginal. His frenetic performance was unpredictable and surprising, sprinkled with moody guitar interludes, impassioned acting and frank monologues.

It takes a lot of personality to carry a one-man show, and, with Heavy Like the Weight of a Flame, this graduate student proved he’s got plenty to go around.

And go around it will: Silva’s show will be heading out from Los Angeles to New York, San Diego and Chicago in the coming months.