Urban Death has been resurrected for a limited run as part of the ZJU Fringe and it is a return to form for the show. The previous annual run of the show, which ran the month of May, was enjoyable to be sure, but it had lost the aggressive edge in favor of absurdity.  This edition, billed as Urban Death Classic, is just that. They have chosen to mostly feature segments from previous years that have had the most impact.

Passing through the bland storefront into Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre  we enter a world of dark expression. The lights are low and sweet, smokey incense fill the air with a soft aroma. The proprietor, Zombie Joe himself, greets those who dare to enter his realm with a warm smile and gracious words from the box office desk just inside the entrance.

Venturing from the foyer and into the performance space the lights are even lower, same for an ominous red glow behind a figure in the corner of the black box theatre. A sinister soundtrack fills the audio background with waves of brooding chords and sounds. Once show time arrives, the large sliding door is closed like the door to a vault and the lights fade to black. We are back at Urban Death for real and this is no joke.

To explain, Urban Death is not your normal night at the theatre. Inspired by the Grand Guignol and Theatre of Cruelty, the show has no plot to speak of, but is instead, a series of unrelated depictions of the shocking and bizarre.  This particular staging has one of the most effective openings of any Urban Death that we have ever seen. When that leaves, the lights rise up on another which we see an elderly woman, slumped fallen against her walker, attempting to make her way across the room. The lights go to black and another scene appears, and another. To recount each scene would be to spoil the surprise of seeing what is there, hiding in the dark, waiting to pounce.

A wellspring of inventiveness, Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre stages theatre that challenges, frightens, sickens, and at times even provokes laughter. Director Jana Wimer takes the helm as director this time out and does an expert job. The pieces that were chosen stay true to the classic spirit of Urban Death while pushing the boundaries even further and demanding to be original. From a technical standpoint it is surprising what they pull off in this small space. Both the sound and lighting design, while simple, are effective and very much on point.

The lean cast of 9 actors keep a formidable energy level throughout the entire hour-long show with a sickening sense of humor and a wicked taste for shock. Among the ensemble special mention must go to veteran actor Tina Preston for her ability to command the stage whenever she is on it. Shayne Eastin is another impressive performer with one solo scene that leaves us breathless. Jonica Patella is another one that delivers a few particular moments of simmering pathos that at once makes you cringe, cry, and laugh at the same time.

This is, by far, one of the best Urban Death shows I have seen in years. The filthy, disturbing, and uncomfortable are all embraced here and examined as a way of exploring the human condition in ways that many care not to address. This is bold, fearless theatre with the edge of a rusty hacksaw and it is glorious.