After a long day of journeying out into the wilderness to visit my best friend from high school and kayaking on the marsh of Upper Klamath Lake, Daniel and I sat down in the Elizabethan for three hours and fifteen minutes of Othello. If that knowledge wasn't intimidating enough, we very quickly realized that this was going to be a completely straight version of Othello.
I wish I could say that I enjoyed it. The actors were all fine for their roles, I didn't have any quibbles with the way in which it was acted and they certainly told the story. But all they did was tell the story. And I already KNOW the story. I understand the idea of wanting us to understand that the story, in its original setting, has meaning today. But it was boring. Also, it seemed like the lighting, costume and set designers all had their very own ideas about what the show should be, and no-one talked to each other. The lighting and set were both very meta, the costumes were period but weren't sure whether to match the set (brown and bright white), the concept (black and bright white), the light box (off-white) or something more natural (brown and off white). What was seriously missing for me was the director's vision. Directing actors is all well and good, but I needed more than that to sit there for over three hours.
There were a couple of cues that were phenomenal, however. The first had the lightbox all lit up behind the set with no lights onstage, which happened right before our first visit to Desdemona's bedroom. The second was the final cue of the show, where Cassio hits Iago, who spins and stares hungrily at the audience as he falls/lunges towards us and the lights hit black before he lands. I clearly cannot describe how cool the effect was.
After nine hours of Shakespeare, I think I can safely say I will not be seeking out any Shakespeare plays until next summer, so if there's something you really think I should see, prepare your argument well.
That's all for Ashland until next year! Much Ado, Henry VIII, All's Well That Ends Well, an Octavio Solis adaptation of Don Quixote, the aforementioned Music Man, a couple of plays I've
never heard of but look cool- I'll definitely be back!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
OSF part 3: Comedy of Errors
At 5:30 on Thursday it thunderstormed, but the weather gods were on our side and it stopped before the show (which was outdoors in the Elizabethan).
This version of Comedy of Errors took place in the Wild West, which was a great setting for it. Saloon doors swinging and guns going off really add to the farce atmosphere. Oh yeah, and it was a musical. Now, I can see all of these things making a great Comedy of Errors, but they changed the text! Tons of it! Only the Dromios spoke the original Shakespeare. So I get that they told us the story, and it was certainly funny and successful, but I felt gypped of the text. It was like they were trying to tell their version of the original Plautus farce, but bowed their heads to the fact that Shakespeare added the Dromio twins, and therefore left their text alone... I don't know. It was bothersome.
Mike's cousin, Paul Tazewell, designed the costumes, so I feel it necessary to record that they were excellent. (He also designed costumes for In the Heights, Bring in da Noise Bring in da Funk, Caroline or Change and The Color Purple, all on Broadway).
It was very satisfying to see Emily Sophia Knapp turn from sharp, short, blonde Hermia into a beautiful pinned-up brunette Luciana. The cast was largely impeccable, actually. I loved John Tufts and Tasso Feldman playing the Dromios (although it would be impossible to ever mix the two up)- you would never have known it was John Tufts after seeing him as Puck without reading the program. Tasso Feldman was predictably both adorable and hilarious, seeing that he was essentially reprising his role as Christopher from On the Razzle last year. Oh yeah, and they can all sing. So that's kind of cool. I'm starting to predict casting for The Music Man next year.
What? Yes, that's right. They're doing The Music Man. Everyone wants to know why, well I haven't talked to Bill Rauch himself, but I am inferring from what I do know that he is trying to bring an essentially American piece of theatre to OSF. What's more American than musical theatre, and what musical is more American than one set in River City, Iowa?
We'll see.
This version of Comedy of Errors took place in the Wild West, which was a great setting for it. Saloon doors swinging and guns going off really add to the farce atmosphere. Oh yeah, and it was a musical. Now, I can see all of these things making a great Comedy of Errors, but they changed the text! Tons of it! Only the Dromios spoke the original Shakespeare. So I get that they told us the story, and it was certainly funny and successful, but I felt gypped of the text. It was like they were trying to tell their version of the original Plautus farce, but bowed their heads to the fact that Shakespeare added the Dromio twins, and therefore left their text alone... I don't know. It was bothersome.
Mike's cousin, Paul Tazewell, designed the costumes, so I feel it necessary to record that they were excellent. (He also designed costumes for In the Heights, Bring in da Noise Bring in da Funk, Caroline or Change and The Color Purple, all on Broadway).
It was very satisfying to see Emily Sophia Knapp turn from sharp, short, blonde Hermia into a beautiful pinned-up brunette Luciana. The cast was largely impeccable, actually. I loved John Tufts and Tasso Feldman playing the Dromios (although it would be impossible to ever mix the two up)- you would never have known it was John Tufts after seeing him as Puck without reading the program. Tasso Feldman was predictably both adorable and hilarious, seeing that he was essentially reprising his role as Christopher from On the Razzle last year. Oh yeah, and they can all sing. So that's kind of cool. I'm starting to predict casting for The Music Man next year.
What? Yes, that's right. They're doing The Music Man. Everyone wants to know why, well I haven't talked to Bill Rauch himself, but I am inferring from what I do know that he is trying to bring an essentially American piece of theatre to OSF. What's more American than musical theatre, and what musical is more American than one set in River City, Iowa?
We'll see.
OSF part 2: The Clay Cart
On Thursday afternoon we saw Bill Rauch's production of The Clay Cart. The set, designed by Christopher Acebo, was gorgeous. Beautiful Indian practicals hung over both the stage and the house, the set was a circular playing space with seating space for actors to watch, and then beyond that a raised level from which the cast would enter and exit, including a large foot, appearing to be made out of clay, and the attached leg that disappeared into the sky. The best part of this set-up was the scene changes, which happened in the circular playing space, in which a variety of pillows would set each scene- a bedchamber, a stone wall, a park... and the cast would place and take away these pillows in a choreographed manner that made the changes a [wonderful] part of the show.
The story was a fun, exciting and satisfying story that felt like a mixture between Aladdin and the Mikado (without the offensiveness). What was not satisfying about the production, however, was the presentational style. It felt like they were trying to perform it in an extremely presentational manner in which the actors share an awareness with the audience about who is good, who is bad, what is funny, etc, but also address the fact that the audience, particularly this highly sophisticated Ashland audience, is used to realism. I would much rather have seen them go all-out presentational, because the result of going only half-way gave the production a half-good feeling. NOT that the presentational parts were the best, they felt forced (which I also think is a reflection of the actors not being used to it), but if it had been entirely like that it would have been one of the rules of the play and the audience would have accepted it.
I'll take this moment to mention that one of my other favorite actors at OSF is Eileen DeSandre, who played Vasantaseyna's servant in Clay Cart, Francis Flute in Midsummer, and last year played Gertrud in On the Razzle. She is hilarious.
The story was a fun, exciting and satisfying story that felt like a mixture between Aladdin and the Mikado (without the offensiveness). What was not satisfying about the production, however, was the presentational style. It felt like they were trying to perform it in an extremely presentational manner in which the actors share an awareness with the audience about who is good, who is bad, what is funny, etc, but also address the fact that the audience, particularly this highly sophisticated Ashland audience, is used to realism. I would much rather have seen them go all-out presentational, because the result of going only half-way gave the production a half-good feeling. NOT that the presentational parts were the best, they felt forced (which I also think is a reflection of the actors not being used to it), but if it had been entirely like that it would have been one of the rules of the play and the audience would have accepted it.
I'll take this moment to mention that one of my other favorite actors at OSF is Eileen DeSandre, who played Vasantaseyna's servant in Clay Cart, Francis Flute in Midsummer, and last year played Gertrud in On the Razzle. She is hilarious.
OSF part 1: Midsummer
Came home from Ashland yesterday, where Daniel and I saw Midsummer, The Clay Cart, Comedy of Errors and Othello. So here is my first review:
Midsummer was fantastic. I never really liked the show, although enjoyed my high school's superbly cast and designed version senior year, but this show blew me out of the water- 2 hours and 41 minutes of pure enjoyment and hilarity. The director is listed as Mark Rucker, although it seems necessary to quote this blog entry which writes "rumor says he left town before he blocked and Festival Artistic Director Bill Rauch stepped in". So I'll credit Rucker for the concept and Rauch for the follow-through and focus on everyone else.
For photos of the production, go here.
Walt Spangler created a brilliant, versatile set that wove us in and around the forest full of climbing and perches and flower beds straight out of the 70s. He had lots of help from lighting designer Robert Peterson, who added stars made of blacklights and flourescent baubles to set the full atmosphere.
Costume designer Katherine Roth also had a clear design concept: the lovers, beginning in various shades of white, became progressively less clothed and more colorful as they became enveloped in the woods. The fairies were men in tutus, sparkles, fishnets and boots, who would steal clothing from all those who entered the woods and would break out into dance during the scene changes.
John Tufts, who I will mention in other reviews, is one of the most versatile, watchable actors I have seen in a while. I remember him as the fifteen year-old in Up from the 2006 season- and in the last four days I saw him play Puck, a stage-coach driver in the Clay Cart and Dromio from Syracuse in Comedy of Errors. I loved watching him as Puck, because he commanded our attention the entire show.
And while in general I find Hermia completely obnoxious, Emily Sophia Knapp has incredible comedic timing, and suddenly all of those old scenes and monologues I've grown to hate had new life to them. But she should never dye her hair blonde.
Overall, it was a sexy, funny romp and I sincerely recommend it to anyone who might be headed to Ashland in the near future.
Midsummer was fantastic. I never really liked the show, although enjoyed my high school's superbly cast and designed version senior year, but this show blew me out of the water- 2 hours and 41 minutes of pure enjoyment and hilarity. The director is listed as Mark Rucker, although it seems necessary to quote this blog entry which writes "rumor says he left town before he blocked and Festival Artistic Director Bill Rauch stepped in". So I'll credit Rucker for the concept and Rauch for the follow-through and focus on everyone else.
For photos of the production, go here.
Walt Spangler created a brilliant, versatile set that wove us in and around the forest full of climbing and perches and flower beds straight out of the 70s. He had lots of help from lighting designer Robert Peterson, who added stars made of blacklights and flourescent baubles to set the full atmosphere.
Costume designer Katherine Roth also had a clear design concept: the lovers, beginning in various shades of white, became progressively less clothed and more colorful as they became enveloped in the woods. The fairies were men in tutus, sparkles, fishnets and boots, who would steal clothing from all those who entered the woods and would break out into dance during the scene changes.
John Tufts, who I will mention in other reviews, is one of the most versatile, watchable actors I have seen in a while. I remember him as the fifteen year-old in Up from the 2006 season- and in the last four days I saw him play Puck, a stage-coach driver in the Clay Cart and Dromio from Syracuse in Comedy of Errors. I loved watching him as Puck, because he commanded our attention the entire show.
And while in general I find Hermia completely obnoxious, Emily Sophia Knapp has incredible comedic timing, and suddenly all of those old scenes and monologues I've grown to hate had new life to them. But she should never dye her hair blonde.
Overall, it was a sexy, funny romp and I sincerely recommend it to anyone who might be headed to Ashland in the near future.
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