by Patrick Shannon, III
CrescentCityChronicles.net
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
Salome
"The play is a bad one but it will succeed. No faults of construction, no failure in interest, no feebleness in motive, will weight in the scale against the insolence of its caricature." (Critique of, Clemence Scott, veteran nineteenth century critic of London drama for the Daily Telegraph, written after the opening night production of Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan, 1892).
Mr. Clemence Scott’s quote can be easily applied to Salome, and under the currently running production by Madame Palmetto’s Amusement Company & Dog and Pony Theatre at the University of New Orleans Downtown Theatre / Scottish Rite Temple, I must agree with two things. This assessment of Oscar Wilde’s referenced play, Lady Windermere’s Fan, applies also, but more so, to his Salome.
It is probably one of the worst one act plays ever written in the genre. I have done hours of research on this subject and even had it read and translated for me in the original French version, and I still find it to be the kind of play one only does for academic reasons, a possible dollop of Victorian shock-value, and a desire to make it something it can never be, an interesting, good evening of dramatic wonder.
No matter how a piece of coprolite is gilded, it still remains nothing more than a shiny piece of fossilized dung. The play’s highly mannered style of language was supposed to be Wilde’s attempt to turn language into music, about which he knew little and didn’t really like.
Were anyone to write a play in the diction of the King James Version of the Bible today, with Wilde’s attempts to repeat the style of that epic work of poetry, he would be laughed at as an untalented poseur of a playwright. Which brings me to my second issue of the works of Mr. Wilde. His best creation was himself. He ranks as one of the most successful self promoters of possibly "major minor works" than perhaps even the self-anointed artist Peter LaBello, or the colorful but shallow works of a Peter Max, or even those who do elaborate constructions at the Contemporary Arts Center and call them sculptures, or found art. Once again, as Tennessee Williams said, "Nothing succeeds like mediocrity."
The highly overwrought and hysterical language of Salome‚ has been compared by academics galore as the attempt of a genius to create a work that incorporated symbolist poetry, the hypnotic ritual of repetitious words, or sounds and phrases of certain religious ceremonies, and Wilde’s attempt to demonstrate his curious interest in music by creating a musically poetic sound in this script. All of this is nonsense and typical Wilde posturing as an artist writing and living for arts sake alone, for which one needed no excuses or explanations. The translation in use today from the original bad French was alleged to have been done by his lover, Lord Alfred Douglas, but to quote Wilde, "it was too school boyish," so he had the help of others and did some translating himself. It was with this example of Oscar Wilde’s "militant frivolity," that the Director, Tristan Codrescu was forced to work and with which he created many memorable moments.
All this said, it makes me even more awed over the talent and seemingly endless imagination demonstrated in Director Tristan Codrescu’s worthy attempt to turn this lead of a play into gold. His is the talent of an alchemist, although he never totally succeeds in the transformation of the alchemists dream with this (to quote Wilde) Byzantine play.
Codrescu’s great inventiveness in the use of a very talented group of musicians, waggishly named, The Heads of Judea almost made the play work. Patrick Farrell on accordion, Helen Gillet on cello, Andrew McLean on percussion, Brian Prunka on oud, and the angelic voice of Misha Penton (who also played flute) did, as is done in films, the incidental music and bizarre sound effects with perfection. Without the Heads of Judea, Salome‚ would have been even more ridiculous. They truly added a great depth of interest and necessary mood to the surreal elements of the production.
|
|
Diana E. H. Shortes, as Salome, is a great talent. Little of it was evident in her interpretation of this role. She has a beautiful body, classic features (her facial profile resembles the classic profiles of Greek sculpture, not to mention the Statue of Liberty). Her nubile, lithesome body is most beautiful, and at the moment when she dances with her breasts exposed, she looked like someone born for a great painter’s brush. But she was not right for this role. Her delivery of the lines was as usual, excellent, but without much emotion. Of course one presumes that every character in this mad concoction of Byzantine nonsense is totally deranged or at least clinically disturbed, a characteristic which Ms. Shortes occasionally demonstrated by borrowing those unforgettable moments of Gloria Swanson’s as Norma Desmond, in the film, Sunset Boulevard. You know the deranged look of the "I’m ready for my close up, Mr. DeMille" scene. This casting was a waste of one of our best talents. Dare we blame the director for this miscasting and misdirecting? Yes. Ms. Shortes can do no wrong and usually her mere entrance lights up the scene. But not this time. Henry Hoffman, as Herod, gave a fine performance sweating with energy like a Luciano Pavarotti when he sings Nessum Dorma, but his stage diction, although wonderful to hear was inconsistent. His voice is beautiful and his performance, as mentioned, was riveting.
Lyla Hay Owen, another of our top actresses who seldom does a wrong thing on stage, and who also illuminates the stage with her presence, did a convincing job as the evil no-nonsense queen, Herodias. She is one of those talents who can make acting seem as easy as a telephone conversation with an old friend. She is one of the few local actresses who knows how to use her voice as an actress should. Her stage presence was excellent, but I found the pure gold of her locks distracting as a Nubian trying to play the role of Scarlet O’Hara in a Poplarville, Mississippi production. The script calls for her to enter with "hair powdered in blue." What ever happened to that Mediterranean, Middle Eastern dark hair which would have been better than the anachronism of a golden blonde ruling Judea. So why not a wig with a bit of blue powder or spray? Director’s fault? Or the demands of a true diva who likes her golden hair? Shall we ever know?
Brendan McMahon, as Jokanaan, did a credible job and is a handsome high voltage actor. However, he also shouted most of his lines to the point of unintelligibility, especially when he was "in the cistern." The acoustics of the house are very good. Why did not the Director or someone coach him in the use of his voice? Otherwise, he gave a very credible interpretation of a Biblical icon. A very effective moment was experienced when he became obsessed by the holy spirit of God as he stood stage center, quivering and shaking and wobbling, after being released from the cistern. After which he began to deliver more imprecations and condemnations about the sins of King Herod, his Queen, Salome and the rest of the unsaved world of Judea. But for what purpose were those strange white spots painted all over his body which was powdered with a white talcum that dusted everyone as he leaped with agile grace up into the balcony and ran all around the playing area?
Skye Jordan as the Page of Herodias was once again played by a woman such as they insisted in the first production in Paris in Victorian times. The reason stated back then was due to their fear of the homosexual implications in the relationship between the Page and the young Syrian, Captain of the Guards, and the criminal notoriety of the author. Surely, this was not a concern of this production? Ms. Jordan demonstrated her abilities as an actress with a quicksilver stage presence, even at one moment doing a cartwheel as she ran across the playing area, the latter of which was rather over doing it. Better that a man should have done this role and the allegedly "gross indecencies" of the character as suggested by Mr. Wilde’s script would have been capitalized upon rather than dismissed. Everyone knows that there are queers everywhere and they are here to stay, so why not put them in the play, considering the author’s predilections.
Dan Kahn, played the role of the young Syrian, Captain of the Guards, and a Jew with a reserve that greatly added to the effectiveness of his characters.
The rest of the cast, Ryan Renike, Chris Lane, Bryan Spizfaden (as the Executioner), and Arthur Fisher (as a Cappadocian and Tigellinus) all deserve praise for playing Soldiers, Jews and Nazarenes and each did well in their various smaller but very necessary roles.
Set design by John Grimsley was well done, but it was hard to know where his design began and ended. Many artifacts, thrones, tables, etc. as described in a recent article in The Times Picayune, were found in place in the Scottish Rite Temple and were put to good use. However, I suspect that the star studded sky and the great moon high above the center balcony was from his hand. I understand that they were able to make the moon turn red when necessary after opening night, a tech problem which was rightly corrected and I’m sure added to the spooky atmosphere of the play. The great moon so necessary to the script didn’t work the night I saw the show. It remained a lovely silver white all night.
Alice Henderson did the colorful costumes and the beautiful murals for the production. But who researched the period or what period were the costumes supposed to represent? They were more so like a nicely done collection of Mardi Gras costumes. But they worked to an extent and I’m sure there was a strict budget with this show. That being the case, Ms. Henderson, did a fine job pulling all those glittering remnants and faux leather pieces together.
Choreography, by Audrey Elizabeth, was fun to watch but not that original or exciting. But then, what can one do but wander around striking dance-like poses with seven veils? Certainly not a tap dance or some chorus line work? Not exactly. Ms. Shortes did a fine job with her seductive moment on stage, but there was a certain coldness about the dance. Perhaps King Herod just enjoyed her "little white dove like feet" and her beautiful naked torso with breasts bared more so than we can imagine. Anyway, she got all the head she wanted in the end, and finally got to kiss the dead lips of the decapitated Jokanaan, at which moment the play should end quickly. It went on a bit too long and the shock value of the characters and the possible reason for the play’s existence was greatly diluted.
Andy Young and Ryan Reinike were credited as dramaturgs and I don’t see that they did much research or added much to this show. All things considered, any anachronisms or weak elements must be blamed on them. And there were a few.
The total effect of the production, however, was interesting, and resplendent with moments of directorial and acting talents, however, it works much better as an opera. Thank God, Richard Strauss saw the play when it was done in Germany at a private performance a the Kleines Theater in it at the Neures Theater in Berlin 1902 directed by Max Reinhardt. Reinhardt later produced where it ran for 200 performances.
Richard Strauss performed his Salome based on Wilde’s script at the Royal Opera House in Dresden in 1905. After that they should have thrown the original script in some garbage can.
Great praise goes to the entire production company for doing this dull play with much exuberance and imagination. Although only of academic interest, this production should be seen and appreciated by every one with a love and interest in theatre, even badly written theatre. After all, this wasn’t Mr. Wilde’s only bad theatrical gesture. May he rest in peace!
Cosi Fan Tutte (All Women Are Fickle) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
As someone once said, Opera, like eating raw oysters, is an acquired taste of the civilized and educated. Well, as snobby as that sounds, it’s true and I love both subjects. To know and love them both is to make one’s life richer and full of esthetic surprises and joys.
Opera lovers will argue for years over who is or was the best composer and it’s hard to pick them out, but usually Wolfgang A. Mozart comes out among the top.
One need not wonder why if one had the great pleasure and joy of seeing the recent splendid production of Mozart’s sparkling and joy-filled opera, Cosi Fan Tutte as it was done in the rather spacious Louis J.Roussel Performance Hall by the Loyola Opera Theatre.
This operatic gem set in Naples, in the late eighteenth century, and is a highly polished diamond among Mozart’s works about two sets of young lovers. The men, who are soldiers, are Ferrando (Oscar Nieves)and Guglielmo (Mason Joy)and their potential promised ladies are Fiordiligi (Angela Marchese)and Dorabella (Lisa LaFleur). They are sisters and their worldly-wise and down-to-earth maid, Despina (Brianne Burgess)are all friends of an elderly philosophical gentleman, the somewhat cynical Don Alfonso(Francis Courtenay).
Don Alfonso gets the young men to make a bet on the outcome of a game he has designed to test the fidelity of their respective sweethearts. The two young men agree to obey the instructions of Don Alfonso (who has enlisted the help of the sisters maid, Despina. The two men feign a heartbroken reaction to the sudden need for their departure the front lines. However, the two soldiers are to return only a few hours later disguised as dashing Albanians, eager to win the favors of the abandoned sisters.
The young women put up an outraged defense of their virtue but before long they are yielding to the exotic advances of the handsome Albanian "strangers." The conspirators gradually become enmeshed by their own plot and are dismayed to find they are as susceptible as their victims. The game ends when the disguises are discarded and events culminate in a double wedding as all four lovers are reunited and discover that no-one is exempt from the secret ploy. The game is soon revealed and all ends joyfully as the lovers pair off and a wedding banquet ends the opera with each lover finding their own ladies again as in the beginning, each full of love and a deeper understanding of the frivolities of the human heart where love is concerned.
Such is the simple plot which Mozart’s incandescent music illuminates with such glittering joyful sounds.
This absolutely magical production would have pleased Mozart greatly. I guess at this possibility because the cast was so charming and the masterful stage direction by, David Morelock, demonstrated his years of work and his great talent in the operatic repertoire. Mr. Morelock is truly one of our most treasured artists and we are so
|
|
fortunate to have him in our town. He paced these young singers with a remarkable insight into the sweet brashness of youthful love and there was not a dull moment or a useless placement of the performers on stage. In spite of the large space of the L. J. Roussel Performance hall, and the rather large staging area, Mr. Morelock’s direction brought us right back to Mozart’s intentions, the necessity of writing an opera for a smaller and more intimate audience as would have been found at its world premiere production in the Vienna Burgtheater on January 26, 1790.
Under the godly talent of Ms. Carol Rausch’s energetic conducting of an excellent twenty five piece orchestra, a nearly full house was able to enjoy a her work as a true master of musical knowledge. Ms. Rausch once again demonstrated her sensitive and well conceived vision of what Mozart’s music should sound like: a shaft of sunlight through a Baccarat cut-glass vase filled with sunny yellow roses. She led the orchestra into creating an evening of scintillating, sparkling sounds resplendent with a sense of youthful love, energy, joie de vivre and, also great technical virtuosity.
Ms. Rausch is another treasure and a True Goddess of Musical Creativity on any podium or in front of any chorus. She consistently directs with great flair and a chic soigne brightness.
I attended the Friday night’s performance. There was another cast for the Saturday night’s production. On Friday night the role of Fernando was done by Oscar Neives, a handsome youth with a beautiful clear tone in his lyrical interpretations of Mozart’s music. He did not seem to sing at full voice that night and I suspect he might have been indisposed, but he was able to toss off those beautiful and difficult arias and many recitativos with a soft brightness and loveliness of tone. His mastery of the aria Un aura amoroso del nostro tesore’ pierced the heart with beauty. Brianne Burgess’role of Despina the maid was a scene-stealer. She was a perfection of charm and wit and her bright clear interpretation of the two arias In uomini, in soldati sperare fedelta? and Una donna a quindici anni were among my favorites. Angela Marchese as Fiordiligi was sweet and huggable and her interpretation of that difficult sort of "Queen of the Night" (in vocal range) aria, Come scoglio immoto resta’ was a technically bravura showpiece of her remarkable vocal talents. Lisa LaFleur (Dorabella) sang with a coy sweetness and I was impressed by her wonderful version of Smanie imlacabili che m’agitate’. The beautiful voice of Francis Courtenay as Don Alfonso set the high quality of the evening event with his warm lush version of the aria Vorrei dir, e cor non ho, and he continued to keep up the high quality for the rest of the many wonderful sparkling trios, recitativos duets and solos of the opera, not to mention the high quality of the chorus’ singing and stage presence.
What a remarkably charming, bright, sweet, intimate and brilliant performance of this great work by a company of all the right singers with all the right stage direction and a great chorus, placed upon a lovely set by Keith Christopher which never distracted but always added to the style and period of the work. Always right on cue, the well conceived lighting design by Dan Zimmer was up to his usual high level of talent.
No lover of operatic works can disagree that The Loyola Opera Theatre of Loyola University is one of the most professional and charming delights among production companies in America.
Cosi Fan Tutte was an unforgettable evening of the best of Mozart by the best of student and professional artists.
A Chorus Line
Simplicity is always in good taste someone once said and how true that is relative to the recent brilliant production of Chorus Line at The Jefferson Performing Arts Society.
|
|
Chorus Line which started, as most theater goers know, as a work in progress at the Public Theatre when Joseph Papp was alive. It finally evolved into a long running Broadway success with credit given to James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante for the book and Marvin Hamlisch for music, with lyrics by Edward Kleban.
The concept of the show was the result of a real series of tryouts and interviews by real theatre aspirants who were only too grateful to even get a part in the chorus line of any show. Known then and probably forever as gypsies, this group of starry-eyed young people who migrate to New York from all over American and the world to become stars are today as they were then. We can therefore assume then that this musical with meaning finally opening at the Public Theatre in New York City on April 16, 1975 has become a classic of the musical theatre. The whole concept, so simple in design and creativity, is as honest and true today as it was way back on April 16, 1975.
That being the case, the JPAS, has produced on of the most professional examples of Chorus Line since the original was done in NYC. And I’ve seen a few productions around the area and in other states. An old friend was with me in the audience that night. She had worked on the original show and she was amazed that ANY THEATRE GROUP outside of the Big Apple could put together such a fine and faultless Chorus Line. "Where in the world," she asked, "did they find so many young people who could dance and act so well and pull it off with just three weeks of rehearsal?" She was astonished and delighted. And so was I.
|
|
JPAS has "pulled it off" this time without having to "go over the top." The very concept of the show allows for only a little bit of technical lighting effects (albeit not so simple as it might seem) and an empty stage behind which are a series of mirrors reflecting the dancers during the audition. This set was so much more effective this time because the JPAS stage is high and wide and big and to have those mirrors (actually Mylar usually mounted on blocks with wheels) were so large that they actually became the symbolic elements of showbiz that perhaps they were meant to be. We are only images that reflect the light, we gypsies. We come, we go, but we’re always around those mirrors that reflect our dreams and hopes of making it; of getting that big break. So simple an idea for a set.
And that’s all it takes. A few very talented dancers, some large mirrors and a little tech lighting effect. All of which in this production can be credited to lighting and scenic designer, Stephen G. Thurber and his great crew. Be not fooled. Such apparent simplicity is not easy. It takes a really professional person and crew to make it work. And that they did. Perfectly.
In that same category of perfection was the choreography of Kenneth J. Beck who was also Stage Director. Of special importance to this show is the spotlight man and in that booth we can thank David Stidd, Earl Scioneaux, and Steve Servay, who missed not a cue. Vanessa Harris did the costumes in period we can now call that 70s look, and she also did them to perfection. My NYC lady friend said, "And you know, they’re still wearing that look to rehearsals today." So there you go. What else can one say about such professional perfection? Nothing. Suffice to mention that there was not one bad performer in the entire ensemble of dancers who also were able to sing and act. What an evening of good theatre!!
Of course we can’t name all of the performers, but the usual major roles such as Zach, the offstage voice and director of the show for which the "gypsies" have come to try out was done by that man of all talents, Alton Geno, a man who in my book can seldom do anything wrong on the stage.
Oh why not name all the performers. They deserve it! Larry (Benjamin Linn), Don (Jeff Lukas), Maggie (Ariel Assaf) Mike (Matias J. Grau, III), Connie (Tracey Hensarling), Greg (Gary Rucker), Cassie (Elisabeth Argus), Shelia (Angie Joachim) Bobby (Nicholas Austin), Bebe (Trina J. Beck), Judy (Christina Tichenor), Richie (Carl Adams), Al (Randy Juneau), Kristine (Carrie Black), Val (Lara Grice), Mark (Brian Bell), Paul (Eddie Bennett), Diana (Brandi Catagno), Vicki (Cate Rerymond), Tricia (Althea Williams), Lois (Kimberly Matulich), Jill (Sarah Grundmeyer), Karen (Casey Thompson), Frank (Rich Richards), Butch (John Kelly), Roy (David Rochan), Tom,( Michael Santara), and Lee (Frankie Mulligan) can all be proud that they were part of a truly "ensemble company of actors/dancers" which means that even if they had not a line to say, they were all totally necessary to the total creative effect. Of course those who did have the longer speaking parts are always remembered and as such we "spotlight" out of this excellent company of ensemble performers, Elizabeth Argus as a very real Cassie, and of course the aforementioned Alton Geno as Zach, and Laura Grice as a very convincing Val, and most of all, Eddie Bennett as Paul. When he did his famous monologue about starting out as an adolescent drag queen performer in sleazy gay bars and met his family who supported him at one of his most outrageous drag shows, there were few dry eyes in the audience. Here is a new talent we will all see more of in future. I’m not going to mention all the well known songs among which were the famous "Tits & Ass" and "What I
|
|
Did For Love", except to say that they still bring down the house.
Not a weak performer in the show and that’s quite an accomplishment. I think it’s called professionalism based upon true talent. That’s what we had in the brilliant JPAS production of Chorus Line. And we cannot forget the finely tuned perfection of Maestro Dennis Assaf’s conducting of a pit full of great musicians.
If you missed this production you missed one of the best to be seen for years to come. And that’s what it’s all about when a group of talented performers come together to work as an ensemble company (like true gypsies) to put on a show that really works.
Shining praise for a brilliant production that always kept within the bounds of good taste and apparent simplicity. But we all know it took lots and lots of hard work by lots and lots of highly talented people to do it. It’s sort of like the old adage of a single string of white pearls with a simple but stylish black dress. It all looks so unaffected and tasteful, even though the pearls might have cost 50 thousand the little black dress five thousand. It’s the final effect that we see and that is one of elegant good taste done with total mastery of concept and control.
It was all there that night on the JPAS stage, yes, it was all there. And you know what, it’s been there before and it will be there again. These people just keep getting better and better. Even their few failures are just uncut gems. The value remains.
