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| Hershey Felder. Photo courtesy Christopher Ash.
Ludwig van Beethoven has left perhaps the largest legacy of
any classical musician, with such seminal works as Für Elise, Moonlight Sonata,
and the famous “Da-da-da-DUN” of his Fifth Symphony. And yet we mostly see
Beethoven as a marble bust upon a shelf, a machine who created beautiful music,
instead of the flawed, tormented human he really was. Pianist/actor/playwright
Hershey Felder illustrates the struggle between joy and misery within the
composer in his one-man show Hershey
Felder, Beethoven, which brings to life a person whom most of us have known
only as a distant legend.
Hershey Felder,
Beethoven is not approached from Beethoven’s perspective: Perhaps Felder
thought an outside look would better illustrate Beethoven’s complexities, or
that Beethoven’s inner struggles were too complicated to be retold truthfully
from his view. What we get instead is fragments of Beethoven’s life, death, and
struggle with deafness, from the perspective of Gerhard von Breuning, his former caretaker. This framing is a more honest way of discussing a historical figure
about whom little is known; the audience leaves the theatre still asking
questions that may never be answered.
Felder’s acting dwells at two extremes: His portrayal of
von Breuning is clipped and composed, calmly asking the
audience to hear his side, while his portrayal of Beethoven is wild, driven to
paroxysms of joy and rage. We don’t get tired of either character because
Felder switches between them so often, and, in fact, discover new facets of
their personalities every time we return to them. Other incidental characters,
such as the point-of-view character’s father, are portrayed with delicacy and
nuance.
Unlike most one-person shows, Hershey Felder, Beethoven is interspersed with Felder’s emotionally
charged piano performances of some of Beethoven’s best-known work. This is
vital for the performance, as it shows, not tells, the sheer impact of the
music and allows us to experience for ourselves its timeless power. Interspersed
between the music, Felder points out Beethoven’s love for composing in C minor,
Beethoven’s melody speaking to us above the rhythmic base in the Moonlight Sonata, and many other
insights into Beethoven’s legacy, which allows us to appreciate his music on a
higher level.
Hershey Felder, Beethoven
is a glimpse into what little we know of one of the greatest, most complex
musicians in Western history. Knowing Beethoven’s flaws doesn’t bring him down
to earth, but instead gives us more insight into a composer who, while fraught
with despair and rage, was nevertheless able to produce works of tremendous
beauty. Even for those with only a passing familiarity with Beethoven and his
works, this one-person show will bring tears to your eyes.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– See our comprehensive 2017 Oregon Shakespeare Festival coverage. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter. |
Sunday, July 2, 2017
Theatreworks: Hershey Felder, Beethoven
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Oregon Shakespeare Festival 2017: Beauty And The Beast
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| Left to right: David Kelly, Jennie Greenberry, Jordan Barbour. Photo courtesy Jenny Graham and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. |
Though OSF has a positive track record with classic
musicals, the decision to include Disney’s Beauty
And The Beast as part of their 2017 season was nonetheless worrying. Would
the theatre festival be able to find new meaning in a Disney musical?
Fortunately, director Eric Tucker and a talented cast and technical team knocks
Beauty and the Beast out of the park,
moving from the bright colors of the original animated movie to a darker, more
elegant visual style that makes special use of the live theatre format to tell
its story.
The gradually defrosting relationship between Belle (Jennie
Greenberry), a bold, intellectual girl who yearns for something more than her
provincial French village, and the Beast (Jordan Barbour), a cursed prince who
must find love to free himself from his monstrous form, sits at the core of the
show. Greenberry’s Belle is reasonably faithful to the original movie: Though
she’s technically the Beast’s captive, she maintains social control over their
relationship for much of the musical. Barbour’s interpretation of the Beast
draws from his origin story as a prince, employing a mix of arrogance and
social ineptitude. He may have a lot to learn before he can be worthy of Belle,
but his slow climb towards understanding is one of the most heartwarming parts
of the play.
The supporting cast assembles a larger-than-life group of
wildly entertaining characters. James Ryen plays the part of Gaston, a
swaggering hunter who serves as the story’s main antagonist. Besides getting
the best physical comedy in the play, Ryen is able to generate a surprisingly
intense feeling of danger: He comes off as stupid for the most part, but his
ability to manipulate and threaten is top-notch. All of the transformed objects
in the Beast’s castle provide hilarious performances: The conflict between the
uptight Cogsworth (Daniel T. Parker) and courteous Lumiére (David Kelly) is a
delight to watch.
What separates the OSF production of Beauty and the Beast from its other stage and movie counterparts is
its visual aesthetic. The set (designed by Christopher Acebo) doesn’t use
static elements, but instead uses ensemble members carrying props to give
the feeling of a location. This allows for greater use of motion; when Belle is
given a tour of the castle, for example, the cast moves doors and windows in a
circle to give the illusion of movement. Ana Kuzmanic’s costumes for the
transformed objects convey the nature of the character without sacrificing
elegance; Lumiére’s outfit, which employs gloves covered with LED lights,
deserves special attention.
OSF’s 2017 rendition of Beauty
and the Beast repackages one of the classic stories from the Disney canon
with mature, daring visuals that change the way we understand it. The
production ranks with fascinating OSF productions like Guys and Dolls and My Fair
Lady as part of OSF’s commitment to find new meaning in some of America’s
most classic musicals.
Beauty and the Beast runs until October 15th.
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Beauty and the Beast runs until October 15th.
Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Oregon Shakespeare Festival 2017: The Odyssey
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| Christopher Donohue and ensemble. Photo courtesy Jenny Graham and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. |
Theatregoers familiar with the oeuvre of writer/director
Mary Zimmerman may have some idea of what to expect from OSF’s The Odyssey. The play features the grand
plotlines and imaginative effects that have become a hallmark of Zimmerman’s
mythological adaptations.
While most of Zimmerman’s previous productions have remained
reasonably faithful to the setting and time period of the original myth, The Odyssey uses numerous anachronistic
elements. Much of this results from Mara Blumenfeld’s costume design: Alcinous
(Armando McClain) and the members of his coastal kingdom, for example, are
dressed in 1910s sailor outfits with straw boaters, while lord of the winds Aeolus
(Armando Durán) resembles a mad scientist from a children’s show. Occasionally,
extra meaning is added through these changes, such as the feminist themes in
the Siren section. These changes and additions don’t create a new myth as much
as they interpret the old one differently: The
Odyssey is a living story, born from oral tradition, that exists to be
readapted.
Many of the fantastical elements of the play are relayed
through theatrical metaphor. To express the titanic size of the cyclops
Polyphemus (Daniel T. Parker), for example, Zimmerman projects a giant shadow
on a curtain and uses toy boats and dolls to represent Odysseus’ hapless crew. These
effects make use of the audience’s suspension of disbelief to provide an imaginative
experience that something more realistic wouldn’t achieve. The fight between
Odysseus and Penelope’s suitors at the end of the play, in particular, is a
breathtaking work of visual poetry.
The play is primarily an ensemble piece, with actors playing
multiple characters over its course. Thus, it’s difficult to discuss the work
of one particular actor playing one particular role. A few exceptions exist,
including Athena (Christiana Clark) and Odysseus (Christopher Donahue). Clark’s
Athena isn’t as stern as other portrayals of the war goddess, instead urging
Odysseus to go forward with positivity and energy. Her silent presence over the
play adds new layers of meaning and insight into the Ancient Greek views of
destiny and divine favor. Donahue provides an excellent contrast: He mutes Odysseus’
famous cleverness with a veil of frustration and helplessness. The pain of
having home snatched from under him over and over has worn Odysseus down: He
just wants to be in Ithaca now.
Other standout characters include Kate Hurster as Penelope,
Odysseus’ long-suffering wife, and Benjamin Bonenfant as Telemachus, their son.
Their struggles against Penelope’s suitors begin the play, and not only set the
stakes for Odysseus’ long journey but provide a more human context for the
events of the epic poem. Hurster adds a dash of mischievous glee to her
Penelope, as her multiple deceptions bring her not only safety but also
satisfaction; meanwhile, Bonenfant’s Telemachus is prideful and deadly serious, attempting to
resolve the situation directly even though he knows he’s outclassed.
The Odyssey is one
of Western civilization’s oldest stories, one whose structure continues to
resonate even today. Zimmerman’s use of anachronism calls this to attention,
implying that even though we don’t live in Ancient Greece or worship Athena,
there is something essential at the core of the work that still speaks to something
deep witin us.
Oregon Shakespeare Festival 2017: The Merry Wives of Windsor
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| Left to right: Rex Young, Amy Newman, K.T. Vogt, Vilma Silva, Paul Juhn. Photo courtesy Jenny Graham and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. |
OSF’s 2017 production of The
Merry Wives of Windsor is also an ‘80s jukebox musical. This theme may seem
strange to traditionalists, but it invites a sense of campy fun into one of
Shakespeare’s lightest, silliest comedies. The antics of classical farce
combined with bright colors, excellent comedic acting, and cheesy dance music
create a remarkably entertaining show.
OSF’s talented ensemble is generally subtle and nuanced,
which makes the times they throw caution to the wind and embrace excess all the
more fun. (See also their production of The
Wiz from last year.) 1980s hits from a variety of genres punctuate key
parts of the production: Bardolph (U. Jonathan Toppo) and Pistol’s (Al
Espinosa) plot to expose Falstaff is set to Bell Biv DeVoe’s “Poison,” while
the fairy dance at the show’s climax starts with “Thriller,” dance included,
and ends with Guns N’ Roses.
At the core of Merry
Wives is the bumbling rogue Falstaff, who also makes an appearance in the Henry IV duology that runs concurrently
with this show. Standing in his shoes is K.T. Vogt, a nine-season OSF mainstay
best known for her comedic roles. Vogt’s performance is outstanding, operating
Falstaff with fifty percent ego, fifty percent animalistic lust, and zero
percent self-awareness. This impeccable character work is only matched by
Vogt’s gift for physical comedy, jumping and air-guitaring across the stage
when she makes her appearances.
The rest of the cast keeps up with Falstaff’s buffoonery.
Anne Page (Jamie Ann Romero), the ostensible protagonist of the play,
resolutely attempts to tie the knot with Fenton (William DeMerritt). As befits
the setting of the show, Romero channels the female lead in every John Hughes
movie with a sense of earnest, mischievous defiance. Rex Young’s Master Ford, an
uptight, jealous stick in the mud, serves as a foil to Falstaff, but has
the same over-the-top comedic energy. Jeremy Peter Johnson’s Doctor Caius,
though a side character, nearly steals the show with an outrageous French
accent and wild swordplay.
Ulises Alcala’s costume designs help synthesize the updated
theme with the original setting of the play, Elizabethan England. Characters
are clothed in gowns and doublets saturated with the bright pastels common in
the ‘80s, and other throwbacks to that era – including Anne’s hair
– appear on occasion. Codpieces play a major part in both the costuming
and the comedy, with Falstaff sporting an oversized model complete with a
zipper compartment.
In order for Shakespeare’s plays to be relevant to the
modern day, they need to be viewed through the lens of goofy camp as much as
the lens of serious reenactment. OSF’s 2017 production of Merry Wives is a marvelous execution of the former, making you
laugh at the play as much as you think about it.
The Merry Wives of Windsor runs until October 13th.
The Merry Wives of Windsor runs until October 13th.
Oregon Shakespeare Festival 2017: Henry IV, Part 1
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| Left to right: Daniel José Molina, Jeffrey King. Photo courtesy Jenny Graham and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. |
Prince Hal, soon to inherit the throne of England, is busy
living a hedonistic life with Falstaff and his band of merry rogues. But as Henry IV, Part 1 sets the stage for Shakespeare’s
epic trilogy about the soon-to-be Henry V, the weight of the crown becomes
increasingly heavy upon Prince Hal’s head. OSF’s 2017 production, continuing
with Part 2 this season and Henry V in 2018, brings this classic
tale of royalty into a modern setting.
Bringing Shakespeare into the current day is fairly common,
most famously (or infamously) represented by Baz Luhrmann’s film Romeo + Juliet. However, with a modern
setting comes a difficult balancing act. If the direction is successful, the
themes and meanings within the play become more evident. However, if the
adaptation gets too cute, it could spell major problems for the production.
Director Lileana Blain-Cruz, however, displays good judgment in her adaptation.
Falstaff’s carousing makes more sense to us in a trendy club, and it doesn’t
detract from the language or original plot.
Daniel José Molina portrays the part of Prince Hal, which he
inhabits with spectacular versatility. His drunken antics are frequently too
much, even for his drinking buddy Falstaff (G. Valmont Thomas), but Hal
respects his own limits, quietly avoiding actions that would actually hurt his
reputation as an heir to the throne. Molina’s Hal becomes princelier when he’s
thrust upon the battlefield – not, perhaps, nobler, but matured by the
reality of war. Thomas’ Falstaff, conversely, hardly develops at all: He’s the
big fun friend who’s useless in a crisis. His antics change from entertaining
in the bar to pathetic on the battlefield.
As Shakespeare wrote the play, King Henry IV (Jeffrey King) has
a surprisingly small number of on-stage appearances. Yet it’s his interactions
with Prince Hal and his ongoing struggle against Hotspur (Alejandra Escalante)
and her aunt, rebel leader Worcester (Kimberly Scott), that drive the plot of
the play forward. King’s portrayal is troubled and serious, splitting his
attention between problems ranging from Hotspur’s military rebellion to Prince
Hal’s adolescent one. His actions aren’t driven by emotion, but by a sense of self-preservation
for his bloodline and his country. Hotspur and Worcester are as righteous as
Henry IV is resigned; Escalante injects a powerful passion into both Hotspur’s
battles and love life, and Scott’s Worcester possesses a cold, powerful
indignation.
The technical element of Henry
IV, Part 1 keeps pace with the constantly changing tone of the play. The
scene introducing Falstaff’s gang makes use of garish neon colors and pulsating
music, while the climactic Battle of Shrewsbury is executed with a brutal
military grittiness not seen on the Ashland stage since 2012’s incredible Troilus and Cressida. Accolades go to
the technical team (scenic designer Adam Rigg, costume designer Dede M. Ayite,
lighting designer Yi Zhao, and composer/sound designer Palmer Hefferan, among
others) for their adept navigation of a difficult text: They know when to go
over-the-top and when to let Shakespeare’s writing speak for itself. The ever-present
back wall, featuring a torn mural of King Henry, writes volumes on its own.
Henry IV, Part 1
at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival is a more balanced view of the weight of
royalty than Macbeth or Richard III, which descend quickly into
madness and betrayal; rather, it looks at the weight of character needed to be
an effective ruler, and the vast gulf between “prince” and “king.” Despite
being the first in a trilogy, OSF’s 2017 production of Henry IV, Part 1 possesses the deep meaning and character
development required to stand on its own.
Henry IV, Part 1 runs until October 28th.
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Henry IV, Part 1 runs until October 28th.
Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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