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Freud's Last Session - Philadelphia

A few months ago, I started making plans to visit the East Coast and look at some colleges. I wanted to get a feel for surrounding culture as well, to see if it's a place I'd like to live for four years. I did a little research and found Arden Theater in Philadelphia. As it happened, they were playing "Freud's Last Session", a new play about an imagined meeting between C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud. I don't know how interesting that sounds to you, but I was hooked! I've read many of Lewis's books and was introduced to Freud's works in school. I'm afraid I wasn't terribly impressed with the latter, but the idea of putting the two of them in the same room was intriguing.

I saw the play on the evening of my birthday and thought it was brilliant! Here are some fears I had going into it and how it actually turned out:

1. Boring- When I heard that "Freud's Last Session" was a play with two characters who sit talking to each other for over an hour with no set changes or dramatic plot points I was a little nervous. It could have easily been boring. Luckily, the casting of both men was excellent, and the script was clever, funny, and engaging. Freud's study was a lovely set lined with bookshelves, cabinets of odd bits and ends lent by a local museum, and of course the famous sofa. There was a small balcony in one corner that let in a lot of what seemed to be natural sunlight. Freud and Lewis did spend most of the time talking, but there were a few interesting interruptions. The play took place the day WWII started, and Freud often turned on the radio to hear reports. I even recognized part of George VI's declaration of war (featured in "The King's Speech"). More disturbingly, Freud had a few coughing fits brought on by his oral cancer (which killed him shortly after in real life) that caused his mouth to bleed. The whole play only ran about an hour and a half, so helped things stay fresh as well.
2. Christian Bashing- Occasionally I get the feeling from a TV show or movie that Christianity is politically incorrect. I would be a little surprised if this show was done in Portland. I was very happy with the respect this playwright showed each man. While they reached polar opposite conclusions, both Lewis' and Freud's analysis of human nature are marked by the careful logic both employed. Both sides of the argument were fairly represented and neither was portrayed as an ignorant fool.
3. Freud- As I said, I didn't love studying Freud in English class last year. Some of his ideas made sense but others seemed perverse and twisted to me. This adaptation allowed me to sympathize with Freud to some degree. His suffering from the cancer, escape from Austria, sense of humor, and love for his daughter helped me gain a new perspective on his views.

As You Like It (Librivox Recording)

"As You Like It" is finished! 

I read "Amiens", a follower of the banished Duke Senior who sings a lot. I made up my own melodies for the songs. I helped my Dad record the role of the usurper "Duke Frederick" so listen out for him as well!

Under the greenwood tree Who loves to lie with me, 
And turn his merry note 
Unto the sweet bird's throat, 
Come hither, come hither, come hither: 
Here shall he see No enemy 
But winter and rough weather. -Act 2, Scene V As You Like It

Othello

Last Saturday I saw Northwest Classical Theatre Company's Othello! I was actually quite lucky to get a seat because the play sold out before opening day. It got a lot of publicity thanks to visiting director Bill Alexander, who has had a long career at the Royal Shakespeare Company and Birmingham Repertory Theatre. He did an amazing job! For those of you who have not been to Portland's shoebox theater, the name says it all. It seats 30-40 people cozily. Being used to the theaters in Ashland or the Armory downtown, the size threw me off when I first visited to see last years production of "Hamlet". I got used to it really fast, and now the small, intense atmosphere is one of my favorite aspects of NWCTC's shows. I think the tragedies work especially well when seen up close. No matter where you sit, you feel a part of the action.

So, how was Othello?

This was the first time I've seen Othello, and I've long been anxious to cross it off the list. I don't have anything to compare this production to, but I thought it was fantastic. I'll break down my thoughts on a few characters:

Othello: Wrick Jones was very regal as Othello. He has a wonderfully rich voice that sounded beautiful with Shakespeare's words. One thing I love about Othello is his gift of storytelling. It is a talent I especially admire. When charged with bewitching Desdemona, he defends himself claiming that she fell in love with him while he told stories of his many adventures. Watching his happiness destroyed by Iago's careful prodding was maddening. It was like Romeo and Juliet all over again... ("Why couldn't you have waited 5 minutes!? She was about to wake up! You came so close!"). I thought Jones did particularly well conveying both heartbreak and anger in his last moments with Desdemona.

              Fun Fact: Wrick Jones was a Portland Streetcar Driver in "Grimm"!

Iago: I realized after I saw the play that I had seen the actor who played Iago, Michael Mendelson, before in last year's "Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol" at Artist's Repertory Theatre. He was a great Sherlock/Scrooge and an amazing Iago. "Othello" seems to be Iago's story as much as Othello's. From the first few lines of the show, he orchestrates the plot, easily manipulating everyone around him. In this production, Iago has a "thinking chair" in the audience where he goes to deliver his little aside speeches. This was very funny, and made watching Iago's thought process as he schemes the ruin of his friend all the more fascinating.

Desdemona: I'd seen Melissa Whitney, who played Desdemona, before in "Much Ado About Nothing" earlier this year. She was sincere, dignified and graceful as Desdemona. It was annoying to see Othello mistrust his obviously faithful wife! Well, I suppose it is a tragedy. When she used her last breath to forgive her husband I almost cried ( I never cry at plays, so almost crying is about as sad as it gets for me!).

Emilia: Emilia might have been my favorite character. Dana Millican seemed very down to earth amidst the swirling drama and intense emotion. Not that she doesn't get intense too. Her performance in the last scene as she realized her part in her friend Desdemona's death gave me chills . Her relationship with her husband Iago was interesting to watch as well.

Cassio: Tom Walton, who I'm pretty sure played Laertes in last year's "Hamlet", made Cassio a very three dimensional character. Having never seen the play acted before, I had thought Cassio would simply be a plot device or pawn Iago uses to incite Othello's jealousy. Instead, Cassio turned out to be a very interesting character who is noble and good, but struggles with flaws and temptations. Walton's speech about reputation was my favorite in the play.

So there you have it! The rest of the cast gave excellent strong performances as well but I decided to only cover the major characters. This was my favorite play at the shoebox so far! Unfortunately it's too late to get tickets, but "Pericles" will start up in mid November so don't miss it!

Click here to check out this year's season at NWCTC!

Frankenstein is Finished!

The librivox dramatic reading of "Frankenstein" by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley is ready to listen to! One of the things I love most about librivox is cross gender casting. I got to play Henry Clerval, Victor's childhood friend. And yes, I end up being killed by the creature.

Henry Clerval is optimistic and deeply empathetic. He sympathizes with Victor's losses, nurses him back to health, and travels with him through England and Scotland. Henry becomes very important to Victor as an intelligent companion that can both understand his pain and counter it with cheerfulness. Even so, he can't bring himself to share the terrible secret of his creation with his friend. The creature has demanded that Victor mend the wrong he did him in condemning him to a lonely life. He must create a companion for him. Reluctantly, Victor leaves Henry to set up his laboratory on a deserted island. He cannot complete the task however, causing the enraged monster to swear revenge. Victor dumps the remains in the sea, becoming lost in the process. When he wakes up, he is in a small town and suspected for the murder of a man whose body was found around the same time. Victor is brought to the body and to his horror, he sees that it is his friend, yet another victim of his own personal demon. 

While it isn't a huge part, I had a lot of fun being in this project! I first read Frankenstein last year and was fascinated by it. If you haven't read it, seize your chance!

And now some links!

Want to brush up on the story line? 

Here is a video briefly summarizing Frankenstein. 

The new dramatic recording in which I play Henry Clerval! You can listen to chapters online, download a zip file of the entire book, or subscribe to it as a podcast on iTunes.

Frankenstein (Dramatic Recording)

Or, if dramatic readings aren't your thing, try this lovely solo recording by volunteer Cori Samuels!

Frankenstein (Solo Recording)

PS- Keep an eye out for my dad's brief appearance as "The Officer" in chapter 8!

Behind a Mask by Louisa May Alcott

I just read this for school and really liked it. Here is the review I wrote on goodreads and a link to a great librivox recording of it by Elizabeth Klett.

The wealthy Coventry family hires a captivating young governess named Jean Muir. Talented, witty, passionate and wise, one by one they fall under her spell. However, readers soon discover that Jean is not all that she seems. Will the Coventrys discover the truth before it is too late?

"Behind a Mask" is supposed to be a thriller, but to me it felt like a Bronte novel (which is to say, possibly thrilling to the average ninteenth century Catherine Morland type). I actually liked it quite a lot more than "Little Women", the book for which Louisa May Alcott is best known. It was exciting, and almost as enticing as it's heroine. And what a character! I don't know whether to think about her with repulsion or awe...or both. It's a short book, and I'd especially suggest it to Alcott, Bronte, or even Austen fans looking for a darker version of the classic poor-but-brilliant governess tale.

Behind a Mask on librivox

 

Hamlet

Hamlet is finished! I read Rosencrantz this time. This is an interesting version because many of the major roles are read by women...including Hamlet and Claudius!

http://librivox.org/hamlet-version-3-by-william-shakespeare/