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Saturday, Aug 30, 2008
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Persuasion a lark of a production |
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| Persuasion a lark of a production | |
| by Miryam Gordon -
SGN A&E Writer PERSUASION BY JANE AUSTEN ADAPTED BY JEN TAYLOR AND COLIN BRYNE DIRECTED BY MYRA PLATT BOOK-IT REPERTORY THEATRE THROUGH MARCH 2 Society during Jane Austen's era, in the late 1790s, was severely strict in the ways men and women interacted with each other. Acting improperly could get you shunned from high society. Actions that might be considered "improper" were as small as speaking to someone to whom you had not yet been introduced, officially. So, very tiny interactions had huge significance. Austen's descriptions of her time and society are detailed and expressive. Bringing that to the stage is a challenge, and Jen Taylor and Colin Byrne have struggled mightily to bring that expressiveness to life. They create and display the essence of the small gestures of those years, assisted with great finesse by Deane Middleton's exact costuming and Corey Eriksen's minimalist but evocative set. Matt Starritt's sound design fills in for realistic moments of horse-and-buggy riding and other important sound contributions that are part of the fun. The actors subtly bring out the tiny gestures - the lowered eyes, the slight turn of the head - to express those varied social emotions. John Bogar as Captain Wentworth and Chiara Motley as Anne Elliot display the "exactly correct" manners described in the novel, even as they are apparently madly in love with each other from afar. Each of the supporting roles is carried out with adroitness, adding to the overall effectiveness of the production. However, even with all this skill, ultimately the story of the play is just not strong enough to be an important theatrical event. Anne and the Captain were in love eight years before, when he was still a "nobody" and was not one that could be recommended as a good marriage. Anne's stepmother convinces her that the Captain is unsuitable and Anne, being the properly submissive young lady that she was, declines the Captain's suit. After eight years, the Captain has come back and Anne finds herself still in love with him. But does he feel the same way? His actions don't reveal his affection. So, the entire length of the play, the audience is asked to examine every small gesture and head turn, along with Anne, as she tries to figure out if her love is in vain or not. Captain Wentworth has now become someone of "exactly correct" demeanor - and fortune, so he's now considered the good catch. We all know where it's going to end up, even if we have never read the book. There are many delightful moments of acting in the production, and the audience is extremely generous with applause. So, there's a good possibility that you can become entranced with all the characters. Setting expectations for a powerful or meaningful story aside will allow enjoyment of all the subtle detail that brings this book to life. Therefore, you can be persuaded to enjoy yourself. For more information, go to www.book-it.org or call 206-216-0833. Comments on reviews go to sgncritic@gmail.com. |
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