Real People Actors and a Few Shows

It has been a remarkable few days, very fitting for the culmination of the semester, and wonderful enough to merit a blog post.

A few weeks ago, the students of BADA all bussed over to Stratford to see an amazing production of The Winter’s Tale by the RSC. Today the actors playing Leontes and Hermione, Greg Hicks and Kelly Hunter, came for a question and answer session with all of us. I was actually quite moved by the whole thing – these two incredible actors spoke truthfully and honestly to us, really carrying on a level conversation rather than lecturing us. At the risk of sounding cheesy, it was inspirational. I identified with so much of what they said and they had incredible insights into theatre as an art form and a lifestyle. It was one of those things that reminds you why you are passionate about something and reinforces your commitment to it. Kelly Hunter said something that really struck me: “You have to be open – big, big, open soul – to do what you’re doing.” Theatre is not about the hours that you spend onstage, or even the time in the rehearsal room; theatre is something that is a part of you at all times, and the best discoveries often happen outside of the theatre space.

In other news, just yesterday I had my interest in High Comedy sharpened a bit. That class has been by far the most difficult for me, mostly because the style is incredibly specific. It’s been slightly frustrating, but I am determined to conquer it. In pursuit of this, I saw a production of The Man of Mode by George Etherege last night with my teacher, the lovely Annabel Leventon, at RADA. RADA is one of the most prestigious drama schools in Britain (acceptance rate of about 35 out of 3000… ish), and I was excited to see what the students could do. A bare bones student production, it turned out to be one of my favorite shows yet. The lack of extravagant design meant that the acting and directing had to do everything, and it worked. It was such fun. Restoration comedy is generally not the deepest of art forms, but it’s absolutely hilarious. I generally like my theatre to challenge, but sometimes it’s nice to be treated to a night at the theatre where you can just sit back and laugh as the play does all the work.

A play that could have used a bit more bite was Inherit the Wind at The Old Vic. Kevin Spacey is the artistic director there and starred in this show, so it was a crowded house. He was quite good, though from the upper seats I mostly saw his scalp and would have quite appreciated a view of his face (and when you know the space as well as does Spacey, it’s a crime not to play to the entire house), and the rest of the cast was generally good as well. However, it was the single most complacent and uninspired show I have seen in a long time. The show is based on the Scopes “Monkey” Trial, and yet there was no conflict. It was entirely one-sided. Granted, most modern audiences will side with evolution (though the statistics on that in America are rather frightening), but theatre cannot exist without tension. Conflict. Two opposing sides, each of which pulls us. Something! This play lacked any of that and seemed perfectly content to rest on a big name star and the smugness of “right.”

Besides the theatre reviews (which I realize this blog has essentially become a venue for – sorry about that!), there is other splendid news: the wonderful dear Tess McHugh is coming to visit from Aix-en-Provence! Townies, I’ll give her your love. Off to bake some cookies!