Letter to a friend about the current
MTC main stage production of Medea.
Brilliant seats P. Thanks for offering up the invitation. When Pierrette and I were first together we had a few seasons of
PTE before it's move to it's current locale.
I was weaned on small theatre in Vancouver and maybe that's why I never followed PTE to the new and improved venue. In younger years I felt no hesitation in writing directly to the staff of productions to engage directly. Such an ego! I find myself a bit shy speaking openly here. Please understand I know nothing and will stand for correction, modification and a willingness to roll over, put my tail between my legs, avert my vision and learn humility at the hand of the wise at any point.
In smaller and less wealthy companies the willingness to risk, brings with it seemingly more variation in the successes and failures from a given troupe. If the artistic director is on her game one can enjoy a lot of high points that may not be available where risk management may be more conservative. Reading over the short biographical notes on the key players in this production, I was struck by the vast experience, education and obvious commitment to their craft. I'm a generalist and thus an expert at precious little. I was though, a bit thrilled to think that I was about to witness such a rich field of players in Medea. I must still be growing up.
Since moving to the hinterland and embracing what mother nature brings to the stage in her taste of beauty and tragedy, I've not hungered for live theatre like I did before we moved out of the city. Over the last few years, I've begun to want more contact with live music, independent film and the company of others that have a passion for things other than drinking, all terrain vehicles, fornication and snow machines.
I was surprised when the lights came up for the break. I had been lost in the performance and I sat through intermission thinking and trying to absorb what I'd seen.
I have a natural and undeniable bias toward women in many things, but I loved Nigel Bennett as Creon. He fills a room that boy. There was a heightened sharpness to his portrayal of Creon that I felt lacking in some of the others. He was never so comfortable as to seem relaxed in his characters duties. Nigel struck me as the consummate professional.
Lindsay Buchanan-Clarke lived in my mind as an old crone. I was taken aback to see her youthful image in the "artists" list. I bit into her acting, hook, line and sinker.
I liked Kyra Harper's voice. The timbre and pitch were such that it was effortless to catch some of the more subtle nuance in her presentation. This idea lead me to wonder about the hall itself, or my aging ears, in how sound plays with the set and whether or not the voices of the players are assisted electronically. Whatever the case, I don't think I care for that particular room. The voices seemed clipped in their range and oddly, but closely echoed. By the end of the evening the sound was an irritation.
Claire Jullien was a distraction and I don't even like blondes. Enough said.
Although the tickets landed us in good seats, I could not have been too close to Seana's efforts. Like Bennett, she was so obviously above and beyond the audience in her commitment to this play. I would pay to see her again from the middle of the lower, centre of the theatre. She's a very big presence in a small package.
Not being a theatre person, I have little appreciation of Miles influence over this work. The task must be a bit daunting given that the work has been around for big chunk of 2500 years. I'd like to read Jeffers script now while this play is fresh in my head and heart. I wish I knew more about the captain's duties.
It seems a rare treat that such a woeful tale be spun for us on the main stage. I can see why, when the audience appreciation was revealed in light applause and an immediate departure as if we all collectively had to support a nicotine habit directly after the final bows. I couldn't help but think the actors and staff would feel that mass distaste for things unpleasant through the lack of crowd enthusiasm. For me it contains the risk factor I so love in the best of fine arts.
Thanks again sharing the wealth.
Sometime I'd love to hear your input on the acoustics of that theatre in as much detail as you care to go into. Over a beer and some tasty bits would be best for me.
