Portland Center Stage
November 3, 2005; closes November 20, 2005
True to its word: Fanciful characters spring from native words in this debonair production. Exquisite lighting design by Diane Williams, especially mercurial backdrop, a dimensional dabbling reflecting the mood and manner before it. Deb Trout’s elegant costumes celebrate characters with picture-book flair. Good cast well poised by minimalist Jane Jones.
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4 comments:
However, I’m still not convinced literary narration works onstage. Books and scripts are like boats and planes: both take you places, but in different ways. When you combine the two, occasionally it’s productive; more often it ends up a Spruce Goose. Let each work its advantage in its own way.
I thought it was a refreshing way to bring a well-known book to the stage: minimal set, quick dialogue, and the occasional third person bits to help you along (almost like reading the book). It makes me want to see more Book-It/Jane Jones productions.
Heads-up -- or warning -- I hear "Owen Meaney" at Artists Rep will have the same Book-It treatment ....
A decent production, but my issue is with the adaptation. One of the most fabulous qualities of Jane Austen is the clever, witty dialogue; so why, in a stage adaptation, should that dialogue be replaced by awkward third person narration? Why tell us 'Elizabeth was overjoyed' and not just show us through the acting? As I say, the production was good-- some of literature's greatest characters were performed wonderfully, I was especially impressed by Laura Faye Smith.
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