Clackamas Repertory Theatre
September 27 - October 14, 2007
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Focusing on the Portland, Oregon theatre scene in precisely 50-word increments. followspot@hotmail.com
1 comment:
Eight to ten characters in nearly two hours and Mr. Anderson's energy never lets up for a minute. Most of us can only hope to be performing at that level of passion, delicacy and focus at our own age let alone Mr. Anderson's, who I believe is nearly 70!
This was a wonderful piece and Tobias Anderson is a Portland treasure. I think he is all too often overlooked for the new young thing in town. A sad carry over from our youth obsessed media I'm afraid that doesn't always appreciate older artists.
Unlike many fields where we may start to decline as we grow older, many actors continue to riped and grown more complex and more fascinating in their work. I wish more young artists in Portland would look to some of our older and more experienced performers as mentors and guides instead of being constantly obsessed with how young and hip they are. There is a lot of untapped potential there and until Portland really starts to establish some top training programs for itself, our best bet as actors and artists may be the older peers around us.
Enough of the stump speech though, back to the play. Yes some of the pieces work better than others but Tobias' portrayal of an old New England spinster who snubs her nose at death is just hilarous. The story of the sea monster who falls in love with a lighthouse is both charming and frightening as only Ray Bradbury can be, and a speech from Farenheight 451 may be the most profound and important piece on the nature of art I have ever heard. As is often the cast with things reviewed on followspot, I think it's too late to see it. Mr. Andersen is, apparently souring it to Southern California. But if you get another chance - go!
Oh, and the set design, and enormous metal tree, is a work of art unto itself.
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