Theatre Vertigo + The Anonymous Theatre CompanyJune 7, 2009
Summary:
A play is selected. Auditions are held. The play is cast. The actors are sworn to secrecy. No one in the cast knows who their fellow performers will be, and they do not reveal their participation in the project to anyone. Now it’s Macbeth. The stakes are higher than ever.
9 comments:
Witch 1 Jane Fellowes
Witch 2 Sha Sha Sassone
Witch 3 Sharonleee McLean
Duncan Colin Murray
Malcolm Marc Friedman
Seyton Jonah Weston
Lennox Stephanie Cordell
Ross Chris Porter
Macbeth Scott Coopwood
Banquo Chris Murray
Angus Alec Wilson
Lady Macbeth Christine Calfas
Attendant Christy Bigelow
Fleance Amber Hudson
Porter Phil Rudolph
MacDuff Darius Pierce
Donalbain Andy Hillstrom
1st Murderer Damon Kupper
2nd Murderer Heather Rose Walters
Hecate Mary McDonald-Lewis
Apparition 1 Matt Haynes
Apparition 2 Colleen Heidebrecht
Apparition 3 Libbi Houghton
Lady Macduff Jamie Rea
Dufflet Madison Wray
Doctor Thom Bray
Siward Keith Cable
Young Siward Peter Ash
So? What did you think?
I really want to see Scott Coopwood do the show with a rehearsed cast. He was great!
A highly enjoyable evening, as Anonymous can usually guarantee. It would be hard to imagine a better lead couple from our local talent pool; Coopwood delivered some strange rhythm choices -- oddly placed pauses, then sudden racing -- but he was always virile, always focused, irresistibly compelling. I didn’t see a single false step from Calfas, who was marvelous, and used her voice and dance experience to terrific effect.
Aside from the obvious standouts (the Macs, witches and porter camping it up), I loved the understated, natural humanity of Rea’s Lady MacDuff and Bray’s Doctor.
Given the lack of opportunity to rehearse in the space beforehand, director Young used it well. Secretly nominating members of the audience before the show to stand for Banquo’s issue was an inspired bit.
I appreciated the brief flashes of unexpected (but clearly intended) humor (as opposed to those unique Anonymous Theatre moments that are unintended but unavoidable, highly enjoyable, and forgivable) that Young and/or the actors managed to wring from otherwise dramatic scenes.
Quibbles? Apparition 3 zipped through her speech so fast that I’m not sure the audience could hear her essential though admittedly well-known plot point. Although nice to see Mary Mac in action, I still don’t think Hecate adds anything to the story -- at least not in a show that can’t include lots of design effects. And much as I have loved all the work Darius has done with PSC the past year, and as well as he delivers the language (fine work in that devilishly challenging Act IV, scene iii, Mr. Pierce), is there anybody out there who could buy him standing up to this titanic Macbeth in a fight?
How could Anonymous top itself now? Perhaps only with a show that would be even more impossible to execute without full cast rehearsals -- a Gilbert and Sullivan or a Mamet.
I wish I could have gone.
Next year, maybe not have the show on Tony night?
I don't know why the Tony's got in the way for anyone- Tivo the damn thing! Unless you were getting one...?
Wow, what an incredible cast!!
Or unless you have an annual Tony party event that you aren't interested in missing just because Anonymous Theater didn't think to avoid the conflict.
With great respect, we did think to avoid the Tony's. We just couldn't. There were many other considerations to take into account when we were scheduling - PCS's schedule, our schedules, the Drammy's... - and this was the only date that would work with everything else. We knew we were conflicting with the Tony's. And am sorry that that excluded people.
In a rehearsed production, I think I could get there, but honestly, that was one of the first things I thought when Coop stood up - "Great, now I gotta sword fight this guy" Luckily, I was fated to win :)
Thanks, everyone, for a great evening!
Darius
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