| Directed by Ron Bashford, NCSC’s production of “Hamlet” could be summed up in one word: “tight.” As one would expect with a professional theatre, there was no audible backstage noise, everyone spoke loudly and clearly, and no one “fell” out of character. The set was clean-lined and simple, grounding the action and achieving symbolic expression while leaving it to the actors to set the scene. During most of the play, the set was black, switching over to white as events begin to slip from Hamlet’s control. This simple symbolism spoke quietly to the subconscious, unlike many productions which shout meanings as though the audience were stupid. Con't 2C |
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| 2003 |
| Section C, Page 1 |
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| The Other Arts 1C |
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| Theatre! |
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| NCSC's "Hamlet" Breaks Barriers |
| Novella Idea |
| Editor |
| 5-2-03 |
| Can the arts transcend historical context? Yes, but this transcendence goes far beyond the fact that we are still performing plays by Aristophanes, admiring the paintings of Pablo Picasso, and reading the poetry of Alfred Lord Tennyson. The question is this: Do people understand art and are they able to apply it to their own lives, never mind when it was written? I believe that the NC Stage Company’s 2003 production of “Hamlet” answers this question with a resounding “Yes!” To transcend historical context, artwork must first have artistic merit. It is not necessary to debate the worth of William Shakespeare’s verse and prose as his work has been read, performed, and celebrated for hundreds of years, and has more than earned his place in the literary and theatrical canons. Instead, it is best to look next at the quality of production. => |
| What should the arts do for us? Manipulate our emotions and thoughts! Startle us out of our collective snooze and shock us into paying attention! On April 25th, 2003, I saw a play produced by Foothills Performing Arts of the Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute that did all of these things. “Daddy’s Dyin’, Who’s Got the Will?,” written by Del Shores and directed by Deb Abbey, shocked me, embarrassed me, made me laugh, brought tears to my eyes, and left me cheering at the end. As the “Daddy’s Dyin’” program states, “the entire action of the play takes place in the Turnover family living room in Lowake, Texas in the Summer of 1986.” The play is mostly about overcoming differences and learning about what’s important. It begins with the knowledge that the paternal head of the family, Daddy (Buford Turnover), will soon die. One by one, his children come home, bringing with them baggage in the form of old arguments and new significant others. It seems throughout much of the play that greed, prejudice, and selfishness will defeat the Turnover family, but in the end, through the death of Daddy, the Turnover family learns that what really should have mattered was caring for and loving each other. One of the most shocking moments in the play comes when Mama Wheelis (Buford’s mother-in-law and the maternal head of the family) patronizingly refers to a man as a “nice nigger.” I was shocked and distinctly uncomfortable, and had to remind myself that Mama Wheelis is supposed to be ninety-something years old, and that it is Con't 3C |
| Novella Idea |
| Editor |
| 4-3-03 |
| FPA's "Daddy's Dyin'" destroys stereotypes |