Going South...

I had a chance to see a stage adaptation of Carson McCuller's The Member of the Wedding last night at the Young Vic Theatre. The space was simply amazing. They had a cafe and bar when one walks in the door, with prop markers as chairs. The ceiling was done up with stage lights and the walls were big sheets of varnished plywood, which really looked awesome. (I especially liked the varnished wood, which was done in a natural finish.) We waited for the doors to open with our glasses of wine on a comfy sofa and coffee table.

Once in the theatre, I reveled at the care the company took with the set. Instead of a normal, rectangular stage, this one was a triangle shape, with the point jutting out into the audience. It made for a big space since everything could be set at an angle, and the audience had wonderful views since the angles made one feel much close to the stage than normal.

The play itself was okay. It's a great story: a young tomboy who is in the middle of her brother's wedding and really doesn't know how to grow up or what to do. There are two ways to play the character, I think: to under-act and make her a sullen, upset teenager, which would probably work better on film so the director could make use of close-ups; or to overact and throw teen-aged tantrums. Our director picked the overacting, which was probably better for the space, but made me completely unable to get involved with the character (with whom I feel a kinship, so it was strange not being able to really enjoy the play). Frankie was always to excited, so there was really no way to build up to the high points of her character since she started out too dramatic.

The maid holds the play together, and she held the cast together with a superb performance. Her acting was measured, calm, and a breath of fresh air compared with most of the cast. She's American as well, so her accent was much closer to a 'real' southern one. Most of the Brits in the cast used an Oklahoma southern accent instead of a proper Georgia one, which really bugs me.

I also enjoyed John Henry, played by the cutest 6 year old ever. I usually can't stand child actors, but he was as cute as a button (and looked just like pictures of K. when he was a boy). His antics were very true and honest compared with the overwrought acting of Frankie.

Overall, an enjoyable experience if for nothing else, so I could play theatre critic! I'm going to see George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan soon, and I cannot wait. An amazing actress is playing Joan, so I'm excited. And of course, Jean Seberg (my muse in everything hair-cut-related) played Joan in the movie.