Online Hubbub: Endgame

Let us know what you thought!

While directing a German production of  Endgame, Beckett told his actors, “I would like as much laughter as possible in this play.  It is a playful piece.”  Did anything amuse you about the characters’ situation?

Please feel free to share any other thoughts on the production.

Advertisement

Scenes from The Seagull

The Seagull slideshow

Photos by Michael Lutch from the production of Chekhov’s classic on stage now through Feb. 1 2009 at the Loeb Drama Center in Cambridge, MA.

Dreams born and shattered, loves won and lost… The Seagull paints a rich and tumultuous portrait of the human heart.

“Powerful and astute performances…a fascinating portrait…exciting work… that’s what theater needs—now, and no doubt 200,000 years from now, too.”
—Louise Kennedy, The Boston Globe

Online Hubbub: The Seagull

Let us know what you thought!

Did director János Szász’s staging change any of your ideas about Chekov?

János Szász is primarily a film director.  What seemed cinematic about the production to you?  How is the experience of live theatre different from seeing a film?

The young playwright Konstantin Treplev wants to create a theatre of the future.  What is your vision of a theatre of the future?

Other comments?

The Seagull envisions the theatre of the future

Anton Chekhov’s groundbreaking play The Seagull opens with Konstantin Treplev’s passionate cry for “…new forms! We need new forms, and if we can’t have them, then we’re better off with no theater at all.” Konstantin’s play-within-the-play is a challenge to old forms and an attempt to expand the boundaries of what theatre can be.

What is YOUR vision of the theatre of the future? What new forms do you think theatre will take?

Online Hubbub: Aurélia’s Oratorio, Tuesday, January 6, 2009

If you could learn how to perform one of Aurélia’s tricks, which one would it be and why?

“I liked most when she was an acrobat in the curtains, high above the stage.  It was very elegant and metaphorical.”—Nancy L

“It would not be one of her “tricks”, it would be her grace of movement that I would wish for.”—Susan W

“I would like to fly across the stage on the end of the kite string, not really a trick, but it looks like fun.”—NancyPoet

“Walking and spinning in and out of a coat with a partner.”—tessam

“I wouldn’t really want to learn how to do any of them.  I’m happy just to watch them and I think it’s more magical if you don’t try to understand how they all work. I love the duet with the male actor in which they took off each other’s jacket (I’d like to learn how to make that look so interesting) and I also really liked the duet with them wearing one jacket and one pair of pants.”—jeremy

“Flying on the drapes.”—david p

“How to make my foot disappear and then knit it back.”—jan r.

“How to dance with your arms and feet.  I found it fascinating.”—Ada N.

“Any and all acrobatic skills!”—James C

“How to disintegrate like sand and then come back.”—James F.

“How to dance sideways and backwards in shared pants.”—julie pm

“All the parts to the dresser (opener)-loved the casual pace it took, and the cleverness of it.”—Melissa S.

If you could ask Aurélia to bring a dream to life for you, what would it be?

“The dream of performing with her.”—Edrie

“Being able to work with her and take part in her fabulous creative process from conception to show.”—tessam

“Flying.”—Nancy L

“Fly with love.”—david p

“My father, back from the dead for a few minutes…”—jan r.

“Being weightless.”—Ada N.

“Does she ever date audience members? 😉  Seriously though, there were some subtle, dark themes in the show (e.g. aggressive puppets, loss of limbs, violent jackets), and it would be interesting to see her explore things like that for a more “adult-oriented” performance.”—James C

“I would let her decide.”—Susan W

“Letting more people discover and enjoy art.”—James F.

“Upside down tight-roping. I know she can do it!   Floating on clouds. I am sure she can do it!”—julie pm

“To fly in a magical flying machine.”—Melissa S.

Victoria Chaplin was inspired to create this production by illustrations from a book about a world turned upside down. What elements of inversion did you notice in the production?

“The inversion was solely based on the audience – once we were inverted, everything else was normal though not expected.”—Edrie

“The two most memorable were the shadow with a man who mimicked his every move, and the kite that flew Aurelia, but all of them were quite entertaining.”—James C.

“The hot ice cream. The shadow that was upright. The puppet show for the puppets. The change required of the audience to be more active to work for answers.”—James F.

“The kite flying Aurelia, the shadow standing up, her face moving while the fan was still.”—NancyPoet

“Many…flowers, puppet show, chair.”—tessam

“The act in which there were two people that were making a shadow.  It was like we were looking horizontally at this shadow that was being reflected on the ground, except that the thing was real. That was the main one I noticed but there were definitely others.”—Jeremy

“Flowers upside down, the shadow leading the man, clothes leading or attacking people, the puppet show with the puppets in the audience, the kite flying the person, many others.”—Nancy L

“Flowers inside flowerpot, shoes on hands, shoes in coat rack, hanging upside down, walking upside down, riding in chairlift upside down…”—jan r.

“Climbing down from above, sitting on a chair upside down, things appear from another part of the stage the moment after they are thrown away, pants are on the arms, coat is inverted from one side to another, body turns into sand and sand into body.”—Ada N.

“I loved climbing the rope down to safety.   Don’t forget the taxi ride and players with boot-hats on their heads!”—julie pm

“Man/shadow; flowers in vase upside down; clothes inside out; character walking on hands; baby smoking.”—Melissa S.

Aurélia’s mother directed her in this production.  What artistic creations have you made with your family (in public or at home)?

“We made a video of the 3 Stooges episode “Men in Black” with roles played by extended family members ages 3 to 83.”—jan r.

“When I was a child I used to put together puppet shows and also magic trick shows with my best friend for our parents.”—Ada N.

“We create ‘turkey art’ every thanksgiving.  Each year, we all use a different medium (clay, printing, watercolor, wood, wires etc.) that is the main one.”—jeremy

“My entire family is invovled in my art – visual and musical    http://www.armyoftoys.com  http://www.myspace.com/armyoftoys    We have also toured with the Tiger Lillies just as Aurélia has.”—Edrie

“My daughters are now gown and play cello and violin professionally.  As children, they used to put on elaborate plays in the basement for which they wrote their own songs and always got their younger brother to dress in outlandish costumes.”—NancyPoet

“Baking cookies and caramels.”—tessam

“Family of musicians play together.”—david p

“Our artistic creations have been in the line of food.”—Susan W

“To be honest and live life.  (My three kids loved the show.)”—James F.

“My mother costume designed shows on Block Island in which my sister performed while I held important audience posts.  My sister still performs. I direct my own and many children in school and community plays.”—julie pm

“Traditional crafts handed down-quilting, needleworking.  Music-dulcimer and fiddle.”—Melissa S.

Online Hubbub: Aurélia’s Oratorio, Thursday, January 1, 2009

If you could learn how to perform one of Aurélia’s tricks, which one would it be and why?

“I’d love to be able to find so much living space in a chest of drawers–think of the rent savings!”—Carolyn

“How to knit a limb back on!”—nikki

“Having the train pass through me – it is just such a great image.”—Evan H

“I would like to be able to have the kite fly me. I loved the series of images in which things were turned upside down (kite, face fanning the fan, etc), because it so playfully suggested alternative visions of reality.”—Alison d

“Jumping on curtains and swing in the air.”—Urszula

“The chest of drawers episode was completely fascinating – I’d like to be able to do that if only to be that flexible for once in my life!”—Louise O

“I would learn how to be the woman in the drawer with the sexy legs and hair.”—Claire F.

“I would like to scale the curtains because then I would be very strong.”—rudy bean

“The dance with her partner in the black and white suits.  The train trick at the end is pretty spectacular as well.”—Kim A.

“I want to learn to have my clothes fall onto me. It would be a fun and easy way to get dressed. I would also like to be able to knit a new leg if I lost one.”—Sarah M.

“Ribbon work.”—Shakti S.

If you could ask Aurélia to bring a dream to life for you, what would it be?

“One of my favorite dreams is swimming underwater with schools of fish and sea creatures, and being able to breathe the water.  I can imagine Aurelia bringing this to the stage.”—Kim A.

“I want to fly through the Aurora Borealis. But I’d settle for getting a table at El Bulli.”—Carolyn

“Flying, through the sky or through my own memories.”—Alison d

“ ‘Controlled’ recklessness, ability to ‘fly’ and not be afraid of heights.”—Urszula

“You know those dreams where you can’t run away from danger, or run to catch a bad guy?  Well, I’d like to see that but where the dreamer somehow is finally able to exert control and regain control of their body to accomplish the needed action.”—Louise O

“To perform to the music of the composer whose biography I have written: Antonia Padoani Bembo (Venetian predating the scrumptious Vivaldi excerpts in her Oratorio).”—Claire F.

“Seeing the world upside down.”—Lina H.

“That we could go to sleep when the alarm clock goes off.”—rudy bean

“I would speak to the shadows of my past.”—Shakti S.

“To dance like she does and to have my husband dance like her partner.”—nikki

“To fly thru the air with the greatest of ease.”—Evan H

Victoria Chaplin was inspired to create this production by illustrations from a book about a world turned upside down. What elements of inversion did you notice in the production?

“The series of images that included the kite flying Aurelia, the reversible coat dance with her partner.”—Alison d

“Flowers in vases, taxi ride, walking, dancing, coat hanger.”—Urszula

“The woman-flying kite, watering the clothes on the drying line, the two bottom halves of the dancing couple, the very aggressive empty coat.”—Louise O

“Flowers, Taxi, the upside-down dancer double with a “skirt” on performed by Julio Monge.”—Claire F.

“The first scene, with hands feet, arms and heads coming out of bureau drawers in unexpected ways prepared us for what came next.”—Eva A.

“The shadow walking and the real person doing the same gestures on the floor, wetting the laundry instead of drying it, and climbing on the rope upside down…”—Lina H.

“Kite flying the person, clothes wearing the person, storing shoes on a hat tree, etc. etc. etc.”—rudy bea

“The shadow walking the man; flowers upside down in a vase; Aurelia’s upside down taxi ride; of course, the puppet show (loved that part!!).”—Kim A.

“The shadow that was more upright than the cast-er, the actual inversions (ribbon stuff)….”—Shakti S.

“Clothes wearing people, flowers upside-down in a vase, holding a fan still and shaking the head…”—Carolyn

“So many! Plants, kite, people, rickshaw/taxi.”—nikki

“Puppets in audience, escaping down a rope, etc etc.”—Evan H

Aurélia’s mother directed her in this production.  What artistic creations have you made with your family (in public or at home)?

“My wife & I co-made a dance(her)/music(me) piece in the 80s.”—Evan H

“When there’s snow we’ve had some splendid domestic scenes develop in the back yard with the snow-folk sitting in the lawn chairs, enjoying a glass of wine and the newspaper with the snow-dog chewing a bone on the snow-rug.  Our Halloween decorations also fall into the art category most years – this year two straw people were playing cards, one headless because he’d been cheating with an Ace up his sleeve, beers in hand, the little toy gun on the table keeping things in line.”—Louise O

“Renaissance ensemble music, pop music, piano duets, writing my book. Just for the record, it was my mother, holding me as a baby, who spotted Charlie Chaplin in Heathrow and asked him if he would please kiss me. He did, and I wailed!”—Claire F.

“I am a pianist, and I wanted to become a pianist because of watching my mother play at home. I also have cooked and prepared dinner plates with my partner and my aunt, which feel like artistic projects!”—Alison d

“Home movies, drawings, discussions of arts.”—Urszula

“Photography.”—Lina H.

“My daughter and I played Blanche and Stella in A Street Car Named Desire.”—rudy bean

“Home movies/DVDs with scripts written by my children.  They are wonderfully creative!”—Kim A.

“Music and cake.”—Carolyn

“Family photo books…”—nikki

“We made a killer new year’s card.”—fonchik

Online Hubbub: Aurélia’s Oratorio, Wednesday, December 24, 2008

If you could learn how to perform one of Aurélia’s tricks, which one would it be and why?

“How to play the clocks, because I like clocks and playing with time.”—RJPB

“Liked the puppet show.”—Lenore T.

“Dancing while trading clothes.  I’d like to be able to dance that well.”—Roy R.

If you could ask Aurélia to bring a dream to life for you, what would it be?

“Waking up to find out you’re still dreaming….”—RJPB

Victoria Chaplin was inspired to create this production by illustrations from a book about a world turned upside down.  What elements of inversion did you notice in the production?

“Gravity (upside down palanquin, climbing down rope), shadow and person trading places, planting flowers upside down, smoking infant, seemingly disconnected body parts, time to go to sleep alarm clock.”—Roy R.

“The human was on stage and the puppets were in the audience.”—Lenore T.

Aurélia’s mother directed her in this production.  What artistic creations have you made with your family (in public or at home)?

“Every Halloween costume is a family creation, snow and ice sculptures, home movies that always have a sinister element, cardboard box buildings, origami flower arrangements, painted furniture.”—Roy R.

Online Hubbub: Aurélia’s Oratorio, Sunday, December 21, 2008

If you could learn how to perform one of Aurélia’s tricks, which one would it be and why?

“Hanging from that giant scarf/ribbon thing and using it as a hammock looked like fun. Although if I learned anything, it would probably be one of the tricks that involved being upside down for awhile. I have an irrational fear of being upside down that I would love to overcome!”—Brandy B

“The male dancer and the coat that fought him.”—Al G

“The train through the body tunnel trick – from where I sat, it looked impossible!”—Anonymous

“Well the obvious choice would be the chest of drawers, but I also would love to know how they get into and out of those jackets so seamlessly.”—Kathryn W.

If you could ask Aurélia to bring a dream to life for you, what would it be?

“My dreams always involve several people, all of whom seem to have a better idea of what’s going on around me than I do. My favorite parts of this production were the interactions between Aurélia and Julio, so I’d love to see more of that.”—Brandy B

“The performance was better than any dream.”—Al G

“For years, I had a dream child – a little girl with brown hair, who grew a few months every few years.  When I finally realized she was me, and that we were both in the place where we were meant to be, she disappeared – inside.”—Kathryn W

Victoria Chaplin was inspired to create this production by illustrations from a book about a world turned upside down. What elements of inversion did you notice in the production?

“There were several, but the ones that stick out in my mind are the kite flying Aurélia and the fan.”—Brandy B

“Many juxtapositions of space and cause and effect.”—Al G

“The whole series where Aurelia went to sleep when the alarm clock went off, the mouse bringing in a dead cat.”—Anonymous

“The kite flying the person.  The puppets watching the ‘people’ show.  The jacket with a mind of its own.”—Kathryn W.

Aurélia’s mother directed her in this production.  What artistic creations have you made with your family (in public or at home)?

“My older sister loves theater, and when we were young I was always dragged into performances in front of our family. Sometimes we’d use my grandmother’s old records as a starting point to invent a story, other times we would reproduce scenes from our favorite Disney movies. I remember one performance with a cast including my sister and each of my feet (as individual characters). In another one, I played the whale in Pinnochio–my costume was a blue blanket.”—Brandy B

“We have never expressed ourselves much, except in humor and music, but not in movement.”—Al G

“Tap dancing.”—Kathryn W.

Online Hubbub: Aurélia’s Oratorio, Tuesday, December 16, 2008

If you could learn how to perform one of Aurélia’s tricks, which one would it be and why?

“Being the tunnel for the train.  She made her posture seem natural, but she must have been somewhat contorted.”—Rachael S.

“That’s hard. So much of her performance is tied into the stage set that it’s hard to pin down a trick. One of the set illusions that I would love to peak behind would be the snow/lace box scene. It’s so enchanting.”—Nausicaa

“The four legged one….am still laughing about it.”—Jay S.

“Without a doubt, the first trick. This act was so whimsical, magical and fun to watch. The contrast between the beautiful human body and the furniture was nothing but a treat for the senses.”—Carlos N.

“All were delightful – my daughter most enjoyed the chest of drawers.”—AK

“Getting in and out of jackets, pants, shoes while in bed, upside down, waiting on two feet marks on a sidewalk – or even in my closet sometimes.”—E Rickert

“The person looking as if he/she were walking on his/her hands.”—Anonymous

If you could ask Aurélia to bring a dream to life for you, what would it be?

“Walking on water.”—Sally F.

“I loved the reverse world of her dreams. One interesting dream would be to portray the “haves'” (read the rich) experience the world of the “have-nots'” (read the poor). In these hard economic times it is so important for us to understand what people feel. A tender heart fosters genuine compassion.”—Carlos N

“A recurring dream for many years was being very big — out of proportion to all around me– and very small –likewise, intermittently, almost each time I took a breath or considered my state, it was the converse of what it had been.  The visual measure was a huge black and white checkerboard that spread to infinity around me.  Sometimes there were inanimate objects around me, sometimes animals, sometimes people, and I was often swinging, always moving.”—Rachael S.

“A music box scene, because I’m sure Aurelia would bring something different and special to it that’s never been done before.”—Nausicaa

“Watch a large egg develop from fertilization to a finite creature”—Anonymous

“Peace…here, there, and everywhere.”—Jay S

“If she could raise the dead, I would love to meet her grandfather Charlie Chaplin. He is the greatest actor that ever lived and the most significant figure in the history of film.”—Patty R.

Victoria Chaplin was inspired to create this production by illustrations from a book about a world turned upside down. What elements of inversion did you notice in the production?

“The kite flying Aurelia was the most striking. I loved it! The one where Aurelia fans her fan was also amusing. And the rat dragging the cat. There were so many of them, they were all delightful!”—Nausicaa

“From the rope trick to the hot ice cream to the puppet show. Daliesque delight.”—AK

“Most acts were pretty clear. I was forced to think about how it must feel to be turned upside down. Even though the entire play was like a dream, some of the scenes sure woke me up. All too often we just complacently see the world one way only, failing to see the “view from the other side.”  DREAMS DO WAKE YOU UP!”—Carlos N

“The shadow opposite thing, the puppet show, the sitting in the chair upside down.”—pumicepal

“Many — kite flying a person; face creating a breeze for fan; person walking on hands, others.—Anonymous

Aurélia’s mother directed her in this production.  What artistic creations have you made with your family (in public or at home)?

“10 hour production of the Iliad (just kidding — the war only takes 10 minutes). (concept borrowed from condensed versions of Shakespeare, the English author).”—E Rickert

“We wrote and performed plays when we were younger, classical music and books now that we are older.”—Patty R.

“We have cast each other’s hands, face and legs. In plaster.”—Sally F.

“We paint and draw in my studio.”—Ann S

“I am most creative when I play with my grandson and allow myself to enter his limitless world of possibilities.”—Carlos N

“Shared in grandson’s development of expertise in origami; granddaughter’s learning to draw”—Anonymous

“Christmas secrets: creative little projects we do collaboratively behind the backs of other family members.  It’s my favorite aspect of Christmas.  It might be a book or a piece of jewelry, or a song.”—Rachael S.

“Lip-synched to Diana Ross.”—pumicepal

“My mother loves small glass figurines and when my sister and I were young, we would constantly rearrange them.”—Nausicaa