Orson's Shadow
Many film experts consider "Citizen Kane" as one of the greatest
movies ever made. Created in 1941 by Orson Wells, a young genius,
it played to packed houses across the world, and can still be seen
on university campuses and in prestigious film festivals.
Many theater scholars think of Lawrence Olivier as one of
England's finest stage actors; and Vivien Leigh, his beautiful wife,
as a film star second to none. (Just think of "Gone with the Wind"
and "A Streetcar Named Desire.")
Now fast forward twenty years to 1960.
Because of creative disappointments and box office failures,
Orson is unwelcome in Hollywood so he's living in Ireland. At the
same time, the classical approach of English theater is making room
for contemporaneous styles of expression that Lawrence doesn't
understand. And tragically, the gorgeous talented Vivien is losing
her mind because she's bipolar.
Meanwhile, Kenneth Tynan (a brilliant, intellectual critic) has
been following all of their careers since he was a teenager; and
because they're so gifted he's devoted to each one of them.
Although Orson and Larry are bitter enemies; and Larry is leaving
Vivien because he can't tolerate her mood swings, Ken has a grand
idea. He knows that Olivier and actress Joan Plowright (Larry's latest
lover) are working on a production of Ionesco's "Rhinoceros" in
London; so he goes to Dublin to ask Orson to direct it. Ken intuits
that Larry is overwhelmed by Theater of the Absurd, and Orson can
help him.
Fast forward another 40 years. Working with historical facts as
outlined above, playwright Austin Pendleton wrote "Orson's Shadow"
as conceived by Judith Auberjonois. An entertaining peek inside the
explosive behavior of five creative geniuses, the work is a dark
comedy that imagines what took place between these legendary
protagonists.
Whether or not you're familiar with the back stories of Orson,
Lawrence, Vivien, Joan, or Kenneth, you'll get a glimpse of their
private lives. Thanks to Alive Theatre (a band of thespians that
performs throughout town at different locations), "Orson's Shadow"
is currently on stage in the Long Beach Playhouse Studio Theatre as
part of its "New Collaborative Series."
Director Ricci Dedola has been excited about this work ever
since she saw it in New York seven years ago. Needless to say, it's
not easy to find actors who can impersonate world-famous,
larger-than-life personalities.
But I encourage you to go. Just march in with the de rigueur
"willing suspension of disbelief" and you'll be royally entertained.
From your first sight of the "ghost lamp" on an empty stage, you
know you're in for genuine backstage intrigue; and under Dedola's
tender loving care, the six-member cast gives it to you.
Robert Edward knocks out all the stops with his terrific
portrayal of Orson; Jonathan Lewis (though a bit young) gives a fine
interpretation of Kenneth Tynan--the brilliant, stammering, non-stop
smoking critic who serves as the play's narrator; and Joe Howells is
properly naive as the bumbling stage "gofer"
Cassie Vail Yeager is quite believable--not only as the
beautiful Vivien Leigh, but as an unstable woman who is losing her
mind; and Ashley Allen is also convincing as sensible,
down-to-earth Joan Plowright.
Which leaves Tim Thorn's over-wrought impersonation of Lawrence
Olivier. A little flamboyance goes a long way. If Thorn could tone
it down a bit, stop mugging and pace himself, his portrayal would be
a success.
"Orson's Shadow" continues at 8, Fri-Sat.; 2, Sun., through Feb 5
Special shadow play of "Rhinoceros" at 11 pm after the Feb. 4
performance. Call (562) 494-1014 or www.lbplayhouse.org