2004-01-14 - 12:03 a.m. - Alfoldi's Merchant of Venice - Wow. And Wade McCollum was awesome, too.

It's quite late and I have to get up in a mere 5.5 hours, but here I sit writing because my mind is reeling of what I just saw and experienced tonight. This entry may not make much sense but I feel I have to write it off the cuff with no editing.

I just saw "The Merchant of Venice" tonight, but as controversial as this play is for Shakespeare, this was not just any ordinary production. It was brought to the great NW by the Hungarian director, Robert Alfoldi. (There's suppose to be two dots above the "o" in his last name, but I have no clue as to how to do that on my computer.) And I should add the descriptors - the AMAZINGLY CREATIVE Robert Alfoldi.

WOW. That is all I can say. That and "what the f*ck?" I'm still thinking about it and all the images - both on stage and the screen behind the stage. Perhaps if I had seen a traditional interpretation of the play prior to this performance, I might not be quite as confused - I shouldn't say confused - I guess it just brings up a lot of questions about human nature and society - whether you have the setting in traditional Elizabethan times or in modern times. Alfoldi's interpretation is an extreme one at that - at one moment you're laughing out loud and the next moment you're shocked by what you're seeing and/or hearing. Obviously this is part of the traditional play itself, but Alfoldi takes it to the extreme.

The main character, Shylock, is played by Scott Coopwood. He is incredible - what an intense role! He's so mean and evil and yet I felt pity for him at the end with how his fate turns...the rest of the characters don't do much to redeem themselves – at least in my book. Such hatred and violence - it's so shocking and sad how human nature is at times. "An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind."

And there's a very interesting relationship in this version between Antonio and Bassanio - they're lovers and even do a nude scene. I think for actors just to perform on stage is a brave feat in and of itself, but to have to walk around nude during a scene and be completely comfortable with it takes "balls" if you ask me. And what nice ones Cody Nickell has!

But the real scene stealer and absolute delight was none other than my favorite Portland actor - Wade McCollum. He played Lancelot and was an absolute panic (as my mom would say). My favorite scene is when he's debating about whether or not he should escape from the service of Shylock. He has this debate with his conscience and "evil nemesis". And here's where some of the creativity of the director come in - Wade used a hand-held video camera that was projected onto three screens set at the rear of the stage. He would hold the camera up and speak to it when it was his conscience talking and then hold it down at knee length and speak when his evil nemesis was talking. He did it really fast and was just brilliant.

Another great innovation by the director is that when the actors were "thinking out loud", they would speak directly into this tiny camera that was at the foot of the stage and the image was projected onto the screens at the rear of the stage. Just amazing and like nothing else I have ever seen....

During the last scene, they had images on the screens - a cross, the star of David, an oil tank, a dollar sign - and then they showed Bush right before they showed Osama bin Laden and images of 9/11. And I ask, who is the axis of evil????? It takes one to know one….

Wow. In any case, they had a reception after the play and most of the actors came out and milled around a bit. Me being the "crazed" fan that I am, I just had to talk with Wade. Fortunately my patient friend, Toni, hung around with me until I had the opportunity to do so. While waiting and sipping on a cranberry and vodka, I saw the director come out. Both Toni and I really wanted to ask him, "what the f*ck?" We both thought the play was brilliant, but it does raise so many questions. I decided I had to at least thank him for coming to PDX and that I really enjoyed the play. I went up to him and told him. As I was speaking, this woman next to him kept speaking immediately after me but directly to him. It quickly dawned on me that she was translating everything I was saying, and I was a bit thrown off by it all given that I wasn’t expecting it. I guess I just assumed he spoke English. He graciously said "thank you" about three times and I quickly shut up because the translation bit really threw me for a loop. I decided I wouldn’t ask, "what the f*ck". (hahaha - not that I would have!)

Finally I got to speak with Wade. I told him what a great job I thought he did and how I loved the play. I also asked him about this other thing he’s involved with on the PDX Spirit – a boat that takes cruises down the river and which has been advertising his performance on the next three consecutive Fridays. I said to him incredulously – "you have to do it immediately after just doing this???" He said – "yeah – I know!" I asked him what he was doing and he said, "well I had played this character called Hedwig…" I said, "of course – I saw it a couple of times" (I failed to say I saw it a couple of times EACH SUMMER he had performed!) He’s performing in a rock band he’s put together and will be doing some Hedwig songs as well as some originals. Well guess who’s going to have to go on one of those cruises!!!! He was really nice and gracious and asked me my name. I told him, and he said, "I’m Wade". But of course – I would cross this state to see you perform! This guy is the real deal – he’s got SO MUCH talent! I just love to watch him bring the characters he plays to life.

Wow – I’m still in awe and amazed at this play and the interpretation of it. Just incredible….

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the holding back the the flow of tears - 2005-02-20
song survey - 2005-02-15
song for the day...or perhaps the year... - 2005-01-25
something new - 2005-01-24
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