2008 Woodie Awards
UT theatre gives new meaning to 'Arabian Nights'
Tom Zallocco
Issue date: 11/17/08 Section: Arts & Life
Mary Zimmerman's "The Arabian Nights" is an odd, funny retelling of the Scheherazade story that twists and even expands on what people may already know about the classic tales. The play, directed by Irene Alby, a lecturer in the Theatre department, opened Friday, Nov. 14 in the Center for Performing Arts and is the latest play in the Theatre Department's 2008-2009 season.
Set in Persia, King Shahryar, played by Ernest Green, a senior majoring in theatre, kills his wife after finding out she was involved in an illicit affair. In retaliation, the king marries a virgin, only to have her executed the following morning. Scheherazade, the storyteller, played by Katie Rediger, a senior majoring in theatre, tries to fix King Shahryar's problem by telling him stories over 1,001 nights until she successfully warms his heart.
The first thing to be said about "The Arabian Nights" is made clear on the CPA poster, which says there may be things unsuitable for pre-teens. This is definitely not the "Arabian Nights" some of us grew up with in grade school. There's no Aladdin or Prince Ali Baba. Instead, the stories here are peppered with morals, poems and humor often based upon erotic and anatomic images.
This is nothing new for Zimmerman, a Chicago-based playwright/director who has made a career remolding ancient mythology (Odyssey, Metamorphoses, Cymbeline) for modern tastes. But you may tend to forget her words and focus on the sets, lighting, choreography and other physical details which seem unlikely to have come from any printed page.
As Alby states in the program, Arab folklore is an oral tradition where listening to the spoken word allows us to digest the story in a way the eye cannot duplicate. Perhaps to accommodate our lazy ears, Alby loads the stage with detail to give our eyes a workout.
Each time Scheherazade begins a tale, she and the other actors re-enact her tales center stage. All the while, we see and hear the reactions of Shahryar, his court and Scheherazade herself as they watch the performance. They become an audience as much as we do.
If Scheherazade's tales are shows-within-a-show, this play takes on a head spinning show-within-a-show-within-a-show approach. The beginning introduces us to a Jester narrating the Shahryar-Scheherazade story. Within the "Nights" tales, the characters themselves become narrators whose tales are performed.
What this means is the relationship between narrator and character is so intricate, by the end, you may find yourself wondering which is which. Depending on your love of theatre, this can either be an irritation or a great exploration.
From the cast, it is difficult not to single out Green, who commands himself like a Yul Brynner-type with his booming voice, mean look and concentrated poise. The supporting cast may seem a bit clownish, but then again, this show doesn't require the realism we often expect from the theatre. We are constantly reminded that they are actors performing mini-stories. This is similar to the musical "Godspell," where hippies re-enact the Parables.
As a "storytelling" story, there are artificial movements which look right for Arab folkloric culture but not if we used them at the dinner table. For this we can credit Risa Beth Cohen. Credited as an expert in storytelling gestures, we sense Cohen's contribution so much throughout the acting, especially in the motions of arms, hands and hips, that it feels more like dance than stage blocking.
All in all, "The Arabian Nights" is fun and meaningful, restoring an adult intelligence not often associated with these tales. There's plenty of humor, color and creativity to hold your attention and the play is sure to entertain.
"The Arabian Nights" is showing at the Center for Performing Arts, Nov. 19-23. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $13; $11 for faculty, staff, alumni and seniors; and $9 for students. Tickets can be purchased online at Utoledo.edu/boxoffice, at the box office prior to the shows or by calling 419-530-2375.
Set in Persia, King Shahryar, played by Ernest Green, a senior majoring in theatre, kills his wife after finding out she was involved in an illicit affair. In retaliation, the king marries a virgin, only to have her executed the following morning. Scheherazade, the storyteller, played by Katie Rediger, a senior majoring in theatre, tries to fix King Shahryar's problem by telling him stories over 1,001 nights until she successfully warms his heart.
The first thing to be said about "The Arabian Nights" is made clear on the CPA poster, which says there may be things unsuitable for pre-teens. This is definitely not the "Arabian Nights" some of us grew up with in grade school. There's no Aladdin or Prince Ali Baba. Instead, the stories here are peppered with morals, poems and humor often based upon erotic and anatomic images.
This is nothing new for Zimmerman, a Chicago-based playwright/director who has made a career remolding ancient mythology (Odyssey, Metamorphoses, Cymbeline) for modern tastes. But you may tend to forget her words and focus on the sets, lighting, choreography and other physical details which seem unlikely to have come from any printed page.
As Alby states in the program, Arab folklore is an oral tradition where listening to the spoken word allows us to digest the story in a way the eye cannot duplicate. Perhaps to accommodate our lazy ears, Alby loads the stage with detail to give our eyes a workout.
Each time Scheherazade begins a tale, she and the other actors re-enact her tales center stage. All the while, we see and hear the reactions of Shahryar, his court and Scheherazade herself as they watch the performance. They become an audience as much as we do.
If Scheherazade's tales are shows-within-a-show, this play takes on a head spinning show-within-a-show-within-a-show approach. The beginning introduces us to a Jester narrating the Shahryar-Scheherazade story. Within the "Nights" tales, the characters themselves become narrators whose tales are performed.
What this means is the relationship between narrator and character is so intricate, by the end, you may find yourself wondering which is which. Depending on your love of theatre, this can either be an irritation or a great exploration.
From the cast, it is difficult not to single out Green, who commands himself like a Yul Brynner-type with his booming voice, mean look and concentrated poise. The supporting cast may seem a bit clownish, but then again, this show doesn't require the realism we often expect from the theatre. We are constantly reminded that they are actors performing mini-stories. This is similar to the musical "Godspell," where hippies re-enact the Parables.
As a "storytelling" story, there are artificial movements which look right for Arab folkloric culture but not if we used them at the dinner table. For this we can credit Risa Beth Cohen. Credited as an expert in storytelling gestures, we sense Cohen's contribution so much throughout the acting, especially in the motions of arms, hands and hips, that it feels more like dance than stage blocking.
All in all, "The Arabian Nights" is fun and meaningful, restoring an adult intelligence not often associated with these tales. There's plenty of humor, color and creativity to hold your attention and the play is sure to entertain.
"The Arabian Nights" is showing at the Center for Performing Arts, Nov. 19-23. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $13; $11 for faculty, staff, alumni and seniors; and $9 for students. Tickets can be purchased online at Utoledo.edu/boxoffice, at the box office prior to the shows or by calling 419-530-2375.
Be the first to comment on this story