Michael Feldsher (left) portrays Hamlet and Michael Stebbins is Martin Luther in Rep Stage's production at Howard Community College of the play by David Davalos. (Stan Barouh // Special to the Baltimore Sun / August 20, 2009) |
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History, literature, fantasy and cheekiness collide in "Wittenberg," a play by David Davalos that has received a highly caffeinated production by Rep Stage to launch the Howard County company's 17th season.
Davalos hit upon a promising concept for this 2008 work, which imagines a meeting of minds and qualms at the famed German university where, in real life, Martin Luther battled constipation and elements of Catholicism; where, as Shakespeare has it, an indecisive Dane named Prince Hamlet matriculated, and where, Goethe tells us, a certain Doctor Faustus taught before doing a little soul-trading.
By setting the action in 1517, the year Luther nailed up his 95 Theses, the playwright adds extra spice, but he's interested in a lot more than the selling of indulgences. In "Wittenberg," the theologian's internal battles aren't aggravated by the arrogant mix of presumptions and doubts constantly spewing from Faustus, who also delights in goading young Hamlet into taking a definitive stand on anything.
It's a talky play, needless to say, and the contrivances at work are not exactly seamless. Davalos tries very hard to entertain. For the most part, the weighty issues that pop up all over the place are played for laughs. There are one-liners and pun-prone twists of phrase aplenty (Hamlet initially wonders if the question is "to believe or not to believe"). There's also a lot of shtick, the sort you could imagine cast members of "The Carol Burnett Show" trying out in one of their spoofs.
Most successful is the treatment of Faustus as an unconventional professor ready to mock current thinking, to make students and faculty colleagues alike challenge everything they believe. He's part-psychiatrist, complete with analysis coach, and part-party animal.
As played by Seth Reichgott on Saturday's opening night performance at the Smith Theatre in Columbia, Faust also appears to have been a forefather of George Carlin. Reichgott gave a confident, bold, even manic performance, particularly relishing the bursts of anachronism that pepper "Wittenberg," from pot to pop ( Robert Palmer and Doris Day songs are cleverly inserted at key points).
Michael Stebbins, as Luther, matched Reichgott bellow for bellow, as if playing for balcony patrons seated a few miles away, and complemented the robust delivery with a decidedly expressive face.
Michael Feldsher neatly suggested Hamlet as a not-quite-centered student who seemed as baffled as Gloria Upson in "Auntie Mame" when asked about choosing a major. If Feldsher could have used a little more vocal nuance, he jumped into the zanier portions of the action, including a tennis match, with zest.
As The Eternal Feminine, Emily Clare Zempel showed skill in handling multiple assignments, including the Virgin Mary (one of the odder and least convincing passages of the play) and a barmaid who has purchased such a generous package of indulgences that she delights in further sinning ("It's covered!").
It would be interesting to know how "Wittenberg" would hold up with a less pushy, less wired and simply less loud approach than that taken by director Tony Tsendeas, but he certainly has the action moving briskly and smoothly within Paul Christensen's effective set. Norah Worthington created the evocative costumes, Jay Herzog the subtle lighting.
In the end, "Wittenberg" doesn't necessarily deliver any shattering revelations about the famed figures who people the stage. But there's something to be said for a play with so many provocative ideas in it, ideas thrown around by characters who, as Shakespeare's Hamlet might say, are "crawling between earth and heaven."
Rep Stage's production of "Wittenberg" continues through Sept. 13 at the Smith Theatre, Howard Community College, 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia. Tickets are $16 to $30 (pay what you can on Sept. 2). Call 410-772-4900 or go to repstage.org.
At 8 p.m. Friday, pianist Lura Johnson will play works by Brahms, Shostakovich and Prokofiev. Classical guitarist Ana Vidovic will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday. An die Musik is at 409 N. Charles St. Call 410-385-2638 or go to andiemusiklive.com.
Davalos hit upon a promising concept for this 2008 work, which imagines a meeting of minds and qualms at the famed German university where, in real life, Martin Luther battled constipation and elements of Catholicism; where, as Shakespeare has it, an indecisive Dane named Prince Hamlet matriculated, and where, Goethe tells us, a certain Doctor Faustus taught before doing a little soul-trading.
By setting the action in 1517, the year Luther nailed up his 95 Theses, the playwright adds extra spice, but he's interested in a lot more than the selling of indulgences. In "Wittenberg," the theologian's internal battles aren't aggravated by the arrogant mix of presumptions and doubts constantly spewing from Faustus, who also delights in goading young Hamlet into taking a definitive stand on anything.
It's a talky play, needless to say, and the contrivances at work are not exactly seamless. Davalos tries very hard to entertain. For the most part, the weighty issues that pop up all over the place are played for laughs. There are one-liners and pun-prone twists of phrase aplenty (Hamlet initially wonders if the question is "to believe or not to believe"). There's also a lot of shtick, the sort you could imagine cast members of "The Carol Burnett Show" trying out in one of their spoofs.
Most successful is the treatment of Faustus as an unconventional professor ready to mock current thinking, to make students and faculty colleagues alike challenge everything they believe. He's part-psychiatrist, complete with analysis coach, and part-party animal.
As played by Seth Reichgott on Saturday's opening night performance at the Smith Theatre in Columbia, Faust also appears to have been a forefather of George Carlin. Reichgott gave a confident, bold, even manic performance, particularly relishing the bursts of anachronism that pepper "Wittenberg," from pot to pop ( Robert Palmer and Doris Day songs are cleverly inserted at key points).
Michael Stebbins, as Luther, matched Reichgott bellow for bellow, as if playing for balcony patrons seated a few miles away, and complemented the robust delivery with a decidedly expressive face.
Michael Feldsher neatly suggested Hamlet as a not-quite-centered student who seemed as baffled as Gloria Upson in "Auntie Mame" when asked about choosing a major. If Feldsher could have used a little more vocal nuance, he jumped into the zanier portions of the action, including a tennis match, with zest.
As The Eternal Feminine, Emily Clare Zempel showed skill in handling multiple assignments, including the Virgin Mary (one of the odder and least convincing passages of the play) and a barmaid who has purchased such a generous package of indulgences that she delights in further sinning ("It's covered!").
It would be interesting to know how "Wittenberg" would hold up with a less pushy, less wired and simply less loud approach than that taken by director Tony Tsendeas, but he certainly has the action moving briskly and smoothly within Paul Christensen's effective set. Norah Worthington created the evocative costumes, Jay Herzog the subtle lighting.
In the end, "Wittenberg" doesn't necessarily deliver any shattering revelations about the famed figures who people the stage. But there's something to be said for a play with so many provocative ideas in it, ideas thrown around by characters who, as Shakespeare's Hamlet might say, are "crawling between earth and heaven."
Rep Stage's production of "Wittenberg" continues through Sept. 13 at the Smith Theatre, Howard Community College, 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia. Tickets are $16 to $30 (pay what you can on Sept. 2). Call 410-772-4900 or go to repstage.org.
Piano, guitar recitals
Classical music typically isn't plentiful around Labor Day Weekend, but at An die Musik, the attitude is holiday-schmoliday. You'll find two recitals there by fine artists, both alumni of the Peabody Conservatory.At 8 p.m. Friday, pianist Lura Johnson will play works by Brahms, Shostakovich and Prokofiev. Classical guitarist Ana Vidovic will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday. An die Musik is at 409 N. Charles St. Call 410-385-2638 or go to andiemusiklive.com.
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