Zona de Guerra, Longa Viagem de Volta pra Casa and Cardiff are Homens ao Mar—O’Neill’s Sea Plays. In their first time performing outside Brazil, Companhia Triptal explores O'Neill's lifelong obsession with the sea.
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I saw Zona de Guerra last night and loved it. What struck me most was that although the sailors were rough and sometimes violent, they moved so gracefully with exquisitely contained strength--particularly in the opening scene where a night of drinking is almost like a dance. What a beautiful play! I'm definitely coming to the next two.
ReplyDeleteI saw Zona de Guerra last evening with my wife and I found the performance very good. I recommend theatergoers who are about the see the play to read it beforehand (it's only a few pages, it will take you 15 minutes or so) as the lines are delivered in Portuguese. There is superscripted English above the stage, but why would you want to take your eyes of these actors?
ReplyDeleteSo much of the play is about tension and suspicion stretching some fairly stoic men to their breaking points, and the set does a decent job of echoing this feeling. Rather than having the action take place in a tiny rectangular hull, the 'cabin' of the ship is open in a 'V' towards the audience and the walls seem attenuated more like paper than steel. You get the feeling that all that water is going to come rushing in at any moment.
But enough about the set, the actors deserve a lion's share of the attention. With so much of the action taking place in dramatic pauses and the slow build of suspicion, its seems appropriate that much of the cast is wiry, but powerful and incredibly acrobatic and liable to snap and scamper around at any moment.
I do not envy a life at sea in peace time to say nothing of being 'in the zone'.
I saw Zona de Guerra last evening with my wife and I found the performance very good. I recommend theatergoers who are about the see the play to read it beforehand (it's only a few pages, it will take you 15 minutes or so) as the lines are delivered in Portuguese. There is superscripted English above the stage, but why would you want to take your eyes of these actors?
ReplyDeleteSo much of the play is about tension and suspicion stretching some fairly stoic men to their breaking points, and the set does a decent job of echoing this feeling. Rather than having the action take place in a tiny rectangular hull, the 'cabin' of the ship is open in a 'V' towards the audience and the walls seem attenuated more like paper than steel. You get the feeling that all that water is going to come rushing in at any moment.
But enough about the set, the actors deserve a lion's share of the attention. With so much of the action taking place in dramatic pauses and the slow build of suspicion, its seems appropriate that much of the cast is wiry, but powerful and incredibly acrobatic and liable to snap and scamper around at any moment.
I do not envy a life at sea in peace time to say nothing of being 'in the zone'.
I'm not sure I liked it as much as the people who have already commented. I don't really know what to make of it, though, because it was so different than anything I've seen before. I thought the stage set was wonderful and I like the eerie water sounds, but I'm not sure I really understood the story. Why did the one sailor (or servant?) come up with such an elaborate story to make the other sailors attack the Englishman? Why did they believe such a tall tale? I thought maybe they had just been out at sea for so long that nothing made sense anymore...
ReplyDeleteAn exquisitely grotesque staging of one of O'Neill's pessimistically vital short plays. Accolades to the Goodman for bringing this troupe to Chicago from their native Brazil.
ReplyDeleteOne highlight: portholes hang suspended from the ceiling, and sway back and forth through much of the show, giving the effect of rolling waves. It's almost enough to make one seasick. Luckily, one is distracted by the knock-your-socks-off performances of the acting company. (One is obliged to put one's socks back on prior to exiting the venue, in light of frigid temperatures.)
The whole event makes one curious about Brazilian theatre in general. Is it a thriving scene? Lots of playwrights? Does the government fund it? Hmmm.
Anonymous--I like your thought that the sailors had been out at sea for so long that it was incredibly difficult for them to distinguish reality from the elaborate conjectures of their fellow sailor/servant.
ReplyDeleteLes Savy Ferd said it well when he wrote, "the play is about tension and suspicion stretching some fairly stoic men to their breaking points." I think that pretty much sums up the plot. The program notes say that the play is based on O'Neill's experiences in the merchant marine, so I hate to imagine what happened to him out at sea. I'd be interested to know if any of Zona de Guerra is autobiographical.
They are wonderful!!!
ReplyDeleteRose K.
Why not post discussion today (1/17) after the 2 PM performance? I thought and read there was to be post after the play. Although some left, other move down close to the stage…but no discussion. Why?
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteWe have scheduled post-show discussions for selected performances during the O'Neill Exploration, the dates of which are noted in the Exploration brochure. Initially, no discussions were scheduled during the run of the Companhia Triptal's SEA PLAYS; but the director of the plays, Andre Garolli, requested that we add post-show discussions after each Thursday evening's performance. If you were unable to attend that performance, we encourage you to join the discussion of these plays here on our blog. Also, we will be hosting a conversation with Mr. Garolli on Thursday, January 29 at the Art Institute of Chicago from 6:00 to 7:00 PM; admission is free of charge, and Mr. Garolli will be speaking about his process in exploring these plays.
Sincerely yours,
Lori Kleinerman
Director, Marketing and Public Relations
I appreciated the opportunity to see this company and to experience their work in Portuguese. I enjoyed the third play the most, having read the synopsis, partly because I didn't have to worry about the supertitles. I loved the moving audience concept and am glad Goodman took the risk.
ReplyDelete