|
||
|
Disclaimer:
The reviewers' opinions are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheatreLouisville.org. |
Articles Has Susan Pope Lost Her Head? By Sherry Deatrick Entire contents are copyright © 2009 Sherry Deatrick. All rights reserved.
Sometimes I think I lead a charmed life. In fact, I know I do. During my stay at the Kentucky Foundation for Women's Hopscotch House this week, I was privileged to share the space with Susan Pope, along with two other women. Pope, a Danville theatre professional, was cooped up for long hours in the chicken coop studio, ironing out the details of her one-woman show, Dreadfully White (love that title!). Over the kitchen table, however, we had some interesting chats about life and art. I was having a hard time imagining what to expect from her description of her work. It's non-linear and highly physical, she explained, and uses unusual props in unusual ways. But I just couldn't picture it from this abstract description. Perhaps it's better to go in with no expectations or preconceptions. Still, I'd like to talk about this amazing artist and put her work in context without ruining the surprise for you. You need to know about her. On Thursday night, she let me sneak a peek at the show, which is still a work-in-progress. We walked out to the chicken coop under a gibbous moon, flashlights in our hands. I sat in a rocking chair while she set up her props, which consist of five and one-half styrofoam wigheads, a long piece of diaphanous black cloth, a ladder, a broom and some other items. And then I was treated to a show like none I've ever seen. The heads represent several distinct characters and also objects (such as telephones and x's and o's in a bizarre tic-tac-toe game). Pope plays ten different characters. The events and relationships of the play are seen through the changing lens of a main character as she ages and gains perspective and as she becomes a caretaker for her mother’s former abuser.
Pope emphasizes that it's not a "preachy play." "It is intense and whimsical," she says. "It's like a photo album that tells more than you intended. I hope every audience member will connect to a fragment of their own life experience." She hit the nail on the head (no pun intended). Using avant-garde and ancient theatrical techniques and lots of physicality, music and striking imagery, Pope magically conveys the crazy-making family dynamic where abuse is prevalent, without resorting to graphic depictions or descriptions of family violence. While it's inspired by events in her life as well as other people's lives, Pope says it's not autobiographical. Yes, it's intense and serious, but it's also genuinely funny. I laughed out loud while being chilled to the bone -- an unusual feeling -- during certain scenes, even though I was the only person in the audience. Now that's the mark of truly great theatre. I don't want to say too much about the show because I hope you'll get the chance to see it if she brings it to Louisville (hint hint). Clearly, Louisville hasn't cornered the Kentucky market on cutting edge theatre. I can't say enough good things about it and wish I could say more. I love Pope's sense of humor and skill in showing, rather than telling, how fear and denial affect all members of a family, and about the "environmental benefits" of styrofoam. Pope shows us that what might appear A-OK to the outside world is sometimes totally twisted and surreal behind closed doors, especially as perceived by a child. Some humans can be just as toxic as polystyrene, while intending or seeming to be beneficial on the surface. Dreadfully White started out as a short piece at a workshop led by Daniel Stein at the Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre. It was very dark and almost an "assault on the audience," Pope says. She had to add humor when developing the 50 minute play. Pope credits her director, Bet Stewart (of Cincinnati) with helping her to "see" what she's communicating through her words and actions. As Pope says, the play has many layers. The physical movement layer (including interaction with the set, props, and lights) is most important for telling the story, but over that are poetry, monologue, dialogue, song, and original music. Her creative process involved improvising alone with her props in front of large mirrors. "I improvised with my director. I wrote down what I had done in detail. And I repeated this process numerous times. I also pulled in poetry I had written and created original music with my husband, John Pope, through similar improvisational processes," she said. What does she hope the audience takes from the performance? Pope reaches for a quote from Stein, "I want to change the way the audience breathes." As I made my way back to the main house from the chicken coop, it wasn't just the terrain that had me breathing differently. This is a performance I'll add to my treasures. As if she isn't busy enough, Pope is also a teaching artist on the Kentucky Arts Council Arts Education Roster, teaching drama to students K-12, and a music interpreter at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill. Her next project is in development. It's an educational play drawn from primary source materials of children and teens during the Civil War. You can catch Dreadfully White on Tuesday, August 11, at Danville's Pioneer Playhouse at 3:30 pm and on the following Tuesday, August 18, at Nicholasville's Main Street Playhouse at 7:00 pm. The show runs about an hour. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. For more information about the show or about this fascinating artist and drama teacher, see Pope's website. Won't someone please bring this show to Louisville?
Posted by SRD, Friday, August 7, 9:33am
|
|
