[NEohioPAL] Oberlin College presents The English Channel, a new play by Robert Brustein, directed by Associate Professor Matthew Wright

[Rebecca Balmer]

Robert Brustein's

*The English Channel*

in Oberlin College's Little Theater

November 12-16, 2008

*OBERLIN, OH— "Shakespeare was a naughty schoolboy," comments renowned
critic and playwright Robert Brustein on the central character in his play, The
English Channel.  Brunstein eschews unnecessary reverence in this play,
toying with the idea that Shakespeare and his peers were unfaithful,
promiscuous, and completely open about it. In a review of the original
production, The Boston Globe referred to Channel as "Shakespeare in
Lust."  While
this lewd comedy never fails to shock, it simultaneously explores the
artistic process, and raises questions about the importance of originality
versus quality.  Does it matter if Shakespeare's ideas were stolen from a
less able playwright?  Set in 1593, when "Will" was still caught up in
writing history plays, Brunstein's script insinuates that Shakespeare's
ideas and a great number of his celebrated texts were plucked from the
bawdily poetic ramblings of his friend and artistic rival, Christopher
Marlowe.  The English Channel bolsters another theory:  that Shakespeare's
sonnets were written to the first published female poet, Emilia Lanier, the
seductive catalyst for tension and betrayal among Shakespeare's
friends.  Brustein
approaches such potentially esoteric academic theories with quick, playful
dialogue and, of course, bounteous pillow talk.*

*The English Channel *will be performed at Oberlin College's Little Theater
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday November 12, 13, 14, 15 and
16 at 8 pm.  There will be no matinee performances. Seating in Little
Theater is limited and there is no late seating. This production is
sponsored by the Oberlin College Theater and Dance Program.

The production will coincide with a visit to campus and lecture by Robert
Brustein on Friday November 14.

*Production Notes*

When asked to sum up *English Channel *in three words, director Matthew
Wright provides "creativity, intrigue and sex."  Concerning creativity,
Wright explains, this play covers a "National Enquirer branch of academia."
Among Shakespearean-versed intelligentsia, the question of whether
Shakespeare created his own works or whether he had a ghostwriter often
arises and according to many, a plausible candidate has always been
Christopher Marlowe.  This play takes the term ghostwriter to new extremes,
with Marlowe appearing, quite literally, as a ghost in the beginning of the
play.  Though Brustein is considered by many the "Dean of American Theatre
Criticism," his script fights the notion that theatre criticism and
historical exploration are heady endeavors; verbose though it may be, this
play is just as playful as it is cerebral.

*The English Channel *features honors candidates Annika Franklin '09
(Emiliana Lanier), Alex Huntsburger '09 (Christopher Marlowe) and Andrew
Mooney '09 (William Shakespeare).  Joining them to play the Third Earl of
Southampton- heartbreaker, muckraker, etc., is Kevin Carr. The play was
initially submitted to Mathew Wright by veteran critic and Oberlin professor
Roger Copeland, who received it from Brustein himself.  Brustein, a
professor of English at Harvard, has graciously accepted an invitation to
lecture at Oberlin in conjunction with the performance.

Wright makes it clear that there is nothing conceptual about the play- it is
a "comedy of manners," and is "all about the language."  Abstract or
modernized interpretations of set or costume would distract from the purpose
and historical nature of the play, he asserts. The show will thus take place
in its intended setting, transforming the Little Theatre into a room above
the Mermaid Tavern, a well known hangout for "wits gathered to outwit one
another," aided, of course, by an abundance of  alcohol.

            Wright further emphasizes that a certain level of authenticity
must be maintained due to the play's many historical references regarding
the incredible political upheaval at the time.  Just as the characters in
the show seem unable to avoid romantic drama and deceit, these literary
deities, dandies, and adulteresses are likewise entrenched in the political
milieu.  Expanding on this notion, Brustein brings issues of espionage and
treason into the spotlight.

            Brustein quashes the stereotype of historical drama as stuffy,
and instills the script with buoyant vernacular dialogue.  When questioned
whether the script's often informal, sexually charged banter is historically
accurate, Wright replies that "the characters in Shakespeare's plays speak
to one another in the vernacular all the time."  He speculates that  in *
Channel*, Christopher Marlowe speaks in a manner highly reminiscent of
Mercutio in *Romeo and Juliet*.  A long line of criticism exists, in fact,
linking Mercutio to Marlowe for their flaunted crassness.  This, coupled
with the fact that "*Channel's *characters speak to each other like people,"
Wright concludes, "is completely accurate."  Shakespeare's firm and humorous
grasp on slang has sustained his plays throughout the ages, and Brustein's
work both captures the nuances and the sheds light on the origins of that
style.

*Cast*

Annika Franklin '09 (Emelia Lanier), Alex Huntsberger '09 (Christopher
Marlowe), Kevin Carr '09 (Henry Wriothsley, Third Earl of Southampton),  Andrew
Mooney '09 (William Shakespeare).

*Production Staff *

Matthew Wright (Director), Holland Hamilton '11 (Stage Manager), Laura
Cornwall '12 (Assistant Stage Manager), Kate Ettinger '11 (Music
Coordinator), Matthew Wright and Chris Flaherty (Costume Coordinators), Read
Tuddenham '12(Technical Cordinator), Barbara Kessler (Box Office), Moze
Halperin '11, Alexander Birnie '10 and Emma Louise Rodriguez '11
(Publicity).

*Matthew Wright* (Director) is an actor, director, voice and dialect coach
and theatre educator whose work has taken him across the United States. He
has directed numerous plays for colleges and universities including
significant productions of: *Vieux Carre, A Bright Room Called Day, Dancing
At Lughnasa, Three Sisters *(at Oberlin College); *Ivanov, Brand, Hedda
Gabler, Holy* *Ghosts, Harvey, Misalliance, *and *1940s Radio Hour *(all at
Florida Atlantic University). Professionally, Matthew has cocreated and
directed three performance projects with The Core Ensemble, a new music
chamber orchestra. One of these productions (*Tres Vidas) *continues to tour
internationally since it's debut in 2001. Other professional directing
projects include work at City Theatre *(Summer Shorts, *1998 and
1999*), *FloridaStage
(staged readings of *Fish or Cut Bait *and *Beeluther-* *hatchee), *the
Caldwell Theatre Company (staged reading of *Fanny and Walt*) and The Miami
International Book Fair (reduced version of *The Cherry Orchard). *Matthew
has served on the faculties of The Ohio State University, Wright State
University and Florida Atlantic University where he headed the graduate
actor-training program for ten years. He currently serves as Associate
Professor of Theater at Oberlin College where he teaches a variety of acting
studios. Matthew has been a proud member of Actors' Equity Association since
1988.

*Robert Brustein (Playwright),* is a venerated American theatrical critic
who founded the illustrious Yale Repertory* *and American Repertory theatres
during his time as Dean of the Yale School of Drama then as professor of
English at Harvard.  Some of his more recent critical writings include
*Millenial
Stages: Essays and Reviews 2001-2005, *an examination of theatre in the
aftermath of 9/11 and *Dumbocracy in America: Studies in the Theatre of
Guilt, 1987-1994, *a study of the governmental stifling of the arts in favor
of political correctness.  His extensive works include adaptations of Ibsen
(one of which was directed by Robert Wilson), Chekhov and Aristophanes.  Apart
from the *English Channel*, his latest original work, Brustein's other plays
include *Demons*, *Nobody Dies on Friday*, *The Face Lift*, and *Spring
Forward, Fall Back.  *Brustein is set to attend this production of *The
English Channel, *and will be holding lectures during his visit.  **

* *
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.neohiopal.org/pipermail/neohiopal-neohiopal.org/attachments/20081105/a30f9ad3/attachment-0003.htm>