[NEohioPAL] Berko review: 33 VARIATIONS @ Beck Center for the Arts

Roy Berko royberko at gmail.com
Sat Oct 12 20:16:00 PDT 2013


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*Beethoven and ALS cross paths in the thought-provoking 33 VARIATIONS  at
Beck*

Roy Berko
(Member, American Theatre Critics Association, Cleveland Critics Circle)

One of the major questions musicologists have asked for years is why the
brilliant Ludwig van Beethoven devoted four years of his life to writing 33
variations of what is considered to be a very mediocre waltz by Anton
Diabelli.

Answers range from Beethoven’s need for money, that he perceived that the
waltz piece was musically greater than it was credited with being, that he
wanted to out-do Bach, who wrote The Goldberg Variations which numbered
30,  or, that as his hearing moved toward deafness he wanted to create a
piece that would be forever remembered.

ALS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a progressive degenerative illness
that affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, and eventually
leads to whole body paralysis.  It is often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s
Disease, named after the great New York Yankee who brought world attention
to the illness when he retired from baseball after contracting the sickness.

What do Beethoven and ALS have in common?  They are joint topics of Moisés
Kaufman’s poignant 33 VARIATIONS, now on stage at Beck Center for the
Arts.

The script examines the creative process, the differences between obsessive
and non-focused minds, how illness affects people, what the differences are
between friendship and love, how the past and present can overlap, the
meaning of genius, and how making variations in either music or life can
bring about awakenings.

The story examines how Beethoven, in his later life, created a major
musical masterpiece, and the journey of Katherine Brandt, a musicologist,
as she attempts to discover why Beethoven was so possessed with writing The
Diabelli Variations.

We simultaneously view Beethoven losing his hearing, losing his
rationality, and Brandt’s desire to complete her work before ALS freezes
her body and eventually kills her.

Using a creative format, Kaufman creates parallel and overlapping
universes.  We are in Vienna, Austria, in 1819 and again in 1823, and
simultaneously in New York and Germany in the present.  Beethoven is
stressfully creating music, Brandt is researching and writing what will be
her last position paper, using information from Bonn’s Library, which is
the major depository of Beethoven’s papers, letters, diaries and
manuscripts.

Beethoven struggles to write and cope with his problems, Brandt struggles
to not only find an answer to why Beethoven undertook to write the 33
variations, but to work out problems with her daughter and face inevitable
death.  In an emotionally charged final scene, we learn whether Brandt was
successful in solving the Beethoven riddle.

The play opened in New York in 2009 with Jane Fonda portraying Katherine,
in her first Broadway appearance in forty-six years.  Both the play and
Fonda received Tony nominations.

The Beck production, under the focused direction of Sarah May, is
creatively staged.  Seeing several different places at once allows for the
hundred year time variance, and creates an intriguing effect.

The acting is universally strong.  Each performer creates a clearly
identifiable person.  Dana Hart rants and rages as Beethoven.  He crawls
under the piano, ear against a leg of the instrument, so that his body can
vibrate to the feel of the piano, because his deafness disallows for his
hearing the music he has fashioned.  He clearly creates irrationality as he
castigates Anton, his ever vigilant assistant, while being dependent on the
man.

Maryann Nagel withers before our eyes as her ALS attacks Katherine’s body.
She puts down Clara, her daughter, for not being focused, but suffers
because of her obsessive nature.  Her fight for completion of her goal of
determining Beethoven’s motives is clearly etched.

Debbie Keppler’s Clara is a nicely developed character, as is Matt O’Shea’s
Mike, Katherine’s nurse and Clara’s socially awkward boyfriend. Dr.
Gertrude Ladenburger, the curator of the Beethoven memorabilia collection,
who, at the start reluctantly helps Katherine, is clearly created by Mary
Alice Beck.  Both Brian Pedaci (Anton Disabelli) and Trey Gilpin (Anton
Schindler) nicely portray their characters.

Pianist Stuart Raleigh interprets and performs the selected variations with
strong musical ability.

Trad Burns simple set, which is nicely fleshed out by Ian Hinz’s scene
setting projections, works well.  Angelina Herin’s costumes clearly
delineate each character’s era.

As my pianist and composer grandson, Alex, one of the kid reviewers who
often accompany me a play in order to give a different generational view of
the offering, commented, “The play held my attention, while teaching me new
insights into Beethoven, and how variations can not only be a part of
music, but also make for alterations in life.”  He praised Raleigh for not
only playing well, but for being able to sustain the quality while
performing such a long and fragmented composition.

*CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  33 VARIATIONS is an intriguing theatrical experience.
The well written script is effectively interpreted by director Sarah May
and well performed by an excellent cast.  You don’t have to know anything
about music, Beethoven, or the research process to enjoy the multi-messaged
work. You should leave with a new appreciation of the musical process, gain
an understanding of ALC, and be aware of the fragility of life’s journey.*

 33VARIATIONS is scheduled to run through NOVEMBER 17 at Beck Center for
the Arts.  For tickets and information call 216-521-2540 or
http://www.beckcenter.org

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