David Carroll at Tabula Rasa has put up a review of Shadowmuse. I’m very glad I flew home for it, because the production was entrancing, the performances exactly right, and to hear my own words spoken aloud was most satisfying.
Meeting the actors afterwards was fun.
Jade Alexander and Jillian Russ played their roles so well it brought tears to my eyes. They took on very tough material in The Glass Woman and The Sameness of Birthdays, but neither flinched.
I admire this bravery in an actor as I do in a writer.
I wish I could see the show again. Love to go on closing night!
I had the double good fortune to attebnd Shadowmuse and sit beside Kaaron.
Watching her stories come to life was amazing. The actors were superb, the venue and our close proximity worked so well with the nature of the stories. It allowed us to be drawn into these very inimate confessions.
But I was also treated to another show; watching Kaaron’s reaction.
The first thing I noticed was how this is such a unique medium for an artist. Whereas most artists can only observe the raction from its audience, Kaaroon had to observe someone interpretation – both by the director and the actors. Have they understood the story, its nuances, have they cut out key elements of the plot, have any changes (regalrdess of the reason) distorted the story, etc.
The audience has no idea of these changes, they can not necessarily know who is responsible for what (except for you, the loyal reader but then what’s to say your opinion of the story is the same as Kaaron’s anyway…..)
(I suppose it’s a bit like Tarantino and Natural Born Killers; everyone loved it except the author who felt that Oliver Stone produced a different version “…If you like my stuff, you might not like this movie…”)
I later found that out that Kaaron’s reaction also included her concnern for her mother’s reaction. It turns out that Adurey had not read the story which included “Strong Language and Adult Themes”.
Thankfully there was no fainting during the performance, and afterwards Audrey’s jaw was not on the ground, she was still talking to her daughter, and didn’t mention it at all. I suspect she took it all in her stride or perhaps she is now scouring the bookshelves at home looking for the the book to sneak a titillating peak much in the way she may have once done with Lady Chatterley’s Lover.
The actors were (not yet) big names but already they are very good at their craft. And despite their outstanding performances on the stage, it was during the after party that I witnessed a performance truly deserving of an Academy Award (or is it a Tony? Or Robert Helpmann) “Oh Kaaron, I just loooooved your work when I read it.” she gushed, ” Please let me know when you write anything else because I would love to do more of it”. Luckily I was next to Kaaron and was able to catch the overflow of wee that started flowing from her pocket