Muse and News

Two accomplishments to add here before the end of the year.  First I had a very successful show and sound design at the Edinburgh International Festival.  The show was “Peter & Wendy” and the lead actress Karen Kandel won the award “Best Performer Edinburgh International Festival 2009″.  The show was a big hit, got 5 star reviews, and got standing ovations every night.

Next I must add the quick tour to Moscow.  Was there for 8 days with another show I sound designed for Mabou Mines, this time it was “Dollhouse”.  It was also very well received over there.  Moscow is a very different place.  I had been to Eastern Europe before and thought I knew what I was in for. I did not expect it to be so different from what I expected!

This past year, professionally, has been successful and fulfilling.  It is ending quietly and I am gathering my strength for the coming year.

Am again helping with OTHELLO in NYC. It’s a difficult schedule and everybody, cast and crew, are working hard. However my focus this discussion is on the piece itself. It was such a moving experience to listen to Peter during the long rehearsals. First of all it was a shock to the spirit how brilliant Shakespeare is, both in his command of the English language and his insight into human existance. Last time I read him was in High School and I can safely say Shakespeare is grounded in weathered experience and cannot be appreciated by young, even smart inexperienced minds.
Peter took a very Buddhist slant on this play. He read texts of Buddhist scholars to the cast. For example he believes Iago is not “the personification of Evil”. The forces that downfelled Othello were in motion far before Iago ever got involved. Within Othello himself were the seeds of his tragedy and Iago merely played a part.
Also Peter stresses the Budshist view that really deep I side everybody is basically aware of everything, it’s mostly a matter of how much one can admit to oneself and others. This is why the actors almost never leave the stage. When their parts are over they sit on the sideline, in view of the audience, watching on.