Mark-Brian Sonna, says:

Wow, I'm floored.

He's really didn't like the play...Especially seeing that I have a bunch of people coming back to see the show and bringing others with them for the second time. "It lacked a strong beginning, middle, and end"???? WOW!

Maybe the clue in his review and his bias is in the fact he admits he was "forced" to read the book, that indicates he doesn't care for the original material, so presenting it on stage as written would be troublesome.

But HOW he could loose attention span during it is beyond me. I hate to say it, because I don't want to give away some of the effects we create on stage, but this is not a show you lose attention with the action hurtling at you 100 mph. I can't imagine what would we have to do on stage to keep his attention beyond people suspended in the air, blood erupting, rivers of fire, headless bodies talking, and other acrobatics never seen on a stage of this size in Dallas. This production has been called by others as "monumental" and another critic called us a "triumph in theatrical imagination." Talk about diverging opinions!

Oh well,the fact is we are extending the run because audiences are LOVING it and referring everyone to us. And honestly, the show is done for the audience's enjoyment and not for the critics.

LOL

Mark-Brian Sonna, Director and Choreographer for "Dante: Inferno."

Chad Jones, says:

Actually, I really enjoyed Dante's Inferno both times I read it. "Forced" was sarcasm. Sorry it wasn't more obvious.

But yes, presenting this onstage is troublesome. If you read what I said above you'd see that A) the "hurtling at you 100 mph" action is a part of that and B) I did enjoy the performance overall, despite a few qualms.

Jason Rice, says:

Disclosure: I've worked with Mark-Brian and am a fan his work. That said, I also don't think he needs my opinion, critique or flattery to sell tickets. He does great without me.

Chad - loved your review. The little disconnect above was an easy one to understand happening. I'm with you. I liked it, but I'm penning a comment so I don't need to be circumspect ;o)

First off - Mark-Brian is a master of the ceremony. Every Theatre of Death begins and ends with some beautiful and otherworldly invocation and this is his most lengthy sacramental strophe to date. The other side of his signature is a forced frugality of set and properties verging upon pure vacuum. I've often joked that he would attempt "The History of Man" with a bolt of cloth and a half dozen cardboard boxes. It's just the underworld so he cut that to five. (They're wood, but my point holds.) Within this context of spare reverence that we find Inferno.

Yes, Chad, the accent left me up a bit too, but Muñoz's love of the lines made delivery enjoyable even to my very gringo ears. Dunno what it was but it was pretty! And the genders of some characters, male in text female in performance, were a slight adjustment that became surprisingly easier because of Virgil's androgyny. These are souls and their punishment has little to do with gender or sex even if their sins did. I'm glad you brought up Ugolino - those lines from a woman haunted me for days. The delivery was visceral. (Whoa. I just shivered typing it)

The sound design, almost entirely performed by vocalizations of the cast, was strikingly effective. The settings and scenery, almost entirely formed of the cast's lithe and sturdy young frames, are as beautiful as they are temporal.

I really do recommend taking just a coffee break to run through the text before you see it.
Dante Inferno at Project Gutenberg to purge yourself of all the academic baggage and pop-culture history built up around the piece - and yes to bridge a few of the gaps monolingual types like me will necessarily suffer. With that fresh view of the poem in hand (even a mediocre translation), you will enjoy MBS's deep respect for the text and the remarkable creativity that allows a reasonable rendition of something I would never attempt without a computer graphics FX team of at least fifteen animation nerds.

Good work MBS. Good coverage Pegasus.

Thanks,
JR

Mark-Brian Sonna, says:

I'm laughing re-reading these threads....Chad, If you enjoyed the performance I wish you had mentioned more clearly in the review! I know you give us some compliments, and I thought the review was a mixed bag till you mention the play lacking a "strong beginning middle and end". So what whats left?! LOL

But thank you for clarifying and thanks for the laugh. And I'm not being sarcastic, I'm being genuine.

I was trying to see if there was something good in your review to quote from for our website but not a single sentence worked, thats when I realized you attached a caveat to every positive comment. And that sentence I keep quoting from you gives me the gigggles every time I think of it.

I'm glad you enjoyed the play after all. And thank you for responding and being a good sport.

Jason, you have been a champion of mine, and I appreciate your kind words. For those of you unfamiliar with our "relationship": while we work together in the same field as artists, he is one of the people I know who can be brutally honest and tell me "that doesn't work," or more succinctly, "that stinks".

I know being a critic what it's like getting razzed by people who write in. But I also realize (and this is a self critique since I double up as a critic so it's not aimed at you), the main purpose of a theatre group be it mine or Dallas Theatre Center or Theatre Three, etc is to please their patrons and their respective audience, not the critics. I'm very blessed by having very educated, open minded audiences that love being challenged, and in return challenge me to provide them with the entertainment they crave.

I do love the fact that Pegasus News allows these threads and commentaries, it makes the website so much more fun to read!

Cheers to PegasusNews.com!

And thank you again, Chad, for coming to review the play. Even though I can't quote you! ;-)

Mark-Brian

Jason Rice, says:

LOL - You're so right.
I'm thinking T-shirts "Pilobolus-y!!!!"

You are NOT a well man. Lmao. I'm cryin' here. And yes it's true what they say: "It's not your copy that counts. It's your edit."

Spot on.

Mark-Brian Sonna, says:

Marie thanks for your input, and your compliments. I'm glad you liked my gassy awards. I tried writting them in the spirit of fun, and I knew all the people named and I knew they could handle the ribbing -even HSM.
I truly thought it was an overall positive review till the mind blowing comment about the beginning middle and end. It stopped me in my tracks. I mean, if you don't like those parts, what's left? The drive to the theatre? the drive home? How nice the outfit my boxoffice manager wore the day he came to see the play? The intermission? What he had for breakfast? ROFL.

I'm not the only one who has reacted with shocked laughter. We all in the cast have had a ball over the "lacks a strong beginning middle and end" line Mr. Jones wrote, especially paired up with his later reply. Being goofballs that we are we have grown to cherish this review.

We have joked about making a tshirt quoting it (with some splicing as Mike suggested): "this production...lacks a strong beginning middle and end...but I did enjoy the performance. - Chad Jones, PegasusNews.com"
I think Becket or Monty Python would appreciate this. And as I write this I'm still giggling.

I almost felt like asking, "Considering everything else, how did you enjoy the performance Mrs. Lincoln?"

Mark-Brian

Chad Jones, says:

Sorry to have not responded sooner.

The more we talk about this the more I realize the sentence in question wasn't as clear as I intended.

By using the word "strong" in "lacking a strong beginning, middle and end" I meant "clearly-defined" and did not mean to use it, as you've taken it Mark, for "quality."

At first I thought using the word like that would make sense because it was placed in a sentence about the difficulty of making <em>Inferno</em> a coherent 1.5 hour play.

But now, yeah, I can see how it does sound like a random quip out of Monty Python, and I'm laughing too. The sentence has now been updated.

Scott Doyle, says:

I have nothing to offer aside from my applause for you theater peeps actively using line breaks. Thank you...so much.

Jason Rice, says:

Doyle,
You kill me.
Formatting cops always do.

• really
• really
• kill me
  
  

really

Scott Doyle, says:

Respect my authori-tah* and all is well. It's beneficial for everybody involved, Jason.

<img src="http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/2357/poster26263ow7.jpg">

<small>* What little I may or may not have.</small>

Brittany Noll, says:

I also saw the production and agree with everything Chad said. I have never read The Inferno and was very confused, after a short review during intermission things became more clear. However, the play did not keep my attention, I recall nothing "hurtling at me 100 mph." In fact, I was so out of it at times that I took time to glance at the other audience members only to see two people falling asleep. Congrats on the extension though, that is always an exciting feeling. It just wasn't my cup of tea...mostly because I had no clue what was happening. :) Brittany

Mark-Brian Sonna, says:

After re-reading and careful analysis I was able to a quote out of this! Thanks for the creative input Mike! Check it out at www.DanteInferno.Net

Mark-Brian