Saturday, January 12, 2008

Theater Review: The Lord of the Flies

By Alexandra Bonifield

I first read William Golding’s The Lord of the Flies in high school and found it profoundly affecting, terrifying in its portrayal of how thin a “civilized” veneer can be when human beings are left to their own devices. I felt a certain trepidation at the opening night performance of a 1995 Royal Shakespeare Company developed stage adaptation by Public Works Theatre and Risk Theatre Initiative at the Bath House Cultural Center on January 10. Would I find myself overwhelmed by the savagery depicted? Or would I feel let down if the production failed to attain the book’s intensity? The answer to both questions is a resounding NO. It’s a wise and well-educated production, capturing the book’s essence of unleashed violence while living well up to my expectations and dread, without taking me over the edge. That said, it sanitizes nothing and is definitely suited to audiences age thirteen and up.

Short synopsis: Eleven schoolboys are marooned without adult supervision on a desolate, uninhabited island (here, set near post-Katrina New Orleans). While some of the boys seek structure and order, others dive into anarchy. The resulting clash has devastating results with powerful, iconic societal implications.

Director Catherine Hopkins has extensive experience in teaching and directing young actors, both here and in the UK, and employs her talents and skills well in directing the strong ensemble cast, ages ten to seventeen. Supervising eleven active, bright, young boys on a basketball court has its inherent challenges, much less focusing them into an effective, professional troupe portraying an intellectually-driven, but physically violent play. The ensemble effect and confident demeanor spoke well of the young actors’ dedication to this production and their respect for each other as performers. Travis Messersmith as Ralph and Trey Trevino as Jack inspire the show’s action and conflict as “leaders” of the divergent responses to isolation. They provide a superb contrast in personality style and type while creating believable, multi-dimensional people, not stereotypes. Trey’s Jack has visceral need for Power Over Others; he develops the dimensions of his character incrementally as he deals with each new situation until he emerges an autocratic despot. It’s a horrifying and natural portrayal.

In contrast, Travis’ Ralph struggles vainly to cope with the leadership position thrust upon him, attempts to rise to the occasion, and fails in stages. His bewilderment and frustration is palpable and elicits empathy; it takes true artistic sophistication to convey these emotions without resorting to easy ‘stock’ characterization. As the production continues, I feel sure both young actors will find even more depths in their portrayals. Super job, thanks to their respective skills and their director’s ability to bring it out. The rest of the ensemble fits right in behind these two leaders; Eric Domuret’s tight stage combat direction allows them to show very different personalities within the bounds of choreographed, mindless mob savagery.

A few minor quibbles:

• First, as wonderfully chaotic and brooding as Tom Parr IV’s set is, I could not see anything that placed it in New Orleans. Not one word of the script can be changed as stated in its production contract, so there are no spoken references to New Orleans. How would I know where this play is set, if I hadn’t been told beforehand?
• Second, occasionally the music selected as accompaniment seemed slightly out of sync in some pivotal moments. I wasn’t sure if a sound cue just got mixed up on opening night, or if it was meant to be there. Minor issues, with a triumphant production.

Want to see gripping entertainment that inspires serious reflection about the world we live in, and how we want to evolve as humans? Enjoy seeing young actors handling a huge artistic challenge with professionalism and dedication? The Lord of the Flies is for you.

It runs through January 26 at the Bath House Cultural Center and will likely sell out. Call 214-774-7242 to reserve tickets or purchase online.

Alexandra Bonifield is an independent arts critic & advocate for performance art.

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