By snoadmin
Alive Theater at the Long Beach Playhouse takes the audience back to 1960 in “Orson’s Shadow,” a play based on the way actors, directors and critics interact in the theater industry.
After the success of his first film, Orson Welles (Robert Edward), director and actor in “Citizen Kane,” finds himself in the downfall of his career. He directs an almost ridiculous French play, “Rhinoceros,” after being persuaded by the British critic, Kenneth Tynan (Jonathan Lewis). Orson is hesitant because of the play’s strange plot about people transforming into rhinoceroses, and also because of Laurence Olivier (Tim Thorn), the leading actor he is forced to work with. Both Orson and Laurence take up the stage with their battle of wits and works of art.
“Rhinoceros” takes place at the Royal Court Theater in London. The audience gets the chance to see what artists are forced to endure during rehearsal time aside from acting: arguments, competitive fights and a lot of repetition.
Although Orson had created one of the “most greatest American films of all time,” as Kenneth describes, it was released almost 20 years prior. Laurence’s impressive success is more current with plays like “Entertainer,” which he constantly rubs in Orson’s face with his exuberant demeanor.
Along with Orson, two women who come in and out of Laurence’s life are his manic depressive wife, Vivien Leigh (Cassie Vail Yeager), and his love interest, Joan Plowright (Ashley Allen).
Viven resembles Scarlett O’ Hara in a royal blue dress, eye make-up, and her sweet, innocent voice. Viven is a character who is insane and has constant episodes that stop Laurence from leaving her.
Edward uses his profound voice to captivate the anger and frustration felt by Orson during this hectic production. In the beginning of the play, Orson is behind the backstage curtain and Kenneth speaks to him as if he is in another room. The audience can hear his strong, deep voice, such as in his 1938 broadcast of “War of the Worlds.”
Other actors, such as Allen, have the dialect and tone similar to actors of the 1960s-era — proper, profound and precise. Allen has a soft and subtle tone, similar to Audrey Hepburn.
Narrating the play is critic Kenneth, who sporadically breaks the fourth wall throughout the play with humorous and ironic lines about the theater industry. In the first act, he describes how plays tend to use annoying and untalented tactics to reveal the history of characters. For example, he imitates a maid answering the phone and telling an entire story simply to catch the audience up to the plot.
Filled with comedic witty arguments and comments that make the actors want to pull their hair out, “Orson’s Shadow” will run Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. until Feb. 5 at the Long Beach Playhouse’s Studio Theater, located at 5021 E. Anaheim St. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for students and seniors, or $10 for groups of 10 or more. For more information, visit lbplayhouse.org.
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