The Screwtape Letters on stage!
I just got home from seeing a performance of Max McLean & Jeffery Fiske's stage adaptation of C.S. Lewis' classic book, The Screwtape Letters. Outstanding!
The Screwtape Letters
by C. S. Lewis, adapted for the stage by Jeffery Fiske and Max McLean, starring Max McLean as Screwtape, Yvonne Gougelet as Toadpipe, directed by Jeffery Fiske.
The Mercury Theatre
3745 N. Southport
Chicago, IL 60613 (near Wrigley Field)
773.325.1700
For more information.
Starring McLean as the senior-ranking devil, Screwtape, and Yvonne Gougelet as Screwtape's secretary, assistant, and servant Toadpipe, and directed by Fiske, this play does an excellent job of bringing to life the correspondence of Screwtape in advising his young nephew, Wormwood, who is on Earth in his first assignment as a junior tempter.
Perhaps most jarring for fans of the book is the expanded character of Toadpipe, who, while having no actual lines, provides emotional and sometimes visual illustration of Screwtape's rhetorical points. Played by the very talented Gougelet, Toadpipe portrays a number of the people whom Screwtape describes, as well as acting out several of the concepts Screwtape is trying to get across to Wormwood (and to us).
McLean's portrayal of Screwtape as a sort of self-important bureaucrat in a smoking jacket taking some extra time out to mentor his nephew in the finer points of damnation is very well done. And McLean's emotional range as the progress proceeds from bad to worse, and Screwtape has to avoid having any part of the failure attach to himself is really quite believable. For a demon, McLean's Screwtape is all too human.The show is greatly enhanced by the excellent set, designed by Cameron Anderson, as well as the outstanding lighting effects by Tyler Micoleau and the amazing sound effects provided by Bart Fasbender.
This was to be the final weekend, but it's been extended in Chicago until January 4th. If you're able to catch it, I highly recommend you do. If not, see it when it comes to your town.
Here's a sample:
4 comments:
I like what I saw on the website. Hopefully it will get to DBQ.
Looks good! Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I hadn't heard of it before.
I'm looking forward to the film version of C.S. Lewis' "Allegory of Love".
This is beyond awesome! Literally, the snippet gave me chills. I think that this is one of Lewis' most important works, and am thrilled that it is being handled in such a faithful way.
Many, many years ago, before our local religious goods store burned (accidentally), an elderly couple were the proprietors. Toward the end of their careers, I happened to be in the book area of the store when someone asked dear Mr. Lassig (RIP) if he had anything by CS Lewis. Knowing his stuff but being a little confused in his speech he said "Oh! I have the Screwball Tapes right over here."
I seriously hope that this production receives the acclaim that is its due, and that there is a renewal of interest in Lewis' works. I think it was in this writing (TSL) that Lewis said that putting the primary focus of Christians on social justice rather than saving people's souls would be a major victory for "their side." Hmmm...
Thanks, ReGu. BTW, while you might be "regular" you certainly ain't common.
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