Review: 'Six Characters in Search of an Author' as part of Toronto's Soulpepper's AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 PLAYS Series
I tell you; when it’s safe for all of us to return to the theatre, whenever, that will be, I must get to see live many of these classic play titles I’ve heard over the years but have never partaken.
When some of these plays are from Theatre of the Absurd, then it is important to get to see them performed live. Very often it is in absurdity where the truth stares right at us in the face.
Since we can’t do this now on account of Covid, Toronto’s Soulpepper Theatre is offering the best alternative, at least to hear, ‘Theatre of the Absurd’ with their series ‘Around the World in 80 Plays’. Just this past week, the second installment of their audio drama series continued with Luigi Pirandello’s ‘Six Characters in Search of an Author’. Over the years, I’ve seen this title many, many times but for some reason I just decided at those times not to check any further into this play.
I knew very little about the story behind Pirandello’s play first written and performed in 1921. What made this audio drama especially appealing to me is the sometimes-fine line drawn between reality and illusion presented between the two stories. To explain every minute detail of ‘Six Characters’ would ruin the element of surprise for those like me who have never seen or read the play, but a bit of background is necessary. Suffice it to say the psychological analytical element in this play is gripping, and it is important to pay close attention the plot otherwise it is easy to get lost in its unraveling.
A routine professional theatre company is in the midst of rehearsing David French’s ‘Salt Water Moon’ when six strangers show up un-announced at the back of the theatre auditorium claiming they are looking (searching) for their author. As the story progresses, the arrival of the six individuals begin to claim time away from the rehearsal that is taking place on the stage.
Once the listeners are given access to the drama, the following information on the website they will see is of key importance: “Dramaturgical adaptation on translation by Daniele Bartolini and Luke Reece in collaboration with the cast.” Since the play was first produced in 1921, Messrs. Bartolini, Reece and the cast have taken some liberties to add a Canadian twist to the text – the talk about audience members and their ‘possible’ interest in Canadian theatre, for example, brought a smile to my face.
Usually I have a pen and pad by me to make notes about what I was hearing in the audio drama. Instead, I chose not to do this but simply put those two items down, closed my eyes, and allowed this cleverly paced and sharply delivered story to develop in my mind.
And I was in sheer delight listening to this sharp cast unravel many of the psychological twists as this arrival of strangers want to play out their life events on stage in search of their author. Directed with skillful finesse by Daniele Bartolini, I hesitate to point out specific standouts in this ‘Six Characters’ cast as I found each artist gleefully played with the words in the dialogue with a crisp dexterity and ease. Absolutely wonderful to listen to these artists. I do hope there is an opportunity to see them perform this play live sometime in the future.
Final comments: So far, I’m loving this trip around the world courtesy of Soulpepper Theatre. I’m anticipating what lies ahead at the next stop.
‘Six Characters in Search of an Author’ plays on the Soulpepper website until June 30, 2021. To gain access and learn more, visit www.soulpepper.ca
‘Six Characters in Search of An Author’ by Luigi Pirandello
Translated by Edward Storer with Dramaturgical adaptation on translation by Daniele Bartolini and Luke Reece in collaboration with the cast.
Directed by Daniele Bartolini
The Cast: Diego Matamoros, Hannah Miller, Moya O’Connell, Beatriz Pizano, Gregory Prest, Anand Rajaram, Tom Rooney
Photo taken with permission from Soulpepper website