Subject
Vladimir Nabokov and Edmund Wilson ...
From
Date
Body
Wicked Local Provincetown
http://www.wickedlocal.com/provincetown/fun/entertainment/x1323200073/War-of-the-words-at-Payomet-is-a-knock-out
Nathaniel Taylor (left) as Nabokov and Casey Clark as Wilson square off for a true battle of words at Payomet.
War of the words at Payomet is a knock-out
By Melora B. North
Fri Aug 08, 2008, 07:30 AM EDT
TRURO -
When Kevin Rice, artistic director at the Payomet Performing Arts Center in North Truro, took on the task of writing a play about the relationship between Russian writer Vladimir Nabokov and Edmund Wilson, literary critic and reviewer for The New Yorker magazine, he bit off a giant chunk of intrigue and challenge. The two men couldn’t have been more different, more adversarial or more competitive if they had wanted to be, and Rice’s treatment of the story as writer and director, as well as an active player in the production, “Gloves Off! Nabokov vs. Wilson,” is a golden touch of genius in its offbeat presentation. It’s the 1960s and Nabokov and Wilson, who has publicly critiqued Nabokov’s work in a derogatory fashion in The New Yorker, are staged to perform an unlikely bout of boxing matches at a local hall where the crowds are gathered, in this case in Truro where the audience makes up the cheering section. Nabokov (Nathaniel Taylor) is attired in a natty boxing uniform and oddly Wilson (Casey Clark) hits the chess pattern arena (in respect to Nabokov’s obsession with the game) in a stately suit that speaks of class and stature, perhaps even a touch of snobbery, which is perfect for this story of a war between two men who ultimately enjoy one another’s intellect and brain power. In this match they fight using not gloves and tentative spars but their intellectual prowess as bait for the performance they delight the audience with. Spouting phrases from their various books and published archives, it is clear that the one factor that brings the pair together is their love of Chekhov, a writer they both revere. However, it is obvious that the air needs to be cleared and that is what this competition is about. In one round the audience is treated to a near-death experience in which Nabokov, an obvious audience favorite, is risen from the dead, but not before a vision of what life would be like in heaven, or in Nabokov’s estimation, hell. It is this vision that enables him to come around from the other side to meet his adversary in a war of words that stirs the imagination and gets the juices of participants flowing. Rice’s unique treatment of this human tour de force is powerful yet amusing at the same time. Getting a glimpse into the minds of these two men who embraced their genius like a game of Candy Land is a treat for theatergoers. It is a fast-paced hour of intellectual sparring that leaves the audience wondering and thinking, an achievement of high acclaim for any playwright. In the production Rice plays sports commentator Howard Cosell with a biting edge, imitating Cosell’s noted, slow, heavy annunciation, accompanied by another ABC reporter, Don Howard (Gary Mitchell) who is a worthy sidekick. The trainers, Angel (Bruce Bierhans), who worships Wilson, and Angelo (Bob Costa), who believes wholeheartedly in his man Nabokov, are strong support for their adversaries while a delightful Dolly (Emily Murray) breaks the man bread with some sexy moves that ignite the testosterone on stage and off when she shows off the round cards a la tootsie. The referee is a goofy galump (Jed Foley) who plays along with the charade in the ring, and the debonair announcer, who has a dual role as the doctor (Nicholas Gulde), plays a classy adjunct to the antics on stage. All are having a good time on stage as they perform in this romp that is oddly educational and fun all at once.A special delight of the performance is the lighting by Beth Fatum who transports the shadows to the ceiling of the tent in a supernatural vision that is like a double image of what’s on stage. The costumes are authentic to the period and the simple set by Rice, just a boxing ring, is just right. All in all, the production is a fast track view into the minds of a genius Russian with multi-talents and a reporter who specialized in criticisms of other writers.“Gloves Off! Nabokov vs. Wilson” plays at Payomet Performing Arts Center in North Truro through Aug. 26. For tickets or information call (508) 487-5400 .Melora North can be reached at mnorth@provincetownbanner.com
Search archive with Google:
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en
Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm
Visit "Nabokov Online Journal:" http://www.nabokovonline.com
Manage subscription options: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/