TJC Theatre kicked off its first of two productions for the spring semester with “The Glencairn Sea Plays” by Eugene O’Neill. The production had the unconventional nature of being three interconnected one-act plays with each one directed by a different director, but with the same cast. The concept made for a compelling watch as I found myself invested in every play.
The atmosphere was cultivated with a variety of artistic choices. Many of the actors had oil in their hair to simulate the greasy and oily look that a sailor would have. The set was mostly dim where the brightest lights were mainly the oil lanterns, but the most prominent element of all were the accents the actors used. The work of the actors, the set and costume designers, and the directors culminated into an immersive experience for the audience.
All of the actors put on a great performance, but I think two were just a cut above the rest. Wright and Jamie Black were phenomenal to see perform. Timothy Wright held the same role for all three one-act plays, but he killed that role in every way possible. He had the body language of a seasoned veteran of the high seas, his Irish accent was almost too good to be anything other than his native tongue, and he delivered his lines with such conviction and emotion that it almost seemed like he wrote them himself. Black, on the other hand, had three separate and prominent roles in the plays which were equally as, if not more, demanding than holding one role. The dedication it takes to be able to switch personalities so effortlessly between plays is astonishing, and every single time he nailed the role he was given. Both of these actors elevated the plays by being on stage, especially when together.
After the production wrapped up, one of the three directors gave further insight into the preparation and the execution of the play.
“It’s written the way you heard. It wasn’t written in normal everyday standard American English. At that time, O’Neill was trying to write realistically, so he thought that the language ought to be written the way it sounded, which is hardly readable,” said Dr. David Crawford, the theatre professor who directed “Bound East for Cardiff.”
Crawford said the preparation for the play began by studying Eugene O’Neill and understanding the contributions to the art that made him such a giant within theatre. Once the crew knew O’Neill on a deeper level, it was time to begin working on their roles, which involved memorizing a transposed version of the play in modern English, then going back to the original written language once they understood what everything meant.
“I’m pleased, so much of the weight falls on just Yank (Jamie Black) who spends the entire play dying and Driscoll (Timothy Wright) who spends the entire play watching his best friend die. So that’s a lot of emotional weight to carry for three fourths of the play, but those are two of the strongest actors we have and there’s no complaints here,” Crawford said.
Crawford’s praise for the crew was plentiful as he commented on their ability to perform under such different circumstances. He acknowledged the difficulty of working under three separate directing styles while having to learn what may be a completely new way of speaking to play their characters properly.
TJC Theatre’s second and final performance of the semester will be “Metamorphoses” by Mary Zimmerman on April 25-29, in the Rogers Palmer Cultural Arts Plaza. “Metamorphoses” is a story centered around the creation of the world and the gods who helped create and shape it. For more information, visit www.tjc.edu/info/20091/theatremusical_theatre/336/main_stage.
Timothy Wright (left) and Jamie Black played Driscoll and Yank respectively in “Bound East for Cardiff.” The scene pictured is the emotional climax of the play as Driscoll can only watch as Yank dies due to disease.