Night Essays (1741 words) - The Night Of The Iguana,

Night Of Iguana A reverend's constant struggle for decency, preserving life, and moving forward while escaping the past are among the primary thematic characteristics in Tennessee Williams's "Night of the Iguana." By far one of the most personal shows I have seen, this play seems to speak to each audience member uniquely; I at least found this true of Furman Theater's presentation. Although the leading roles lacked in their presentation, the supporting characters where convincing and extremely engaging, pulling the intimate theater's audience into the story. Overall, the production elements heightened the audiences viewing experience. Costuming and scenery complemented each other particularly well, creating an environment and period that enveloped the audience in the play's setting. Without a doubt, this was a job well done for Furman Theater. Maxine is the proprietor of The Costa Verde, a cheap Mexican motel. Her character is established from the first few moments of the play along with her Mexican "night-swimmers." Their personalities exude an odd mixture of promiscuity, loneliness, and satisfaction. With the entrance of the once minister now tour guide, Larry Shannon, and his bus load of ladies from the Baptist Female College, this satisfaction is eliminated and replaced with the pain of indecency in a defrocked minister. Shannon's justification for arriving at the Costa Verde is to rest and escape form the constant chatter and uplifting songs of the female tour group. But in reality, his condition is much more serious; he is both mentally and physically ill and feels as though the Costa Verde can act as a safe haven from the rest the world. With his tarnished reputation in the church, Shannon also has a need to be atoned for the sins he has committed. In doing this, he hopes to purify himself enough to return the pulpit. The insatiable need for companionship and understanding are recognized immediately in both Shannon and Maxine. Regardless of the sarcastic comments between the two, the audience is easily convinced that both characters could provide friendship for the other. Unfortunately, with the entrance of Hannah Jelkes, a quick sketch artist, and her "ninety-year young" grandfather and poet, Nonno, Williams no longer elaborates on the the relationship of Maxine and Shannon; instead he shifts focus to Shannon's admiration for Ms.Jelkes through his constant use of "fantastic." Shannon and Hannah's bond is established from their first hello. Shannon's face seems to say, "Where have you been all my life?" Even though her reaction is not as strong in the beginning, she steadily warms to his character. The two become fast friends, eventually uncovering each others the deepest secrets; Shannon revealing his pedophile tendencies while Hannah explains her two "love experiences." As in Moliere's Misanthrope, the two main characters seem so different in the beginning, but we finally discover the two are very similar through the compassion as well as the conversations between Hannah and Shannon. It is because of these similarities that they could not "travel" together. It is in these final scenes that each character seems to realize their place; Shannon excepts his need for the companionship of Maxine, Hannah realizes her need for stability, and Nonno feels the desire to finish his final poem. With these revelations, Nonno dies peacefully. As Assistant Stage Manager, I found myself watching the play on several occasions; therefore, my opinion may have a tendency to be more in favor of or contrarily, a bit harsh on the acting and direction of the show. It must first be said that in theater giving someone a chance to play a role is necessary for the development of an actor's own ability. Unfortunately, it seemed that Oney took too great of a risk when casting Meggin Stailely as the forty-year-old spinster. Granted, her performance progressively improved during the run of the show, but it never peaked. At times the actress seemed almost angelic with her bright eyes and young figure. Her performance as Hannah Jelkes was not only unconvincing, but her movements on stage were awkward and unnatural. Makeup, costume, and the director's blocking could possibly be to blame for the shortcomings in her character, but from the first rehearsal to the last performance, Stailey's portrayal of Hannah seemed unimproved. Stailey was not the only upset in this performance of "The Night of the Iguana." Doug Cummins, who played the role of the defrocked minister, Larry Shannon, was equally unsettling. The personality of Larry Shannon is one of uncertainty and confusion. Although Cummins understood his character, the actor went to far, making the audience question his motives. Throughout the show, he stuttered and stumbled through