Thanks for teaching this class, Dave. It's been a learning experience (even if most of what I learned reinforced the notion that I prefer to stay on stage and get told what to do). Though some of my work is perhaps ill-conceived and/or ill-executed, rest assured that it is certainly not for lack of regard. I feel as though it was difficult for me to look at scripts apart from as an actor would, rather than a dramaturg would. You may notice that some of my posts are a touch short. As for why, I simply ran out of things to say on the subject. I try not to speak just to hear myself talk (most of the time).
At any rate, enjoy your summer!
Cheers,
C. Bennett Schmidt
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Man and Superman - Dramaturg's Statement
Without a doubt, the single biggest issue faced when dealing with this particular script is the majority of act three, known as "Don Juan in Hell". Long enough to be produced as a seperate play on its own, this segment does not contribute directly to the advancement of any sort of plot. On the other hand, if this segment is left out entirely, then the audience loses almost all of the philosophical rationale behind the main character, namely the ideas of a life force and a universal consciousness. I recommend that Don Juan remain in the show, as the play is very much a piece of philosophy. To cut Don Juan would be to neuter it into a light comedy of manners with no real meat. With that being said, cutting may very well be necessary (even within the main show), as few modern audiences have the patience to sit through such a long show (upwards of four hours if performed in its entirety). There are certain segments, notably some of the longer speeches that can be trimmed down with minimal loss of content, as many of the philosophy travels in a circuituous route, and can be arrived at much more simply. As a matter of fact, some current dramaturg's ascertain that at least two thirds of the entirety of the text can be pared away without impacting the story in a meaningful way.
Other issues you may run across concern the dramatic movement of the play, or more specifically, the potential lack thereof. Much of this play tends to be long-winded speech after long-winded speech. Staging must be carefully considered and utilized to keep the action fresh.
Also of considerable note is the character of Ann. Historically through the various runs of the play, she is a much disliked character, often to the detriment of the production, given that she is a leading lady. Sincere care must be taken with the casting of Ann, as she must remain likeable and relateable despite her rough and callous treatment of Octavius later in the script. Another character of worth mentioning is Tanner. Tanner is the absolute essence of a character being the mouthpiece of a (long-winded) playwright. As I mentioned before, many of the speeches run long and run often (many of them belong to Tanner). You've got to get someone in this role who can really get the intellectual energy of a speech crackling, and avoid the whole "rattling off a chunk of philosophy because those are my lines" schtick.
Further down the casting road, there is the issue of non-traditional casting. For this show, it is a perfectly viable option, as race, disability etc. are not germane to the show (with the exception of a few decidedly fit individuals). If produced at SHSU, this would be a good practice to implement for casting.
There are several different locales within the play, all of them distinctly different from each other, visually speaking. Minimalism is a valid approach here, and has been supported by several of my enclosed reviews despite Shaw writing nearly impossibly detailed descriptions of all scenes. This can be largely attributed to his love of the written word (especially HIS written word), rather than any intent of staging the show as the set is written. For instance, some of the action he has written for the Sierra Nevada is borderline impossible, even if one works with a stage of grand operatic proportions.
Other issues you may run across concern the dramatic movement of the play, or more specifically, the potential lack thereof. Much of this play tends to be long-winded speech after long-winded speech. Staging must be carefully considered and utilized to keep the action fresh.
Also of considerable note is the character of Ann. Historically through the various runs of the play, she is a much disliked character, often to the detriment of the production, given that she is a leading lady. Sincere care must be taken with the casting of Ann, as she must remain likeable and relateable despite her rough and callous treatment of Octavius later in the script. Another character of worth mentioning is Tanner. Tanner is the absolute essence of a character being the mouthpiece of a (long-winded) playwright. As I mentioned before, many of the speeches run long and run often (many of them belong to Tanner). You've got to get someone in this role who can really get the intellectual energy of a speech crackling, and avoid the whole "rattling off a chunk of philosophy because those are my lines" schtick.
Further down the casting road, there is the issue of non-traditional casting. For this show, it is a perfectly viable option, as race, disability etc. are not germane to the show (with the exception of a few decidedly fit individuals). If produced at SHSU, this would be a good practice to implement for casting.
There are several different locales within the play, all of them distinctly different from each other, visually speaking. Minimalism is a valid approach here, and has been supported by several of my enclosed reviews despite Shaw writing nearly impossibly detailed descriptions of all scenes. This can be largely attributed to his love of the written word (especially HIS written word), rather than any intent of staging the show as the set is written. For instance, some of the action he has written for the Sierra Nevada is borderline impossible, even if one works with a stage of grand operatic proportions.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Man and Superman - Study Guide
The College-Level Philosophy Teacher's Field Guide to Man and Superman
Things to Know
Things to Know
1. Plot
Setting: This play takes place in the year 1903 and in such locations as London and the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Spain. The Setup: The plot primarily consists of two storylines. The first is the romantic pursuit of John Tanner by Ann Whitefield. Tanner is a progressive thinker, opposed to nearly all things traditional. At the start of the play, he has been granted co-guardian of Ann Whitefield, a duty he shares with Roebuck Ramsden. Mr. Ramsden is established and conventional to the core, even though he likes to think of himself as progressive. Ramsden and Tanner both appeal to Ann to choose one of them to fulfill her father’s wishes, but she refuses under the pretense of respecting her father’s last wishes. She then humbly says she would like both Tanner and Ramsden to remain co-guardians. This is merely a ruse on her part to get close to Tanner.
Secondarily placed is the story of Violet Robinson and Hector Malone. Violet is the sister of Octavius, a poet who is hopelessly in love with Ann. She announces that she is pregnant (to great shock and embarassment from her friends and family); then she announces that she is married, though she refuses to name her husband. Later, it becomes clear (although only to the audience) that Violet’s husband is wealthy American furniture heir Hector Malone, whose father wishes him to marry a member of the aristocracy, because their wealth cannot buy them a title. Violet has persuaded Hector to keep their marriage secret so that he will not lose his inheritance and current allowance stipend.
Tanner learns of Ann's not-entirely-pure intentions and escapes to Spain with his chauffer, where they are captured by a band of philosophical brigands. In their care, he dreams that he has been sent to hell and occupies the body of his ancestor, Don Juan the legendary libertine. He debates philosophy with the Devil, then awakens when Ann and the rest arrive and free them.
Tanner eventually submits to marriage with Ann, and Violet convinces Malone's father to support them financially.
2. Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) was born in Dublin, the son of a civil servant. His education was irregular, due to his dislike of any organized training. After working in an estate agent's office for a while he moved to London as a young man (1876), where he established himself as a leading music and theatre critic in the eighties and nineties and became a prominent member of the Fabian Society, for which he composed many pamphlets. He began his literary career as a novelist; as a fervent advocate of the new theatre of Ibsen (The Quintessence of Ibsenism, 1891) he decided to write plays in order to illustrate his criticism of the English stage. His earliest dramas were called appropriately Plays Pleasant and Unpleasant (1898). Among these, Widower's Houses and Mrs. Warren's Profession savagely attack social hypocrisy, while in plays such as Arms and the Man and The Man of Destiny the criticism is less fierce. Shaw's radical rationalism, his utter disregard of conventions, his keen dialectic interest and verbal wit often turn the stage into a forum of ideas, and nowhere more openly than in the famous discourses on the Life Force, "Don Juan in Hell", the third act of the dramatization of woman's love chase of man, Man and Superman (1903).
In the plays of his later period discussion sometimes drowns the drama, in Back to Methuselah (1921), although in the same period he worked on his masterpiece Saint Joan (1923), in which he rewrites the well-known story of the French maiden and extends it from the Middle Ages to the present.
Other important plays by Shaw are Caesar and Cleopatra (1901), a historical play filled with allusions to modern times, and Androcles and the Lion (1912), in which he exercised a kind of retrospective history and from modern movements drew deductions for the Christian era. In Major Barbara (1905), one of Shaw's most successful «discussion» plays, the audience's attention is held by the power of the witty argumentation that man can achieve aesthetic salvation only through political activity, not as an individual. The Doctor's Dilemma (1906), facetiously classified as a tragedy by Shaw, is really a comedy the humour of which is directed at the medical profession. Candida (1898), with social attitudes toward sex relations as objects of his satire, and Pygmalion (1912), a witty study of phonetics as well as a clever treatment of middle-class morality and class distinction, proved some of Shaw's greatest successes on the stage. It is a combination of the dramatic, the comic, and the social corrective that gives Shaw's comedies their special flavour.
Shaw's complete works appeared in thirty-six volumes between 1930 and 1950, the year of his death.
3. Historical PerspectiveWith few exceptions, the cast of character in Superman hails from the wealthy upper-class. Times were good for them, though England was undergoing a distinct change in how it came to view the working class. They went from non-entities, to indispensable parts of the lives of the upper-class.
4. Production History
Man and Superman has enjoyed far stronger popularity in later years than it originally did closer to its publication. A staple of classical theatre it enjoys occasional revival, though rare re-imagining.
Berkeley Rep:
Mozart music will cover all of the scene changes, and in the "Don Juan' section itself, a piano will roll onstage to allow the Devil (Charles Lanyer) to accompany one of his own linguistic arias. "I wanted "Don Giovanni' to permeate the whole production," says Lewis, who at one point contemplated staging a kind of emblematic Don Juan scene as a frontispiece to the evening.
South Coast Repertory:
The play, which Shaw wrote in 1901-02, is filled with complex ideologies that could become ponderous if handled incorrectly. Then there is the problem of the third act, which is dominated by a sequence known as "Don Juan in Hell." This dream scene underscores the play's ideas, yet it is largely expendable and is often cut.
Discussion Questions
1. How might Shaw's philosophy of the "Superman" be linked to earlier Nietzschean ideas about the advancement of humanity via "Ubermensch"? What are the overlaps, if any?
2. In regards to the Latin concept of Amor Fati, how much can this relate to the scene in hell with Don Juan? Can true Amor Fati be present within the bounds of the progression towards Ubermenschen?
3. Shaw mentions the idea of a universal consciousness. How might this concept relate to or differ from Hinduism's concept of the universal soul?
4. Concerning the brigands of the Sierra Nevada, are their actions compatible within the frameworks of each of thier given philosophies? Why or why not?
5. Compare Shaw's "Life Force" with Nietzsche's "Will to Power". How different or similar are they? Also consider how the variant of Freud's "Will to Pleasure" may explain the gap between the two philosophies.
Further Exploration
Hyper History OnlineThis is a convenient resource granting you some historical perspective in a simple way. Browse timelines by date or by category.
http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/History_n2/a.html
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Given the highly philosophical nature of this play, students may appreciate a quick (and comprehensive) reference to many of the ideas touched on by the piece.
http://plato.stanford.edu/
HolyeBooks.org
Here, you can find the entire collected works of Bernard Shaw for additional reading on the subject.
http://www.holyebooks.org/?cat=68
Old Bailey
This site is useful for looking at some of the real cultural and social issues within England at the time of the play.
http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/static/London-life19th.jsp
Encyclopedia of Philosophy
This website has good summaries of Nietzsche's work, as well as fuel for further thought in regards to Shaw's work.
http://www.iep.utm.edu/nietzsch/
________________________________________________________
If you'd like to contact the manufacturer of this packet for additional information, they can be reached at the following number (but be prepared to go through about 7 secretaries, up to five though no less than three riddling sphinxes, and at least one group of meddling kids): 226-668-2255
Friday, June 24, 2011
Man and Superman - Producing the Play
Textual Problems
When considering "Man and Superman" for production, one of the first issues to be tackled inevitably ends up being the debate of whether or not to include "Don Juan in Hell", the play's philosophical monster of a third act. In this hour-plus dream sequence, Shaw basically expounds upon his entire philosophical underpinning for the show via the mouth of Don Juan (played by the same actor as John Tanner) against the equally compelling arguments of the Devil (played by the same actor as Mendoza). However, this segment does not contribute to the plot or direction of the "primary story", that is, the pursuit of Tanner by Ann. For this reason, many theatres may choose to omit "Don Juan" on the basis that modern audiences simply don't have the stamina for such a long play (which consistently clocks in at well over three hours even without "Don Juan"). Another mild issue is the single use of a car on stage (act 2 with Henry Straker).
Contextual Problems
Within the auspices (or confines) of Sam Houston, there are certain considerations that need addressing should a production of Man and Superman be staged here. Firstly, if performed in the showcase, I would see no way to utilize the car at all unless it was some sort of flat cut-out (which this dramaturg feels would diminish the scene and its believability). More importantly, certain scenes such as those set in the Sierra Nevada and accompanying villa are absolutely replete with characters on stage at the same time. Within the showcase, this is a serious concern. Should we somehow obtain the mainstage for this production, space becomes less of an issue. The "Don Juan" issue remains regardless of the space, as it is moreover an issue of time.
Other Productions' Solutions
Concerning the car, most seem to have displaced it to offstage, which is certainly the simplest solution. However, some have incorporated it into the show in a ophysical manner, ojne company going so far as to construct a small car for Tanner and Straker to escape in. As for the space issues, companies have solved it simply by having enough space, in most cases. however, some have reduced the characters on stage at peak times in order to clear the stage. On "Don Juan", there have been a myriad of solutions ranging from the direct to obtuse. Some simply truncate the sequence and keep it in the show, though that seems to hamper the effort of the show in general (when it is truncated). Most, however, simply omit the sequence in favor of moving the story along. My personal favorite solution would have to be the seperation tactic. Several theatres have simply seperated "Don Juan" and performed it as a companion piece to Man and Superman, viewable at a different time for those who wish the philosophical underpinnings of Shaw more profoundly expounded.
Critical Response
The central critical issue seems to be, yet again, "Don Juan in Hell". Some critics were bored by it's inclusion, though by and large, critics favored those productions willing to keep it in the production or at least include it as a companion piece. Another issue many critics took was the unsatisfactory portrayal of Ann, as it is quite a difficult role to fill without being hated (which few actresses are willing to do). Several critics advised additional paring down of (now) antiquated references, this script having been written in 1903 about the I.R.C. (Idle Rich Class). Critics both praised and damned abstract sets for this show, duly noting that there is quite a bit of change in scenery from one scene to the next.
When considering "Man and Superman" for production, one of the first issues to be tackled inevitably ends up being the debate of whether or not to include "Don Juan in Hell", the play's philosophical monster of a third act. In this hour-plus dream sequence, Shaw basically expounds upon his entire philosophical underpinning for the show via the mouth of Don Juan (played by the same actor as John Tanner) against the equally compelling arguments of the Devil (played by the same actor as Mendoza). However, this segment does not contribute to the plot or direction of the "primary story", that is, the pursuit of Tanner by Ann. For this reason, many theatres may choose to omit "Don Juan" on the basis that modern audiences simply don't have the stamina for such a long play (which consistently clocks in at well over three hours even without "Don Juan"). Another mild issue is the single use of a car on stage (act 2 with Henry Straker).
Contextual Problems
Within the auspices (or confines) of Sam Houston, there are certain considerations that need addressing should a production of Man and Superman be staged here. Firstly, if performed in the showcase, I would see no way to utilize the car at all unless it was some sort of flat cut-out (which this dramaturg feels would diminish the scene and its believability). More importantly, certain scenes such as those set in the Sierra Nevada and accompanying villa are absolutely replete with characters on stage at the same time. Within the showcase, this is a serious concern. Should we somehow obtain the mainstage for this production, space becomes less of an issue. The "Don Juan" issue remains regardless of the space, as it is moreover an issue of time.
Other Productions' Solutions
Concerning the car, most seem to have displaced it to offstage, which is certainly the simplest solution. However, some have incorporated it into the show in a ophysical manner, ojne company going so far as to construct a small car for Tanner and Straker to escape in. As for the space issues, companies have solved it simply by having enough space, in most cases. however, some have reduced the characters on stage at peak times in order to clear the stage. On "Don Juan", there have been a myriad of solutions ranging from the direct to obtuse. Some simply truncate the sequence and keep it in the show, though that seems to hamper the effort of the show in general (when it is truncated). Most, however, simply omit the sequence in favor of moving the story along. My personal favorite solution would have to be the seperation tactic. Several theatres have simply seperated "Don Juan" and performed it as a companion piece to Man and Superman, viewable at a different time for those who wish the philosophical underpinnings of Shaw more profoundly expounded.
Critical Response
The central critical issue seems to be, yet again, "Don Juan in Hell". Some critics were bored by it's inclusion, though by and large, critics favored those productions willing to keep it in the production or at least include it as a companion piece. Another issue many critics took was the unsatisfactory portrayal of Ann, as it is quite a difficult role to fill without being hated (which few actresses are willing to do). Several critics advised additional paring down of (now) antiquated references, this script having been written in 1903 about the I.R.C. (Idle Rich Class). Critics both praised and damned abstract sets for this show, duly noting that there is quite a bit of change in scenery from one scene to the next.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Shaw Festival - 1989
Shaw Festival
Niagara on the Falls, Ontario
May 25-October 11, 1989
Director: Christopher Newton
Set: Eduard Kochergin
Music: Christohper Donison
Well, you've never seen a "Man and Superman" like this one. Kochergin's visual notions for the play are decidedly minimalist. They pay homage to the geometry of painters Rothko and Albers, with each of the four acts framed in squares and rectangles which diminish then increase in size with varying stage depth.
Herman Trotter, The Buffalo News
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.ezproxy.shsu.edu/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_theme=aggregated5&d_articleFolderId=&p_action=doc&p_product=AWNB&p_docid=0EB1950D5999A2AE&f_lastaction=savedarticles
Niagara on the Falls, Ontario
May 25-October 11, 1989
Director: Christopher Newton
Set: Eduard Kochergin
Music: Christohper Donison
Well, you've never seen a "Man and Superman" like this one. Kochergin's visual notions for the play are decidedly minimalist. They pay homage to the geometry of painters Rothko and Albers, with each of the four acts framed in squares and rectangles which diminish then increase in size with varying stage depth.
Herman Trotter, The Buffalo News
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.ezproxy.shsu.edu/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_theme=aggregated5&d_articleFolderId=&p_action=doc&p_product=AWNB&p_docid=0EB1950D5999A2AE&f_lastaction=savedarticles
South Coast Repertory - 1990
South Coast Repertory
Costa Mesa, California
September 11-October 11, 1990
Director: Martin Benson
Set: Cliff Faulkner
Costume: Shigeru Yaji
The play, which Shaw wrote in 1901-02, is filled with complex ideologies that could become ponderous if handled incorrectly. Then there is the problem of the third act, which is dominated by a sequence known as "Don Juan in Hell." This dream scene underscores the play's ideas, yet it is largely expendable and is often cut. South Coast Repertory has wisely chosen to retain it, which in and of itself makes the production worth seeing.
Daryl H. Miller, Daily News of Los Angeles
http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_theme=aggregated5&d_articleFolderId=&p_action=doc&p_product=AWNB&p_docid=0EF60DEEADC1696F&f_lastaction=savedarticles
Costa Mesa, California
September 11-October 11, 1990
Director: Martin Benson
Set: Cliff Faulkner
Costume: Shigeru Yaji
The play, which Shaw wrote in 1901-02, is filled with complex ideologies that could become ponderous if handled incorrectly. Then there is the problem of the third act, which is dominated by a sequence known as "Don Juan in Hell." This dream scene underscores the play's ideas, yet it is largely expendable and is often cut. South Coast Repertory has wisely chosen to retain it, which in and of itself makes the production worth seeing.
Daryl H. Miller, Daily News of Los Angeles
http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_theme=aggregated5&d_articleFolderId=&p_action=doc&p_product=AWNB&p_docid=0EF60DEEADC1696F&f_lastaction=savedarticles
Berkeley Rep - 1990
Berkeley Rep
Berkeley, California
April 22-29, 1990
Director: Irene Lewis
Set: Christopher Barreca
Dramaturgy: Amlin Gray
Mozart music will cover all of the scene changes, and in the "Don Juan' section itself, a piano will roll onstage to allow the Devil (Charles Lanyer) to accompany one of his own linguistic arias. "I wanted "Don Giovanni' to permeate the whole production," says Lewis, who at one point contemplated staging a kind of emblematic Don Juan scene as a frontispiece to the evening. Additions, when there were already so many subtractions, finally didn't seem prudent. Steven Winn, San Francisco Chronicle
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.ezproxy.shsu.edu/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_theme=aggregated5&d_articleFolderId=&p_action=doc&p_product=AWNB&p_docid=0EB4F25A02083B69&f_lastaction=savedarticles
Berkeley, California
April 22-29, 1990
Director: Irene Lewis
Set: Christopher Barreca
Dramaturgy: Amlin Gray
Mozart music will cover all of the scene changes, and in the "Don Juan' section itself, a piano will roll onstage to allow the Devil (Charles Lanyer) to accompany one of his own linguistic arias. "I wanted "Don Giovanni' to permeate the whole production," says Lewis, who at one point contemplated staging a kind of emblematic Don Juan scene as a frontispiece to the evening. Additions, when there were already so many subtractions, finally didn't seem prudent. Steven Winn, San Francisco Chronicle
http://infoweb.newsbank.com.ezproxy.shsu.edu/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_theme=aggregated5&d_articleFolderId=&p_action=doc&p_product=AWNB&p_docid=0EB4F25A02083B69&f_lastaction=savedarticles
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