The Longbow Papers

Act 1, "Bless the Lord!" Reverend Hale, Thomas Putnam, Reverend Parris and Tituba
Regular readers know my great fondness for the life and works of Arthur Miller; so it is with much joy that I report some very subjective news thusly: From a somewhat shaky opening (June 15) due in the main to--aargh! hrmmph!--technical problems, to an almost perfect closing night (June 19), "The Crucible" was a winner on the main stage at Beijing Foreign Studies University! Many long hours and hard work by 20 student-actors, and almost that many student-technicians and stagehands, paid off in a most satisfying fashion.

The first full-length English Language drama performed at Beiwai since the beginning of the Cultural Revolution was an unqualified "hit," according to enthusiastic audience members. Since a director should not review his own work, I will only say how proud I am of a large cast of talented young people who collectively saved my bacon! So, just another director not trusting his eyes and ears because it's easier to 'see' what's wrong than what's right.

Snapshots from members of the audience attending different performances and final rehearsals are coming in; many are posted now. More will follow. I hope. The closing performance was also video-taped for DVD distribution locally. I look forward to that; I still haven't 'seen' the show as a show in total--Acts 1 through 4, with lights, costumes, music and sound effects as a continuous entity except from my crosscut, linear-view duty post in the far down-right wing.

Cast (in order of appearance)

Reverend Parris-----Xiao Liang (Leon)
Betty Parris-----Li Jin (Li Jing)
Tituba-----He Yujia (Cinderella)
Abigail Williams-----Pu Zhuangyi (Amanda)
Susanna Walcott-----Zhao Xiaochen (Dusty)
Mrs. Ann Putnam-----Hou Yun (Athena)
Thomas Putnam-----Ding Qiang (Milton)
Mercy Lewis-----Wu Meng (Cheryl)
Mary Warren-----Xiao Jianke (Charlotte)
John Proctor-----Liu Siyang (Stephen)
Rebecca Nurse-----Liu Yueyi (Sheila)
Giles Corey-----Liang Sibo (Max)
Reverend John Hale-----Chen Tao (Tom)
Elizabeth Proctor-----Wang Liu (Amy)
Francis Nurse-----Wang Zilu (Jerry)
Ezekiel Cheever-----Zheng Yuhao (Robert)
Marshal Herrick-----Zhang Zheng (Jimmy)
Judge Hathorne-----Xu Xiaoxi (Shuan)
Deputy Governor Danforth-----Jiang Xin (James)
Sarah Good-----Han Lin (Arlene)

Act 1, "Tituba, look into my eyes," Hale, Tituba, Putnam and Parris, by a smidgen.

Act 1, "How do you call me child!" Abigail Williams and John Proctor

Act 1, "Let God blame me, not you, not you, Rebecca!" Ann Putnam and Rebecca Nurse

Act 1, "She speaks!" Hale, Ann and Thomas Putnam, Parris, Betty Parris and Tituba. A follow-spot in the theatre can wreak havoc on the still-photographic moment. Or maybe not.

Act 2, "I mean to please you, Elizabeth." John and Elizabeth Proctor .

Act 2, "Aye, it be a proper court they have now." Elizabeth and John Proctor

Act 2, "Then let you not earn it." Elizabeth and John Proctor

Act 2, "Mumbled! She may mumble if she's hungry." Elizabeth Proctor with Mary Warren and John Proctor.

Act 2, "Aye. But the Devil is a wily one, you cannot deny it." Reverend Hale, with John and Elizabeth Proctor.

Act 2, "I spy a poppet, Goody Proctor." Ezekiel Cheever, with John Proctor, Giles Corey, Francis Nurse, Reverend Hale and Elizabeth Proctor.

Act 3, "Why, I...I would free my wife, sir." Reverend Hale, Deputy Governor Danforth, Reverend Parris and Francis Nurse.

Act 3, "My face? My face? ... God made my face; you cannot want to tear my face. Envy is a deadly sin, Mary." Abigail Williams, with Susanna Walcott, Mercy Lewis and Betty Parris.

Act 3, "You will prove this! This will not pass! "Abigail with Susanna Walcott, Mercy Lewis, Betty Parris and Francis Nurse.

Act 3, "I say...I say...God is dead!" John Proctor with Deputy Governor Danforth and Marshal Herrick.

Act 4, "Do what you will. But Let none be your judge. There be no higher judge under heaven than Proctor is! Forgive me, John...I never knew such goodness in the world!" Elizabeth and John Proctor.

Act 4, "I can. And there's your first marvel, that I can. You have made your magic now, for now I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor." John Proctor with Rebecca Nurse, Elizabeth Proctor and Reverend Parris.
Act 4, "He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!" Elizabeth Proctor with Reverend Hale.

The End.

 

1:36 PM / Editor / permalink    2 comments

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2 Comments:

Dear Prof., it's been quite a while since I visited your blog last time. Busy still. You know all that about PR... I read through this blog just now and wondered to myself: am I regretting taking up a job after graduated instead of pursuing my studies? Seeing how my former classmate perform from the photos posted here, I couldn't help picturing myself in that position...Being students are lucky, they can keep being themselves without worrying too much about "other" stuff. Today when I was on my way to work in the subway I met a bunch of foreign students, and I'm feeling like I'm old~~hehe, I've accumulated some experience tho, on the other side. C'est la vie.
Take good care of yourself~~

Natalie Zhao

By  mengnan, at 11:19 PM  

Dear Natalie,

It's great to hear from you! Please forgive me for not responding sooner, I've been on the road the last few weeks.

You are not getting old--I am!

Your former classmate performed brilliantly in 'The Crucible.' But do not regret your choice to go to work instead of graduate school; you are gaining invaluable experience. And if you do want to go back to school some day you can and you will be all the better for it because of what you are learning 'on the job.'

Most sincerely,

Joseph

By  Editor, at 3:14 PM  

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