Thursday, March 28, 2024

AdvertiseDonateSubmit
NewsSportsArtsOpinionThe QuadPhotoVideoIllustrationsCartoonsGraphicsThe StackPRIMEEnterpriseInteractivesPodcastsBruinwalkClassifieds

Theatre company tries to find sense of Å’Modigl

By Daily Bruin Staff

Nov. 11, 1996 9:00 p.m.

Tuesday, November 12, 1996

THEATER:

Beautiful set, witty lines do not make up for confusion in
playBy Stephanie Sheh

Daily Bruin Contributor

Modern art can be visually fascinating, but to many it is
conceptually eluding and confusing.

The same can be said about the Buffalo Nights Theatre Company’s
presentation of "Modigliani," a Dennis McIntyre play about modern
artist Amedeo Modigliani who struggles to survive one more day of
despair in hopes of selling his art. The play tells how Modigliani
and his eccentric artist friends stumble through life and
accentuates talent’s ability to create as well as destroy.

The first impression of the play is how visually striking it is.
The enormously detailed set is scattered with paintings, sketches
and antique chairs. Even the walls are stripped and rough, creating
the Bohemian Mont-Parnasse Paris atmosphere. It so perfectly
captures the mood and atmosphere of World War I Paris that one can
almost smell the fumes from the paints. A wide variety of lighting
angles cast unique shadows on the actors as they move through the
dark set. Visually, the play is a series of beautiful pictures.

However, the greater accomplishment is the play’s ability to
draw viewers into the Parisian world. The audience section of the
small theater retains the same tone of the set, somewhat breaking
down the fourth wall. One of the characters, after exiting the
stage, can be heard walking down the same steps and slamming the
same door that the audience had gone through to get into the
theater. During intermission, a cast member strums his guitar and
sings French folk songs, raising theatrical realism to a whole new
level.

Beautiful and enticing as the set may be, the actual play is
very unfocused. It touches on many interesting ideas, but never
fully develops them. At one point, Modigliani says, "Everybody
wants a VanGogh in their parlor, but who wants VanGogh?" but the
idea is not explored. The play also limits the artists’ passions to
only the desire to sell their work. Modigliani (Michael Goorjian)
spends much of his time trying to leave Paris although it is never
completely clear why. Then he and his girlfriend, Beatrice Hastings
(Renne Ridgeley) argue about Leopold Zborowki (Ethan Lipton),
Modigliani’s art manager, but the dispute appears shallow and the
anguish seems unfounded. The altercation is dropped as suddenly and
inexplicably as it was picked up.

Even though the writing is unfocused and unclear, there are
several thought-provoking lines and memorable scenes. In one scene
an artist says, "When they’re looking at our paintings, they are
looking through our eyes." In Beatrice’s last scene, she confronts
Modigliani asking, "What is your talent? Creating or
destroying?"

Other than the witty lines, there are several small treasurable
scenes. A highlight in the evening comes when a little girl (Nelly
Ruiz) breaks through her shyness to grab a coin that art dealer
Guillaume Cheron (Ron Marasco) teases her with. It’s a moment that
shines with innocence and realism.

The climax of the play occurs in a humorous yet intense scene
where Modigliani finally meets Cheron the dealer and tries to charm
his way into his good graces. Goorjian and Marasco work well
together as their energies bounce off one another.

Despite the cloudy text, the actors make a decent effort at
portraying their characters. Goorjian successfully plays the
adolescent yearnings as well as the intense passions of the
27-year-old artist. However, it is difficult to see how the two
characteristics merge into one person. Maury Sterling, who plays
Chaim Sountine, a painter who steals sides of beef for color
inspiration, is humorously believable and refreshing. Director Ron
Marasco also exhibits a fine performance as Guillaume Cheron, the
pompous art dealer. All of the other cast members turn in mediocre
performances, with the exception of Ron Garcia as crazy painter
Maurice Utrillo, whose supposedly funny scenes are ruined by an odd
comedic timing.

All in all, the members of the Buffalo Nights Theatre Company do
what they can to transform a confusing play into a work of art.

THEATER: The Buffalo Nights’ "Modigliani" runs through Dec. 1 at
The Lost Studio at 130 S. La Brea. There are discount prices for
students and seniors. For TIX information call (213) 660-TKTS.

Buffalo Nights Theatre Co.

Michael Goorjian plays modern artist Amedeo Modigliani opposite
Renee Ridgeley, his girlfriend, in "Modigliani."

Share this story:FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
COMMENTS
Featured Classifieds
More classifieds »
Related Posts