Vicious Reality in David Mamet’s Pulitzer Prize-Winning GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS

Clip from the film. Instead of swimming with sharks, these real estate salesmen are vicious jackals and hyenas—feeding off each other, while moving in on each other’s kills—or leads, contracts, etc. These salesmen will do anything to close a deal. When their competitors, each other, or even contrary prey affect their ability to survive, they attack as suits them.

The Eagle Theatre’s production of GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS stunned the audience tonight and won them over with its portrayal of cutthroat, backstabbing, conspiring, conniving, lying and stealing, willing-to-do-anything real estate salesmen fighting to keep their jobs and/or avoid seeing one of their competitors walk away with an extra prize.

David Mamet’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play opened originally in London, and a year later on Broadway. Nominated for several Tony Awards, it won one. It also won several other awards, too many to mention in this forum. Later made into a film, GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS received much critical success despite the disappointing box office, proving that Mamet was not for the broader audience.

This production has it all, including rat-a-tat monologues and overlapping dialogues requiring fierce acting, raw language, weaseling, and smooth-talking characters. Naturally, violence follows when the characters are frustrated and unable to reach their goals. Director Ted Wioncek III and his ensemble cast guarantee vicious action over two days of the sales’ competition.

Intended to be a black drama, GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS is not a realistic representation of sales people today, but rather one that makes its point as each character reveals a certain primitive darkness. Hate, distrust, jealousy, worry, fear and anger abound. Congeniality, friendship and love are absent, except when someone hopes to gain an advantage.

It’s easy to see our characters reduced to scavenging, which includes a lot of positioning with claws bared, lashing out at everyone. We see the protagonists begin as a pack of wild animals, no longer able to compete in its environment. Faced with a goal that seems impossible to attain, they struggle and fight for survival. Together, they are hungry and desperate for game, feeling the pressure of being corralled, starved and desperate, knowing at least one of them most certain to die, and one shunned (fired).

The animal pacing is quick. The brutal landscape abounds with rocks, crevices and a few valleys, but never a flat field–or level playing ground. It is a mixed metaphor, I know, but it seems appropriate.

Mamet’s play raises some interesting questions as our “sales” animals roar, bark, and growl at each other.Do our characters ever recognize the consequences of their primeval behavior? It seems we, human animals, are capable of similar behavior in the face of high stakes, unfairness in the workplace, or even losing our ability to perform–to achieve as we once did.

However, when we raise the stakes too high or make achieving them impossible, do we put aside our values–our morality to gain an advantage? Are we simply predatory animals? What separates us from the beasts and makes us human? Animals in the wild avoid confrontation; they attack only when threatened in some way. When facing hostility, we return it.

How are we supposed to act when we see someone taking advantage of us or someone else? How bad does a situation have to be before we lose our veracity, our conscience or our ethics in seeking reward?

The answer is simple. There are times and situations that bring out the animal in us. Mamet, without saying it, reminds us that jackals will eat anything and hyenas have the most powerful jaws, but warns that jackals and hyenas are not as ferocious as some others are.

Lions, leopards and cheetahs will prey on jackals and hyenas if nothing easier to kill is around. Even vegetarians such as an ox or elephant can do them harm. The animal metaphor is mine, not Mamet’s, but I think the animal behaviors hold true.

The Eagle Theatre has certainly earned the name “South Jersey’s Premier Equity Theatre.” Its operation is a “class act” and a tough act for any professional theatre to follow.

Here, it again does not disappoint. From the moment you walk into the theatre you feel something big is about to happen. The bar is center stage (uh-oh, not the Wine Bar; that’s to your left as you walk into the theatre.) The Act I set background works well as bar or restaurant wallpaper, rich and elegant, but also is reminiscent of an old theatre or a circus drape.

The set was interesting and the lighting quick. The scene changes were in a total blackout, or so it seemed to the audience. The first act is shorter than the second—opposite of what you might expect—but gives the audience a perfect introduction.

The theatre company has done a remarkable job with a very tough work. David Mamet is never easy. His repetitive lines and overlapping sentences require the most talented actors. GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS is a different experience for many theatregoers.

The harsh language is appropriate in this play’s context, giving it a raw, primitive feel. Contemporary drama doesn’t get much better. It is an amazing acting feat to perform such rapid monologues with overlapping dialogues, but the cast was up to it. There was also a rhythm to the steady flow of words—the flow purposely interrupted by intense physical action like a cat lashing out.

This production’s worth the trip from wherever you live.

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS
Written by David Mamet
Directed by Ted Wioncek III
April 25 – May 7, 2014
The Eagle Theatre
208 Vine Street – Downtown
Hammonton, NJ 08037
609-704-5012
http://theeagletheatre.com/

Originally posted by Jack Shaw for Stage Magazine.

 

 

Visceral Reality in Sam Shepard’s TRUE WEST

South Camden Theatre Company’s production of Sam Shepard’s TRUE WEST rocked audiences with its intensity and powerful performances primarily by the play’s leads, Jason Cutts as “Lee” and Patrick Alicarlo as “Austin”. The cameos by Breen Rourke and Kris Andrews provide the right touch as well.

Robert Bingaman’s set is perfect. Andrew Cowles’ lighting design contains beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and Josh Wallenfels’ great sound pulls us even more into the house in the desert.

TRUE WEST is the story of two brothers who come home to where they grew up–about 40 miles outside of Los Angeles—in one of the many desert family communities. The brothers share little in common: Austin has lived a “normal” life having gone to college, gotten married, etc., while Lee has survived the desert and in life, primarily by being a thief. Dad is a drunk and lives somewhere in the Sonoran desert near Juarez, Mexico.

While his mother is on an Alaskan cruise, Austin, an accomplished screenwriter from the city, is house-sitting for her, and his brother drops by to prey on the neighbors’ household appliances. Austin objects to Lee’s intentions, but eventually allows him to stay–if he is out of the house when a film producer arrives that afternoon. Lee returns from a heist while the producer is still there. Instead, he talks the producer into a playing golf and looking at an outline based on an idea he has for a screenplay. Austin helps his brother with the outline, but not without humiliating his brother by overstating his own successes.

The next day, Lee returns jubilant after gambling on the golf game to get the producer to drop Austin’s project and produce his.

You can imagine the sparks that fly next. Sam Shepard is one of America’s most prolific and celebrated playwrights with his work fitting a variety of stages. Shepard, known for narration in his plays, uses short quips and retorts to send his message this time, but the message is as powerful as always.

Why does Shepard place his story about sibling rivalry among other things in the desert location? It seems distance and their mother may be buffers between the brothers’ polarity. They seem to be trying, quite literally, to bust each other’s head in. Lee, of course, leaning more toward his dad’s side, argues vehemently that Austin couldn’t survive in the desert or steal a toaster. This time, Austin is on the defensive. Each tries to emulate the other, but there is no connection. Is that the message? Maybe we are supposed to be who we are for ourselves and no one else. Or, do we need a buffer, too?

Although their father never shows up, he is at the heart of the play. One brother refuses to be anything at all like his father, while the other is already showing signs of the same pattern in his life. Shepard’s plays continually pick at the father-son relationship. In this case, the sons are “bound by fate” to follow the father however dismal the future.

Despite Robert Bingaman’s realistic scene design (and it’s a good one), the emotional intensity of the brothers’ battles ensure that this production is not realistic, and stays on point. Even with the outstanding sound and lighting effects that draw us into the scene. We are stuck there as the brothers are, tied to home, the last place we knew who we were. If anyone yelled at us, the way these two carry on, we’d leave the house or call the police.

While the play could be played with less volume —especially in a small house—and still work, I’m glad director Christopher “Jumbo” Schimpf chose to go with the playwright’s intention, which I think, gives energy to his message.

What we might think, Shepard realizes and makes us see. Sam Shepard’s plays, like any good playwright’s, are not about the stories he or she tells.

TRUE WEST is full of symbols, motifs and meaning, but it is also quite entertaining. It is a dark comedy, but so full of emotion that it doesn’t feel like it. Remember, it is not a farce, but a Human Comedy, so you can expect it to affect you deeply. Bring tissues. The play is funny, sad, angry and full of despair at times.

The South Camden Theatre Company production of TRUE WEST does a great job of reminding us that we, too, can fall victim to what people say, and that we should strive to be true to ourselves. The acting performances alone are worth the price of a ticket, but you should go for the whole deal.

TRUE WEST
Written by Sam Shepard
Directed by Christopher “Jumbo” Schimpf
April 25 – May 11, 2014
Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.
Sundays at 2:00 p.m.
South Camden Theatre Company
Waterfront South Theatre
400 Jasper Street
Camden, NJ 08104
866-811-4111
http://www.southcamdentheatre.org

Originally posted by Jack Shaw for STAGE Magazine.

Check out this video with Gary Sinise and John Malkovich.

In Makr’s Shadow: A Working Title for Harry’s Reality

If you can read between the lines, you will find hidden meanings. Harry sees two worlds on the same planet: fantasy and reality, but there is something in between, a hidden meaning he seeks.

We needn’t leave the idea of a hidden meaning to Harry. There are hidden meanings in all things creative, but also in the practical world. We read between the lines every day in OUR OWN reality. We have to or we couldn’t understand each other.

For example, words and phrases can have different meanings not readily apparent. A while, awhile and while are words that depend on how you use them. This “word” can be a noun, a verb or a conjunction.

Thus, the words have meanings depending on context–a form of reading between the lines.

If words alone can do that, how do you plant ideas between the lines?

To make that happen you have to lend your creative package to a total stranger.

I tried editing my novel once, twice, a million times–after being told once by a professional author that I could do it easily. Instead I found it difficult for several reasons:

• I was too close to it to the work; it was too personally attached to my psyche.
• It had been written and re-written over a long time.
• I decided to write it in first person and changed my mind, which only meant there was opportunity for more errors.
• I needed to find a focus and stick with it.

Writing a novel, as I have found it, is excruciating if you want to do it right. It takes time–a lot of time to tell a good story and have it mean something to anyone who reads it. That scenario is unlikely to happen without a good editor.

Most people think of an editor as a proofreader, pointing out the usual grammar, spelling and typos. Not so. A copywriter does that. Of course when you start looking for an editor, you have little idea where to look.

Obviously you look for someone who has worked with your particular genre, see some examples of their work, but most importantly you need to talk with the person directly so you both are thinking alike.

Hopefully, before you turn it over to an editor, you have done the most you can do in telling the story your way, with the style that can be attributed only to you. You may fear the editor will “edit” more like a teacher, and spoil your masterpiece.

At the moment it is a masterpiece only to you. At times, it is more like a child and you, the parent, have to keep correcting it. You have to stop. Stop parenting or babysitting, and go on to the next project. That’s the hardest part.

When I made the decision to have In Makr’s Shadow professionally edited, I was far from ready. I had a mangled piece of writing close to my heart–for at least a decade. When I looked at it, it seemed all right, but it didn’t snap–it didn’t grab me. As I looked to publish, I found errors constantly because most of all the changes were of my own making.

Here’s where the editor or a mechanic comes in to fix it. In my case, it was a true book doctor, an editor Tricia Johnson. I made changes every time I read a passage to make it perfect. It’s happened on this blog. I post a clip, but as I’m reading it–it’s all wrong, and disappointing so I fix it. In reality, I’m may not be fixing it at all; I have clarified a paragraph that didn’t read well, but I may have also changed the style and focus for the reader each time I tried to fix it.

Like the perfectionist most creators try to be, we change anything we craft if there is a way to do it. While it’s impossible to change a piece of art without creating something new, it’s not so hard in other creative endeavors. If we are musicians, we try to produce a better result, or a different result every time we play the same song. If we are actors on stage, we do the same thing–every night. No two performances are alike. It is the “creative” part of us that can’t leave the work alone. In some cases, that’s fine, but not with writing a novel.

Tricia took my novel and broke it down into what it communicated to her. She made my message stronger and the delivery better by deleting words, entire paragraphs, asking me to clarify what I meant. To do this, often paragraphs and chapters were moved around. More importantly as she did this, the novel became more focused, tighter and direct–a grabber and keeper of interest. All that we want in our work.

The King’s English and American English are different. I had selected a British editor who had experience editing science fiction. It seemed to me her perspective could be interesting and it was. There were some surprising differences between us–all good. Now I had a choice. Should the book have an international or American reading? So, I gave a hard look at my idioms, singularly American word choices and phrasing. I changed them to include a more universal audience.

My editor, Tricia Johnson, The Word Weaver, gave me a list with page and paragraph numbers so I could take another look at what I had written. She rewrote passages, changed tenses and cleaned it up in so many ways, but most of all she gave advice–advice that came from editing other novels. What came back to me was a focused, gripping novel. Over the course of the experience, the novel took on a new significance. Instead of a jumbled mess, it was whole and something to be proud of. Tricia’s work was phenomenal. It helped me create my masterpiece. More importantly, she taught me to read between the lines of my own work.

I recently added Tricia to my Facebook and LinkedIn. In fact, upon seeing the result of her fantastic work online, in Harry’s Reality, she pointed out to me that maybe my idea of juxtaposing a frightening image with a less than a mysterious title didn’t working so well. I wanted the novel to be received both as dramatic in thought and scary, and trusting Tricia as I do, a new cover title may be coming soon.

Originally titled, In Makr’s Shadow, there may be a change back to the past. Ironically, it was the working title for Harry’s Reality. The cover will remain the same with the exception of the title. Hopefully, that will make a difference in the first impression the book makes on the public.

At present, Harry’s Reality is available in any digital format wherever fine e-books are sold.

 

Reviewing: A Bridge to a Novel

Jessica Lynn Kramer (playing Beatrice Carbone) and Gary Werner (playing Eddie Carbone) in A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE at Haddonfield Plays and Players. (Photo credit: Tommy Balne)

 

Just finished writing my review of A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE for STAGE Magazine and to my chagrin it was excellent. I say that not because I wanted it to fail–not by any stretch, but as a critic it is rare for community theatres to get the most out of modern drama. Granted, VIEW is one of Arthur Miller’s less cryptic plays, but its stern acting demands and subtlety for a powerful result are there and Haddonfield Plays and Players in Haddonfield, New Jersey pulled it off extremely well. And, I’m was proud.

This reviewing experience once again got me thinking about how much I love modern theatre. With a well-written script, the message between the lines is evident, the symbolism effective, and the story as a whole very satisfying. In theatre terms–cathartic. I remember writing a piece on this forum some time ago on what a reviewer or critic should be. What a review or critique should be is an educated opinion and so much more.

A good reviewer should offer perspective, representing the play to an audience even if it is not the his or her kind of play. I find that professionals know better. Here’s the other article so you don’t have to search this blog site for it. You might find the answers surprising. So often, people (audience’s too), performers, crew and directors alike think a review is a matter of opinion; however, are quick to use the reviews when they are positive and even use parts of the review out of context to promote the show.

Perhaps reviews are opinions–to some. Some certainly are that, and some reviews don’t deserve to be called reviews at all; synopses or reports might be a better terms. The term “review” is often interchangeable with “critique;” however, critique sounds negative so most publications stay with review. As with anything, there are good “reviewers” and bad ones. The tone of a review is can depend on editorial policy as well.

Reviewers themselves who are afraid to hurt feelings say nothing negative, forgetting there is tact and constructive criticism. Of course the opposite is true, too. There are those reviewers who lack tact. This usually why a major newspaper speaks with one voice. The scope of the internet has made that almost impossible. What might be nice now would be a set of rules for reviewers to follow. By the way (and I’m not suggesting this is it, but it’s a start), I have a e-book that I published a while ago, Acting Smarts Reviews Local and Regional Theatre that you can download for free on the site. You can also view previous reviews and articles on the STAGE Magazine link on this site.

I am also in favor of previews where a reviewer would come to the theatre before the open and watch the show in late rehearsal, asking questions and offering suggestions. It’s a win-win. The theatre receives the benefit of another set of eyes and reviewer will learn why some decisions were made. Oftentimes, there are reasons that some choices are made by the director that seem wrong to the reviewer, but may not be helped for technical reasons. Perhaps another blog.

I studied reviews of Pulitzer Prize-winning plays from 1920 to 1980 and what I found was that even in major newspapers like the New York Times during that period, the role of the reviewer was not well-defined. Often it depended on what socialite star was back for a returning role, or just an opinion–often with little tact. It was only later that we began to see the more academic analysis that grew along as the legitimacy of the theatre arts grew. Not only can you get an advanced degree, even a talent-based BFA or MFA, in Theatre, but you can specialize in many aspects of the art. Besides experts in acting and directing, there are theater administrators, stage management, dramaturgy and theatre history experts because theatre matters in the world.

Why does it not follow that those who view theatre should not benefit from a person who understands how theatre works, what playwrights intend in their plays, how theatre presents important messages to humanity? Why don’t most theatre companies, especially community theatres see reviewers (good ones) as a boon to them today–as a chance to see what the audience is seeing, to see if the company did the playwright justice, or even better, to improve on the power of his or her message, and to learn the basics of good theatre they may not know, or have forgotten?

I suppose that is why I went from being a literature major in graduate school to literary criticism to working on an interdisciplinary degree with theatre culminating in performance criticism. I saw so many similarities on the face of a good novel as I do in a good theatre performance. A good theatre performance is as complex as good novel. Many people don’t see that. I wonder, do many novel readers go to plays? Then, again, I don’t see many of my theatre friends doing much novel-reading; they read mostly plays and are great observers of life. Of course, the latter is what they have in common with novelists. That same ability to become one with the world is what makes both a great novelist and a great actor.

Honestly, I Tried to Be a Good E-Book Reader

Honestly, I’ve tried recently to be a good book e-reader, but I keep coming back to my “old’ friends. I find too many agendas and surprises out there and disappointments. I think everyone is like me. I think I wrote a book, while probably not a best-seller is worth a look, but it may not get a serious review because it is e-published. I went the rounds with conventional publishing. I think my novel is too thoughtful, too layered and the science fiction does not go far enough out of today’s science.

I can easily write and publish the what I consider the easy stuff, the how-tos, the 5 steps, the sure cure, the secrets of; unfortunately, I save that for my blogs for which I write two, along with dramatic criticism. Even with my blog articles, I resist the “easy,” making them real commentary. I know some writers aren’t going to like what I’m saying so I guess this is a rant.

My science fiction doesn’t take place in space and the world hasn’t been totally annihilated until only a few survivors are struggling to live. I don’t think we’d get that far. I think we’re too smart, but we will make some mistakes along the way. My novel is about that.

I wrote and published early in life and took a long hiatus to work in a different world (still writing), but nothing has really changed since then. As a performance critic (it has a double meaning – literary and performance) I have a standard for the art, perhaps it is a classic standard, but essentially, it means the work must move me, make me feel something, do something more than entertain. If a book does just entertain, it better do that better than anyone else. As for the gimmicks and self-help, I abhor them, but some people need them like they need other simple pleasures like reality TV–to each his own. Some people abhor ebooks without knowing them. And, we need history books to tell history. Physics books to tell physics, etc. Is there a reason they have to always be on paper?

Wait! Change is hard, but students could use a break.

The publishers still hold the key to “making” it–even if you are the publisher, because it then becomes up to you to invest, market and sell your book even if it is garbage. We’ve all seen garbage marketed and consumed by the public. Whoever that publisher is.

A vetting process to get reviewed? Sounds a lot like conventional publishing. And then I get reviewed? Someone should just read the damn book. I might as well try to publish hard copy and wait a year to hear it doesn’t meet what the current market will buy, which is code for I have enough blockbusters in my inventory.

Enough vent. Sorry. So it goes in the writing business.

Blue Day, Bitch! Get Over It!

Some days are like this. It’s been like this all my life. What’s that smiling picture doing to my right? I started life as a smart-ass. Continued that way for some time. Never really know when to stop. You evolve into a know-it-all, or got-to-tell-you-my-story. Told myself that’s because I was smart. Bitched about anything in life that wasn’t fair. Never stupid people. However… ignorant people, mean-spirited people, people who hurt children and animals, people who hurt anyone for that matter. Laws that didn’t and still don’t make sense. Disparity between the rich and the poor. Starving people. Super rich people. Extremists of any kind.

Life wasn’t fair and it was hard to make a living–so I struck out like a bitch and fought like a bitch to get here. Then, here got tedious and I moaned. I moaned. I moaned. There seemed to be more excitement as a smart-ass. Now, I have a smart-ass of my own (that means he’s smart) and I know why some people tolerated me–barely. Moaning, I found, was status quo–almost no struggle, but no striving either. That was my fault I suppose. Then, I got lucky for the second time; I think the smart-ass in me helped, but I was getting legitimately smarter, too. Moaning set in again. My fault again. Some days there’s groaning. That’s worse than moaning. Life and I are growing tired. Having a blue day.

When you’re young you make life. You take it, explore it, have fun with it. I suppose I did that, too, when I wasn’t bitching, moaning or groaning. The answer is: don’t bitch, moan and groan your life away, and don’t be a smart-ass because you’ll lose your place in line of living that life.

In case, you’re all wondering what the hell am I doing! I’m doing my version of some blogs I see. These are the dark ones. The light ones dance on flowers, butterflies and clouds. Feeling odd today, trying to figure things out. Humans are funny that way. Philosophers have done it for a millennium, but they had better words.

How about a piece of Harry’s Reality to cheer us up? Maybe later.

Battle Between the Lines…

I could really piss someone off with this post. To admit, not doing it, makes a person sound dumb. It being “reading between the lines.” It’s not rocket science, to plug a cliché, most us learned to do it in school, then promptly forgot it. Now, we don’t know when we do it. We know when something we read or see, when someone is telling us something, but that’s not all there is to it… Truth is I’m not so sure anyone literally does read between the lines anymore, except for a few college students who have to in English class.

So, when it comes to books, I was appalled to read a novelist write trying to sell his book say: “This ain’t literature.” Sure enough, I’m sure it wasn’t. So, no deeper than that!  No reading for something beyond the obvious.

Does anyone read between the lines of the written word? I suppose some do, but probably without thinking. And, I have to do battle with those who say, “What’s wrong with plain entertainment?” Nothing, but don’t sit there and wonder why no one is taking your writing seriously any more than they take a bang-bang-shoot-’em-up-blow-’em-up film. Okay, well, maybe Tarantino’s because he invented his own bizarre brand of violence and vulgarity in film. I’m talking specifically about e-books here. Anyone can publish them, anyone can market them, and anyone can easily find a distributor.

There are places where it is still important to “read between the lines.” In acting, it is essential to do so, otherwise, you’ll never understand your character or a scene. In public speaking, you have to read an audience without lines; so, here you have to do more than read lines. We assume nothing is unimportant.

Writing e-novels without a purpose other than to entertain, makes it no better than “hack” writing. Hollywood does that. It used to be an insult to called a “hack.” That was a writer who wrote for the cheap shot. In this case, I’d say it’s the guy who writes a “western” story taking place in space or so far in the future so he can call it science fiction and e-publishes because he is accountable to no one. If no one reads it, no harm done.

Harm is done. Harm is done to all the hardworking serious writers of e-books. To those folks, I say, read on, and please make a point with your stories. Stories with nothing to say, that are perhaps unusual or seems on the surface to be the kinds of books we usually buy until we try to read them do e-novels more harm than good. I remember as a kid having to read any kind of literature, but as I grew up I began to see it–the importance of reading between the lines. As a critic of both literature and drama, I see that the best have more than one layer of  meaning; you may not get it the first time you read the book or the first time you see the play, but that’s the beauty of it. Layers and reading between the lines to discover them. The novel or play is so much richer. The lack of which is why publishers, agents and reviewers don’t take e-books seriously as a matter of course. Wouldn’t it be nice if your e-novel stood just as much of a chance of being made into a decent movie as those books on shelves? Not much plot in your book? Hell, just make a point. Make it say something different.

A special note to those who know me personally and I guess those who don’t will learn my intentions here. I who have lived a varied existence most recently being involved in theatre and training as well as writing, I am shutting down my training and speaking business page and using this as my Writer’s Page. I received many good offers to train or speak especially overseas, but at this time in my life I want to concentrate on writing. I will continue to write theatre reviews as they come up, host my international training and development blog, and teach public speaking or English/theatre part-time. I haven’t changed the Acting Smarts page here yet if you’d like to see some of my background. This is still a work in progress. At present I have e-published my best seller, The Cave Man’s Guide to Training and Development, two books on theatre, and my novel, Harry’s Reality. In Harry’s Reality, the 90% live in a fantasy world, the 10% live in the real world, and 1% of that 10%, feared by everyone, is at war the artificial intelligence that runs the planet.

Questions and Comments are certainly welcome.