Rogue brings 'Dead' to life
Grade: A+
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IF YOU GO
What: Rogue Theatre presents "The Dead" by James Joyce.
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Zuzi Theatre, 738 N. Fifth Ave.
How much: $17 general admission
Details: For reservations, www.theroguetheatre.org or 326-7354.
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In today's overheated pop culture milieu, such a title as "The Dead" calls up visions of zombies and gooshie body parts. But Irish author James Joyce, writing in a low-tech world, had a more spiritual death in mind.
With his story "The Dead," he created a village society rigid in its expectations. Even in their merriest Christmas party moments these people felt the iron hand of restraint and acted accordingly. There were proper ways to behave on every occasion. The people who knew and observed the most rules had the highest social standing.
One of these was Gabriel Conroy (J. Andrew McGrath), a handsome, charming man with a lovely charming wife. Assured and confident, his place in this button-down society was very solid.
But in the deepest parts of his own heart festered the contamination of insecurity about his lovely, charming wife. We don't know why Gabriel should feel this way. We only know he does, and we see how the conventionally accepted rules of this uptight Irish village society keep him from ever expressing these private insecurities.
Cynthia Meier has adapted and directed a compelling version of the Joyce short story, heartbreaking in its power, for the constantly amazing Rogue Theatre.
Amy Almquist portrays his wife, Gretta, resolved to be a good wife but also vulnerable to all the desires of human nature. Her scenes with McGrath are some of the finest seen this season on any Tucson stage.
The Rogue production is a large one, listing 17 names in the program – plus six musicians. They are the Irish band Around the House (David Firestine, Sharon Goldwasser, Claire Zucker, Mark Robertson-Tessi), violinist Robert Villa and harpist/flutist Paul Amiel.
All this largess is effectively used to fill the enormous stage of Zuzi's Theatre, turning the place into an Irish dance hall. Yet there are no sets or props to speak of. Mostly it is people and straight-backed chairs.
The people are dressed in black and white, as this is a proper party, with all the women in ankle-length dresses. In their own village ways, they hope to emulate the wealthier strata of Irish society, proving they know their manners as thoroughly as anyone. Meier keeps the stage mostly in shadow, projecting a mood of people dancing their way through unspoken emotions.
"The Dead' is built in two halves, the traditional Twelfth Night party of spinster sisters Kate (Roberta Royse Streicher) and Julia (Mona Tadych), followed by scenes at home with Conroy and Gretta.
The year is 1904 and it is snowing as the guests arrive. According to Irish custom, the time is after 10 p.m. and a band is playing. Conversations and greetings reveal various characters and customs of the times.
Mr. Browne (William Killian) sees himself the life of the party, while we see how others consider him a bore. But it's a small village, so they go along with his act. On the morrow they will all have to continue getting along.
Others worry that Freddy (Brian Wees) might be drinking too much. Issues of art and propriety ebb and flow. Dinner is served, followed by dessert.
While this seems like an absolutely ordinary, if curiously quaint, get-together, we also become aware of the social strictures that shape it. These well-meaning people are acting the way they believe they are supposed to act.
Parties are supposed to be cheerful, so they act cheerful. Yet we sense a haunted sadness about them, too. This is a room full of people going through the ritual of having a good time while beneath the surface so many fears and suspicions are sloshing around. Fears that simply never find words.
Conroy knows these fears, too, when he notices a particularly distant expression on Gretta's face. He fears the worst but can't bring himself to take the risk of expressing his fears. Maybe silence is better. Fearing the worst he imagines something even worse. Silence isn't better.
We are left to wonder where do couples really live when they get stretched between the people they are in society and the people they are at home? Exactly where, after all, is the breaking point?
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