Last week I saw a one-man rendition of Edgar Allen Poe’s greatest literary works in Hollywood, specifically in Thai Town. I must say that the performer, Jeffrey Combs, was excellent. This show is described by Goldstar.com as such, “a one-man show celebrating Edgar Allen Poe’s bicentennial”. I first discovered this play through my usual gallivanting through Goldstar.com. Weirdly enough, I had never heard of Poe’s story of “The Raven”, but I knew the majority of the other poems and tales that Combs performed. The performer made the poems and tales come to life, and his dialogue was enticing.
My favorite part of his act of the night had to be of his eccentric performance of the poem, “The Bells”. I had read this poem in high school, and it never really held my attention. It felt never-ending. However, he literally made the poem come to life. I felt entranced by him prancing across the stage in a furry, simultaneously screaming, “The bells, bells, bells!”, while the crickets hummed ever-so-slightly in the background of the tranquil darkness. It was terrifying like the start of a roaring orchestra, and made my heart beat just as rapidly. But it was just as electrifyingly bright, and it made my eyes light up with curiosity and awe.
Another key part that held my attention, like of a gaze with a new found love was his dialogue about plagiarism. Seeing as how I am a writing tutor it makes sense that I could easily relate to this bit. Combs angrily discussed the lack of creativity in this world, and his expressed anger toward a fellow writer in his time that did not express his own ideas, but simply stole from others’ creativity, such as Shakespeare. This part touched me because I often ponder in depth on plagiarism, and how everything can really be constituted as such due to the fact that everyone has had the same idea at some point in time. There is a lack of creativity in this world, and even Poe saw that in his time.
I definitely recommend this one-man show to anyone who has had an interest in Edgar Allen Poe’s written words. For more information on attending Nevermore, visit Goldstar.com for tickets, or directly get your tickets through Steve Allen Theater. According to Goldstar.com, there are several more performances available to attend in May.
And I would like to leave you all with The Simpson’s version of “The Raven”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIXKwA4xt-o&feature=related
I agree that Combs is a good actor, but my complaint with that play is that it used every tired old "Poe the crazy, drunken train-wreck" cliche ever written. It really began to get on my nerves.
ReplyDeleteThe truth about Poe is far more complex.
Yeah, I agree on the aspect that the drunkenness was annoying. At first it was a little silly, but as the show progressed it became a little redundant and disgusting. I was starting to wonder if he was actually drinking. However, that is most likely what they wanted to portray, the feeling that his drinking was incessant.
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