Reviews: Farewell To Eden
By Mahonri Stewart | 1.22.10
My play Farewell To Eden, which has its closing performances this Friday, Saturday (matinee and evening, and Monday) at the Provo Theatre (105 East, 100 North in Provo), has been getting some good press. As some shameless self promotion and a plug for the closing performances, I wanted to share a couple of the positive reviews.
First, one from AML’s Nan McCulloch, who is one of my favorite theatre reviewers (and not just because she’s generally very supportive of my plays). Nan’s just one of the more insightful and intelligent theatre critics I’ve come across… and it doesn’t hurt that she always seems to “get” my plays. :] Here’s the link to her review on the AML discussion board:
http://www.forums.mormonletters.org/yaf_postsm1967_STEWART-Farewell-to-Eden.aspx#1967
Second, one from the Deseret News. For the record, although the reviewer Sharon Haddock thought the play lacked some “hope,” I would respectfully disagree. I just think the hope in the play is more subtle than she would have liked… perhaps she would have preferred a more wrapped up ending, so we’ll just have to disagree artistically. Otherwise, she was very complimentary. Here’s the link:
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705359376/Farewell-to-Eden-absorbing-but-bleak.html
For those who are interested in seeing the closing performances, you can make reservations by sending an e-mail to zion.theatre.company@gmail.com , with your name, how many tickets you want, and for which performance you want. Performances start at 7:30 on evenings, and 2 pm for the matinee.
1.22.10 | 3:21 pm | comment permalink |
Grandma Nan’s approval is a compliment indeed. She certainly wouldn’t compare someone to Shaw or Wilde unless they deserved it.
1.23.10 | 1:24 am | comment permalink |
Great reviews. Wish I was there to see it…
1.23.10 | 10:20 am | comment permalink |
That’s all right, Jonathan, being in AZ, I didn’t know whether I was going to be able to see it either. Thankfully the stars lined up for me to fly there on Monday for the closing performance.
1.23.10 | 5:54 pm | comment permalink |
And there is a DVD being made, which long distance people can purchase. :] No self promotion at all, of course… ;]
1.24.10 | 2:11 am | comment permalink |
Perhaps I should purchase the CD. Perhaps I shall. For some reason, though, watching recordings of a play production always seems to me a bit like being able to smell the meal but not actually taste it.
1.24.10 | 2:12 am | comment permalink |
And hence would wind up making me even more depressed about not being there. Forgot to add that point, which is one reason why I don’t often do it.
1.24.10 | 2:15 am | comment permalink |
Another add-on: I think the reason is not even so much because it’s not the same not being physically present, but because it’s not the same watching it by yourself. If I could get together a group of interested people to watch the CD, it would seem more worthwhile. Maybe that’s something to consider, if I can just figure out who in my ward might (a) be open to that, and (b) have enough time to actually do it…