Speaking Of Stories Kicks Off Its 2006 Season
Steve Beisner -- January 24, 2006
Speaking of Stories' first-of-the-season performance was Monday, January 23rd at the Lobero Theater. The evening set a high standard, promising people who love good stories, good theater, or both, that 2006 will be an especially fine year to enjoy this uniquely Santa Barbara institution.
Though most readers will be familiar with Speaking of Stories, for those who are not, here's my standard explanation: Imagine the finest selection of short stories, magically transformed and rendered by great actors, so that the result is somewhere between prose and conventional dramatic theater. That transformation is what Speaking of Stories, in its theatrical performances, does. (There's a whole other part of the organization, Word Up, which does some amazing literary/social out-reach to at-risk and incarcerated youth in our area, but that's a subject for another article.)
The season opener was called Speaking of Humor and it lived up to its billing.
Things started off with a relaxed, low key reading of selections from Will Rogers' America. Though some of the pieces date back nearly 90 years, its almost scary (but funny!) how on-target Rogers' observations on Democrats and Republicans are today. Rich Hoag did an admirable job of rendering the Rogers persona. As much as I like the Daily Show, the performance makes one yearn for a time when political humor wasn't so deadly serious.
In The G-String Nancy Kawalek dramatized the work of Nicola Barker, reminding us all just how funny the English can be, especially when they are trying too hard to maintain their respectability.
Robert Lesser was a convincing Vincent Van Gogh, DDS, pouring his heart out in confessional letters, in Woody Allen's strange piece, If The Impressionists Had Been Dentists (A Fantasy Exploring the Transposition of Temperament), which asks the audience to imagine dentistry as fine art.
Tony Miratti assumed the role of David Niven, reading excerpts of Niven's Bring on the Empty Horses. I thought the material was pretty thin: movieland sketches of Hollywood personalities, but Mr. Miratti's execution was excellent and the net effect was entertaining.
Sometimes an author's material is so strong it can steamroller an audience with single funny idea, hammered again and again with perfect rhythm. Thomas Meehan's piece, Yma Dream is one of those works. Tom Hinshaw delivers it perfectly, with a seemingly grim style that increases the hilarity right to the end.
This performance of Speaking of Stories advertised humor, and humor it delivered. For the more literary in the crowd it was a great chance to consider the range of ways the funny-bone can be exercised. But one could just as easily relax, kick back, and laugh.
Congratulations to artistic director, Maggie Mixsell, and to the entire SoS crew. Looks like Santa Barbara can expect more literary treats with Speaking Of Stories 2006 Season. For more information, try the web site.