Bewitched opens with green light

Author: Ellen Grafton

This weekend under the direction of Professor of Theatre Richard Romagnoli, the Middlebury Theatre Department will present the American premiere of "The Bewitched" by Peter Barnes. "The Bewitched" is one of the largest projects the Department has ever undertaken. At Tuesday's Behind the Scenes Luncheon, Romagnoli and Professor of History Paul Monod discussed the historical, artistic and cultural importance of "The Bewitched."

According to Monod, "The Bewitched" is historically accurate despite being a work of fiction. "The Bewitched" takes place in the Spanish court of the 1690s, focusing on the political and religious corruption surrounding the physically and mentally handicapped King Carlos II. Monod said that the stories of King Carlos II presented in "The Bewitched," such as those of his ancestral history of inbreeding and of his attempted exorcism, are true. The only historical complaint that might be made of "The Bewitched" is in its exclusion of the King's chief minister, who was a good statesman and an advocate for reform. Monod observed that this absence was probably a conscious choice by Barnes to preserve the corruption of the court by excluding the one member who was in any way a positive political force.

Monod noted that although he has never seen "The Bewitched" performed, he respects the script for its excellence on a historical, linguistic and comedic levels. Its historical accuracy is extraordinary for a work of stage fiction, and the language is dense and rich in a style that echoes Ben Johnson. Monod argued that the play's third level of excellence, its humor, is what makes it such an effective social commentary. When Barnes wrote "The Bewitched" in 1974, he felt that the political parties of Britain were so corrupt that neither party deserved to be in power. Out of this belief sprung an exaggerated, dark and satiric humor. Monod stated that the humor within "The Bewitched" "pokes fun at authority in a savage way that makes them look ridiculous and disgusting."

Romagnoli spoke about his various reasons for choosing to do "The Bewitched." Romagnoli saw the British production of the show in the 1970s, and called it "the most extraordinary experience I've ever had in the theater, then and since." Romagnoli said he felt many of the concerns from which the play arose, such as an unjust war and a corrupt government, are something with which a modern audience can connect. The play is not often performed due to its scathing humor and the related expense it often incurs, but Romagnoli felt it was worth the risk. He noted that the sort of audience a college or university theater draws has the intellectual mobility needed to appreciate a show as dense and complex as "The Bewitched."

Romagnoli also talked about the unique challenges and benefits that "The Bewitched" has brought to the students involved in the show. The large cast trained for three weeks with the London Theater Exchange to gain the technique needed to "express the rich language and physicality that ['The Bewitched'] demands," according to Romagnoli.

The student actors spoke a bit on their experience with the show, particularly about the difficulty of making the characters believable while remaining true to Barnes' non-naturalistic style. Bill Army '07.5 said that "The Bewitched" has been "entirely different than any other Middlebury theater experience I've had. It makes no attempt at being naturalistic. Combining LTE training and brining legitimacy to the roles while trying to match Barnes' world has been phenomenal." Julia Proctor '06 also commented on the portrayal of extreme personalities. "The characters' motivations are clear, they're based in truth, but then you have the freedom to be as big and expansive with the expression of them as possible," she said. On how the audience can expect to connect with such monstrous characters, Alec Strum '08 said, "Somehow, on some level, people see themselves in those characters, even the worst ones. It's just a matter of finding that little way in to the big monster."