ATL presents Crime and Punishment
Adrienne Todd
Issue date: 2/3/10 Section: Opinion
By Adrienne Todd
Actors Theatre of Louisville has tackled the well-known novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky as a three-person play. The stage, a simple circle with an ax as the only prop, was flanked by paintings of Russian Orthodox icons. The icons are highlighted at certain times throughout the play, almost certainly adding another meaning to the scene.
With only three people, the actors obviously play multiple parts. Only Nick Cordileone remains one character for the entire play, the murderer, Raskolnikov. The stage is rarely entirely lit, allowing the other actors to subtly change their costume, thereby inhabiting an entirely new character. The ease in which the actors transition is inspiring. Seamlessly, Aloyna becomes Lizaveta, who becomes Mother. The actors completely occupy their character, only to transform moments later. This effect is truly amazing.
Also, even though there is a tiny stage, the lighting and the props they use add to the atmosphere of the play, each dimension occurring for a specific purpose, nothing done superfluously. For example, coming from the ceiling are eight large space-esque lights surrounding one large one in the middle. Throughout the play, they move down a half-foot, their movement only noticed because of the low ominous whirring sound that accompanies it. It appears that the lights are simply needed and these, though an anomaly within the setting, serve no intrinsic purpose. However, right before Raskolnikov confesses, the stage rises up and the lights lower further down, allowing mere inches between the light and his head. It's apparent that the lights represent his conscious. Slowly becoming more apparent, difficult to realize until it's difficult to ignore.
The lights are a continuous theme within the play, acting as much more than a necessary, but subdued, part of the set. During the scene in which the killings are portrayed, the lights overwhelm the stage and the audience, only to go black for the murder, then to go bright again. While jarring the eyes simply because of the quick contrast, it also speaks to the mental nature of the character. While the murder is occurring, Raskolnikov is well aware of his motive. Aloyna must die. She is a burden to society. It is his duty to kill her. But once the act is complete, the murder is complete; his conscious begins to betray him.
At the end of the play, the lights again play a significant role. In his rhetorical soliloquy, Raskolnikov asks the audience, visible because of the full lights, if he was right to kill, if one would kill. Wouldn't it be necessary for Aloyna's death? So much good could come from her wealth if only she was dead. For the good of humanity, for the 100 families that could be helped, wouldn't she need to die?
It is true what Nietzsche said: [Dostoevsky is] "the only psychologist from whom I have anything to learn." Dostoevsky was a compelling force in 1866 and continues to be a compelling force today, made real and modern in Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus' adaptation for the stage of Crime and Punishment.
Actors Theatre of Louisville has tackled the well-known novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky as a three-person play. The stage, a simple circle with an ax as the only prop, was flanked by paintings of Russian Orthodox icons. The icons are highlighted at certain times throughout the play, almost certainly adding another meaning to the scene.
With only three people, the actors obviously play multiple parts. Only Nick Cordileone remains one character for the entire play, the murderer, Raskolnikov. The stage is rarely entirely lit, allowing the other actors to subtly change their costume, thereby inhabiting an entirely new character. The ease in which the actors transition is inspiring. Seamlessly, Aloyna becomes Lizaveta, who becomes Mother. The actors completely occupy their character, only to transform moments later. This effect is truly amazing.
Also, even though there is a tiny stage, the lighting and the props they use add to the atmosphere of the play, each dimension occurring for a specific purpose, nothing done superfluously. For example, coming from the ceiling are eight large space-esque lights surrounding one large one in the middle. Throughout the play, they move down a half-foot, their movement only noticed because of the low ominous whirring sound that accompanies it. It appears that the lights are simply needed and these, though an anomaly within the setting, serve no intrinsic purpose. However, right before Raskolnikov confesses, the stage rises up and the lights lower further down, allowing mere inches between the light and his head. It's apparent that the lights represent his conscious. Slowly becoming more apparent, difficult to realize until it's difficult to ignore.
The lights are a continuous theme within the play, acting as much more than a necessary, but subdued, part of the set. During the scene in which the killings are portrayed, the lights overwhelm the stage and the audience, only to go black for the murder, then to go bright again. While jarring the eyes simply because of the quick contrast, it also speaks to the mental nature of the character. While the murder is occurring, Raskolnikov is well aware of his motive. Aloyna must die. She is a burden to society. It is his duty to kill her. But once the act is complete, the murder is complete; his conscious begins to betray him.
At the end of the play, the lights again play a significant role. In his rhetorical soliloquy, Raskolnikov asks the audience, visible because of the full lights, if he was right to kill, if one would kill. Wouldn't it be necessary for Aloyna's death? So much good could come from her wealth if only she was dead. For the good of humanity, for the 100 families that could be helped, wouldn't she need to die?
It is true what Nietzsche said: [Dostoevsky is] "the only psychologist from whom I have anything to learn." Dostoevsky was a compelling force in 1866 and continues to be a compelling force today, made real and modern in Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus' adaptation for the stage of Crime and Punishment.
Be the first to comment on this story