FringeNYC 2013: Perceval
A modern troubadour resurrects the Arthurian legend of an unassuming boy's quest for the Holy Grail. With the help of a small troupe of actors, she conjures all the duels and damsels, curses and spells, and (hopefully) the Cup itself.
Official production websiteShow details/ticketing at FringeNYC
Review by Judith Jarosz · August 10, 2013
Perceval is an informative and entertaining tale of the journey of Sir Perceval, one of the legendary knights of King Arthur’s round table. In the beginning, we are introduced to a charmingly geeky librarian type woman who speaks to us of the legends and myths of the round table, centering on the story of Perceval. She calls herself The Troubador and invites us on a journey through Perceval’s life and legend.
Along the way we meet Sir Galahad, the maiden Kundry and various other characters. The journey is fun, and the four actors in the cast throw themselves energetically into the tale. We journey through the tale from Perceval’s childhood, raised by a single Mom in an isolated forest, to his becoming a Knight (by accident?) and ending up pursing the protection of the Holy Grail. Haas Regen, who adapted this material, also plays Sir Galahad and the Red Knight. Gillian Williams is Kundry morphing between warm helper and slithering hissing seductress. Michael Propster is the upstanding lad then Knight, Perceval, and Elizabeth King-Hall leads the way as The Troubador, occasionally breaking out of her many supporting characters throughout the story to give us an historical literary tidbit to help us along. The cast is very well trained and work seamlessly together. King-Hall in particular does an outstanding job of moving between characters and dialects.
Director Scott Raker makes a nice choice in using all of the theater space including the aisle, and the fight choreography by Jordan Reeves which includes swords and quarter staffs adds to the fun. No credit is given for the lights, sets & costumes, which are simple but effective. The wonderful original music is by Mackenzie Shivers, who though listed only as the composer, I will assume was on the electric keyboard for the entire performance. Shiver’s delightful music and sound effects are absolutely key in keeping up the pace and illuminating the shifting moods of this piece.
With a little trimming, I think this piece would work wonderfully well in schools as an educational tool for these myths. As lively as the tale is, it can get a bit convoluted and as wonderful as Williams is (and she is wonderful) Kundry’s monologues in particular go on a bit long and could use some judicious editing. In the program it states that this theater company which is called The Immediate Family “…just perform what we love, and we know it when we see it.” I think that they are great fun and hope to see more of their work.
Preview: Interviews with Artists from Perceval
We're asking artists from each show to answer questions about themselves and their work to help our readers get a detailed advance picture of the festival:
Journey to FringeNYC · Scott Raker (Director)
- Tell us about the process you used to achieve your vision of this play in this production.
Perceval is a new adaptation that Haas Regen wrote using his encyclopedic knowledge of all things Grail Lore. I immersed myself in the sources referenced in the script as Haas was writing. We would meet regularly to talk about how the story was being shaped and imagine what it would look like on the stage. It is a remarkable and rare opportunity for a director to be involved with a script from its inception and Haas was incredibly generous to include me at that beginning stage of its development. This gave me an understanding of and dedication to the play as we moved into our rehearsals and workshop productions. - What are some of your previous theater credits? (Be specific! Name shows, etc.)
My theater credits have primarily been as an actor, working with companies like Trinity Rep, Commonwealth Shakespeare, Fault Line Theatre and Guerrilla Shakespeare Project. However, I had the chance to direct for Piper Theatre Productions in Brooklyn and made my own adaptation of Peer Gynt (cutting the 3 hour script down to 80 minutes to be performed by and for high school students). I really loved the folkloric aspects and fantastic elements of the script, so I was doubly excited to be involved in Haas' own adaptation of old tales. - If this is your first appearance in FringeNYC -- why did you want to be part of this festival? If you have appeared in FringeNYC before, tell us what show(s) you have done here previously. What about your prior experience led you back to this festival?
I couldn't be happier to be involved with FringeNYC for the first time. It's an ideal venue for the "theatre on a cart" aspect of Perceval. Also, I'm really moved by how devoted and passionate the festival staff has been in helping to get our show up and running. These people obviously love theatre, artists, and clearly know how to run a festival! - Why are theater festivals important?
I've had the great pleasure of co-curating the Solo Works Festival for Emerging Artists Theatre the past four years. I take great pleasure in seeing tons of performers with uniques points of view find their voice on-stage. The primary thing that theatre offers better than any other medium is its ability to create communities for a few hours around a shared experience. Festivals magnify that experience to an even greater degree. Can't wait to be a part of the community FringNYC builds every summer! - What was the most memorable/funny/unusual thing that has happened during the development and rehearsal process for this show?
The most memorable part of our process so far has got to be our weekend in Providence last summer, when we got the chance to do a number of workshop performances. We had already run Perceval at the Westchester Square Festival for the Arts in the Bronx the previous Spring, but taking the show on the road was a new challenge. After battling train delays, traffic, a fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants load in and tech, our stage manager having to program the lights and learn the cues from scratch, a twisted ankle, and no sleep for a good 36 hours, we hit our opening performance and against all odds, it went great! It's funny how quickly a great show makes all your efforts worthwhile. I was very proud of the performances and knew I wanted to stage the show again. I'm glad that FringeNYC gives us the chance to do so.
The Five W's · Mackenzie Shivers (Other)
- Who is more important in the theater: the actor, the playwright, or the director?
I would say the playwright, because without the playwright there is no play! I do believe that everyone's job carries great importance, from the director to the actors to volunteers and ushers. It can take a village to put on a show, and it's a beautiful way to bring people together. - What do you think this show is about? What will audiences take away with them after seeing it?
Perceval is about finding yourself. It's about good versus evil. It's about duels and damsels and spells. It's about the importance of storytelling. It's about the fact that we are all subject to doubt, struggle, fear, and failure. But we also all have the ability to love fearlessly, overcome the toughest of obstacles, and surprise ourselves in the best ways. I hope audience members see this play and believe that in spite of the darkness in the world, people are inherently good. And that sometimes it can take a long time to find ourselves - and that's okay! - Where would be your ideal working environment: New York in 2013, Shakespeare’s Globe, the theater of Sophocles and Euripides, Stanislavski’s Moscow Art Theater?
I believe it's important to live in the present, so I'm going to say New York 2013, because that's where I'm fortunate enough to be! - When did you know you wanted to work in the theater, and why?
I knew in fourth grade when I played a witch from Macbeth in the play William's Window. Since then, I have been drawn to theater as a composer and as an actor. There's nothing like it. The camaraderie in the theater is unbeatable. When I work on a show, I feel like I've gained new family members. - Why did you want to produce/act in/work on this show?
Haas Regen, the playwright of Perceval, took me under his wing when we acted together at Vanderbilt University. We were in a show together, and he made me feel as though nothing in the world could possibly be more exciting than what we were creating. He also made me feel accepted. It changed the course of my life in college and today. When Haas asked me to work on Perceval as the composer, I was terrified and honored. I knew that if the experience was half as fun as our time together at Vanderbilt, then I was in for the best time of my life.
Theater Beats Movies · haas regen (Writer)
- Why is this a play (as opposed to a TV script, webseries, film, etc.?)
I wrote this play for actors to be virtuosic with their voices and bodies. It's not easy to make the language of Sir Thomas Malory and Alfred, Lord Tennyson active and spontaneous onstage. Their words are not at all like Shakespeare's -- appropriately, the Arthur legends are much more gnarled and muscular. I happen to think their language is beautiful, but it belongs in the "Once Upon a Time..." world of storytelling that is grounded on the page. I decided to give that language to actors, which is quite a challenge. My wonderful director, Scott Raker, suggested that the stilted, formal language should be "hyperreal." This term has many potential meanings; for our cast, it means that these characters are not "fictional," but rather real people who are accustomed to speaking and behaving in a "courtly" manner and using bold gestures. It really forces us to use our complete vocabulary of classical acting training that we had together at Brown/Trinity. It's a style like any other, and we approach it the same way we'd approach Noel Coward: you have to reset your zero at a TEN, or higher, and then say, "I'm actually this witty and smart and elegant all the time." That's what acting's all about, making the "style" real. It's thrilling! Now that I think about it, I've referenced many films in the "Perceval" script -- all from directors with a strong theatre background. A few examples: Bergman's version of "The Magic Flute," Kurosawa's "Throne of Blood" (Noh), and early Luis Bunuel. It's a useful shorthand for me as a writer. - Which cartoon character would most like this show – Bugs Bunny, Marge Simpson, Charlie Brown, or Casper the Friendly Ghost?
Pretty much every character in Disney's "Sword in the Stone" (obviously). The play's main character is a quirky college professor who calls herself a "Troubadouress"; Lisa Simpson would probably appreciate her love of books and nerdiness. - How have you been surprised by the audience response to any of your plays?
Not to be snide, but I really don't care what the audience thinks of my plays. I certainly want them to be entertained, and to think that theatre is worth leaving their homes and Netflix for, but the real work I do, as a writer and actor, is in the rehearsal room. I'm only ever surprised by or interested in the feedback my team of collaborators give me. As an audience member, I've learned to love things I hate as much as things I enjoy. I know that sounds silly, but you have to learn how to do that or else theatergoing will drive you mad. I don't like feeling neutral. - Are there filmic elements in this play (e.g., video, projections, montages, quick fades, etc.)?
It's safe to say: none whatsoever. - Why should audiences see live theater instead of just watching videos on the internet?
Our company is called The Immediate Family. That name carries many meanings. For example: when you leave your home to sit with a group of people in a theater, you've achieved a bond, a sense of community -- even for that short time. Wearing something nice, sitting silently, being respectful of the experience of others, and then talking about what you saw and heard over a beer or two. I consider that to be a fun night out. Come to the Kraine in August and hang out with us in the East Village. We'd love to see you there.
All About My Show · Elizabeth King-Hall (Actor)
- Complete this sentence: My show is the only one in FringeNYC that...?
...takes you to King Arthur's court! - Tell us about the character or characters that you portray in this show.
I play a sort of mad librarian with a polyglot accent, a very tacky wardrobe, and an obsession with all things Holy Grail. She's sort of who I would have become if I'd followed the path of being a professor -- but with a twist. She's intense, she's profuse, she's delightful. I love her. - What moment or section in this show do you really love to perform? Without giving away surprises, what happens in that moment and why do you love it?
I play a lot of this show alone, with the other characters spinning around me or not onstage at all. So I love the times when I'm really in a two-person scene. My favorite moment occurs between me and Haas Regen. He's also the author of the show, and when we're acting together, I can see in his eyes whether he likes what I'm doing with these wonderful characters he's created. It's beautiful. - Which school or system of acting has been most useful to you in your career, and why (examples: The Method, Uta Hagen, Viewpoints, etc.)?
Our program, the Brown/Trinity MFA, where all the "Perceval" actors met, is extremely physical. To me, it seems inspired by Grotowski, but we never had a specific methodology pushed on us. I love being able to have a common physical vocabulary with the cast and our director. We learned to take big risks with our bodies and our emotions at Brown, and I think we all love pushing those limits. - What's your favorite pastime when you’re not working on a play?
I work in a yoga studio, and I love how yoga forces you to do things you've never done with your body. It's astounding how we all perform the same movements each day: sit, stand, climb stairs, lie down. I think it's healthy for actors to discover physicality in a surprising, unfamiliar way, and yoga offers opportunities for that.
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