Page 18 - the NOISE October 2012

Autumn Sky is among the new Lyn Matthew aspen inspired works featured at Mountain Oasis and at the artist’s downtown studio.
18 • OCTOBER 2012 • the NOISE arts & news magazine • thenoise.us
CONTINUED FROM 15
FROM TOP: Joe Sweet and Adrienne Bischoff prepare for the opening of Theatrikos’ new play, A Doll’s House; a de- tail of the organic glass art of Sonja London Hall, featured in the window of the Artists’ Gallery this October.
They put on a false front, their best foot goes forward. A spouse can berate their partner behind closed doors, but in public act as though they are worshiped. The seem- ingly happy married couple may be unable to touch each other when alone at night, but in public they speak in terms of endearment, pasting dry kisses on each other’s lips; yet the shadow of a secret may still lie between them in their bed.
We have all known people like this.
We never really know what goes on be- hind closed doors, and the couple behind them seldom tell all — a marriage could be unraveling; a secret could be taking on the shape of a person. To the public, who really could care less, they pretend that everything is fine; they don’t acknowledge the shape in the room seen in the periphery of vision.
Now imagine that precious secret is threat- ened to be brought to light. The thing most feared is about to happen. But do the play- ers feel fear? For a while, perhaps, before it happens. It is the worst thing that could ever happen, but the moment the chain of events comes into fruition, there is a sweet thrill in knowing the worst that could happen is about to, and life is going to change drasti- cally. There is the sudden realization it might be the best thing that could happen after all.
Last night I watched a rehearsal of Theat- rikos’ newest play, A Doll’s House by Henrik Isben.
When the play ended, I realized I had been wringing my hands and leaning forward, hunched over towards the stage, completely riveted. Whenthedirectorcalled“Blackout!”I
sat in stunned silence.
In the play, Torvald talks to his wife, Nora
like she’s a child, speaking to her in a sugary voice in the third person — chastising her, choosing what is right and wrong for her, and Nora, who was never encouraged to grow or think for herself, goes along with it. She gleefully holds out her hand as her husband stingily gives her money to do the Christmas shopping. She responds by acting as though he has just given her the world when he’s doled out 40 dollars.
This scene immediately sets the tone for the night, and prepares the viewer to experi- ence a tumult of emotion.
Even though we have just seen the interac- tion between Nora and Torvald, Nora paints an entirely different picture of her marriage to her friend. She speaks as if they were more important, more financially stable; different than they really are. She acts as though she is very influential in her husband’s decision making when moments before, she played the role of a dancing dog.
Through this play, we see the characters at their phony best and honest worst; it is an al- legory for how so many people live their lives behind facades. The characters are arche- types we have all known in our lives. “This play is a commentary on the society we live in, it is a mirror we see our society through,” says Joe Sweet, who plays Torvald. “This play is such a seminal part of theater history. It’s a really important play. It’s a vital play. Even though it’s 130 years old, it still resonates with domestic gender issues. Especially, to me, how power in a relationship is displayed