An Entertainment. The Amazing Adventure of Louis de Rougemont Himself (as Told By Himself)
by Donald Margulies
Gorilla Theatre
Tampa, FL
September 30, 2010
Should we always take someone at their word alone?
With the age old tradition of storytelling only changing it's medium with the advancement of technology, the power of a story worth telling is surely not to be missed. With that being said, my experience has taught a story well told is more entertaining.
Shipwrecked! An Entertainment chronicles the life of Louis de Rougemont in both his thrilling accomplishments and heartbreaking downfalls. Presented in the intimate setting of the Gorilla Theatre, the camp fire-esque presentation stages Louis de Rougemont as he addresses the audience directly and invites us along for a "fantastic and amazing story".
As stated by de Rougemont himself, he employs the services of Glenn Gover and Jonnelle Meyer who play a myriad of characters to aid in coloring this story. From changing dialects and wardrobe to even crossing gender, Gover and Meyer perform tremendously given the nature of the play. Well done to you both. Portraying the master of ceremonies of sorts, Christopher Swan delivers an amazing performance as the world traveler turned storyteller. His uncanny ability to deliver over two hours of dialogue with almost no interruption and clear diction is as best as I've seen all year. Swan's performance was so engaging that it felt more like sitting in a coffee shop and having a close friend telling a Dickensian tale rather than sitting and watching a play.
by Donald Margulies
Gorilla Theatre
Tampa, FL
September 30, 2010
Should we always take someone at their word alone?
With the age old tradition of storytelling only changing it's medium with the advancement of technology, the power of a story worth telling is surely not to be missed. With that being said, my experience has taught a story well told is more entertaining.
Shipwrecked! An Entertainment chronicles the life of Louis de Rougemont in both his thrilling accomplishments and heartbreaking downfalls. Presented in the intimate setting of the Gorilla Theatre, the camp fire-esque presentation stages Louis de Rougemont as he addresses the audience directly and invites us along for a "fantastic and amazing story".
As stated by de Rougemont himself, he employs the services of Glenn Gover and Jonnelle Meyer who play a myriad of characters to aid in coloring this story. From changing dialects and wardrobe to even crossing gender, Gover and Meyer perform tremendously given the nature of the play. Well done to you both. Portraying the master of ceremonies of sorts, Christopher Swan delivers an amazing performance as the world traveler turned storyteller. His uncanny ability to deliver over two hours of dialogue with almost no interruption and clear diction is as best as I've seen all year. Swan's performance was so engaging that it felt more like sitting in a coffee shop and having a close friend telling a Dickensian tale rather than sitting and watching a play.
I really enjoyed the production as a whole. From the engaging dialogue to the superb technical backing, Gorilla Theatre hit a home run with this show. Following the character arch of de Rougemont from budding world traveler, backwoods explorer, bestselling author and beyond was well staged and kept me interested for what was coming next. Extraordinary acting and precision technical prowess is a potent combination that Gorilla Theatre employs in this production and will surely be noticed by every audience member in attendance.
All in all, I really enjoyed the performance of Shipwrecked! With a knack for producing top quality theatre thanks to their Equity laden cast and the up close and personal atmosphere that has become a staple of the Gorilla Theatre, the "Entertainment" part of the title lives up to it's name.
Shipwrecked! runs through October 17th at the Gorilla Theatre and will surely sell out the remainder of it's run. Tickets are selling fast, so be sure to get yours soon. Don't forget to follow us on twitter for the latest on everything performing arts in the Tampa Bay area.
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