(Photo by Michael Brosilow)
The fantasy genre is rarely explored onstage. And the few times the theatre has welcomed it dramatically–"Lord of The Rings" in Toronto and the West End, for example–the plays too often become victims of vicious critical scorn and audience mockery. Many would argue that science-fiction and fantasy have no place on the boards–probably because of competition from the cinema's costly, elaborate, and ever more realistic visual effects. A ten dollar movie ticket to a "Harry Potter" film usually gets you a more awesome two hours than a thirty dollar theatre ticket to a young adult production of "The Hobbit". My two cents.
But, now that I think on it, stage realism fights a similar battle against the camera close up. Can one get more intrusive, personal, and, dare I say, honest than a tight shot on an actor's face? But the plays of Inge, Miller, Wilder, and other realist masters prove hugely popular, regardless. I like to think that onscreen and onstage fantasy can coexist peacefully and symbiotically as well. "Iron Stag King: Part One", the first installment in a new trilogy by the House Theatre at the Chopin, is a valiant step towards that coexistence, but falls far short of its potential. Nathan Allen and Chris Matthews' play, attempting to do justice to fantasy epics, inadvertently lampoons a genre I adore and cherish.
But, now that I think on it, stage realism fights a similar battle against the camera close up. Can one get more intrusive, personal, and, dare I say, honest than a tight shot on an actor's face? But the plays of Inge, Miller, Wilder, and other realist masters prove hugely popular, regardless. I like to think that onscreen and onstage fantasy can coexist peacefully and symbiotically as well. "Iron Stag King: Part One", the first installment in a new trilogy by the House Theatre at the Chopin, is a valiant step towards that coexistence, but falls far short of its potential. Nathan Allen and Chris Matthews' play, attempting to do justice to fantasy epics, inadvertently lampoons a genre I adore and cherish.
