by Mike Hoban
‘Edgar Allan Poe Double Header’ – Written by Edgar Alan Poe. Directed by Olivia D’Ambrosio Scanlon. Presented by The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts at the BrickBox Theater in the Jean McDonough Arts Center, 20 Franklin St., Worcester 01608 through October 25.
“You fancy me mad.”
That phrase is taken from “The Telltale Heart”, the chilling short story which makes up the first half of The Hanover Theatre Repertory’s (THT Rep) much-appreciated Edgar Allan Poe Double Header, serving as the de facto opening line of the show’s first preview. But it could just have easily have been spoken by attendees of the performance to friends and family who may have questioned the sanity of those who dared to go back to live theater.
Since theaters across the nation shuttered in mid-March in response to the deadly pandemic, the question of when – and if – theatergoers would be able to safely return has been on the minds of those who love theater nearly as much as those who make it. THT Rep has decided to put a live show to the test (with the blessing of the Actors’ Equity Association), and will officially open for its first performance on October 1. The show will be the first indoor production in Massachusetts approved by the actor’s union (“Godspell” by the Berkshire Theater Group, and “Harry Clarke”, the one-person play at Barrington Stage Company, were staged in tents in late summer), and just the 10th in the nation.
So is it “mad” to attend an indoor theater performance in the age of COVID-19?
That depends on your point of view. THT has taken a numerous precautions to ensure the safety of audience, performers and staff. Audiences are limited to 20 people in the expansive BrickBox Theater at the Jean McDonough Arts Center, a former industrial space converted into a “state-of-the-art” performance venue. Upon arrival, patrons (who must wear masks) undergo a temperature check and fill out a standard COVID screening questionnaire. Inside the Brickbox, all staff are masked, tables for 2 to 4 patrons are separated by 10-12 feet or more, and solo performer Olivia D’Ambrosio Scanlon (well known to Boston audiences as a performer and artistic director of Bridge Rep before assuming similar roles with THT Rep) while maskless, remains safely distanced (30-plus feet at all times at the preview I attended) from the audience.
As someone who is not young and has minor health issues, I can say that I personally did not feel any less safe than I would taking a trip to the grocery store – which I make 2-3 times per week (as much for the social interaction as the food). Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Stop & Shop are generally much more populated, with social distancing usually more of a thoughtful concept than a reality. Theatergoers should decide for themselves what their comfort level is, but for me, I was satisfied by the protocols, which include staff and performers being tested weekly. The theater also boasts a brand new HVAC system outfitted with CDC-compliant filters, which fully circulated the air in the space during the 45 minute, no-intermission performance.
As for the experience itself, just being back in the theater and watching a skilled performer deliver classic, brilliantly written material in person was a joy in of itself. The evening began with Scanlon – dressed in a smart ensemble featuring a long skirt and straitjacket, and surrounded by (stage) candles – setting the appropriate mood for the evening by attempting a campy séance. She summoned a volunteer from the audience and asked her to pick a phrase from the page in a Poe anthology turned to “The Telltale Heart”. Appropriately enough, she chose the aforementioned, “You fancy me mad,” which Scanlon then instructed the audience to chant in unison before launching into her character, the mad narrator of the tale.
Scanlon also directed the show and made the choice to infuse both pieces, “The Telltale Heart” and “The Cask of Amontillado” with a sly comic energy. Given that we are living in a time when dread is now ingrained into the fabric of our daily existence, this proved to be an inspired decision as she draws as much comedy as one could expect to cull from a pair of gruesome tales of murder – one which ends in dismemberment and another with the victim being buried alive. The IRNE Award-winning actor dives into the madness with abandon, first as the killer of an elderly man whose only apparent sin was causing her discomfort with his “vulture eye”; and in the second in the dual role as the inflictor of a nightmarish death served up as punishment for a perceived insult, and his unwitting victim.
Both tales delve into the insanity residing in the minds of ordinary-appearing folk, and the all-too-easy transition to violence. While the tales at first seem specific to their era, it’s more obvious that it’s replicating itself in today’s world, as anyone who spends time in the sewer of social media during an election year can attest.
Performances begin Oct. 1, but it is private performances only, limited to 20 people or fewer. Rather than selling individual tickets, the Hanover Theater has chosen to charge $2,500 per performance, or $125 per person with a 20-person capacity. However, performances don’t require 20 people. For more information, go to: https://thehanovertheatre.org/poedoubleheader
