By Isaiah Jones
The 21st Century Western world is flooded with mass media and conspicuous consumption. It is a life that is often distracted by asking any real questions of desire, meaning, or transcendent values. It is a culture whose highest collective value is choice. Consumer choices without any constraints. The life of consumption often diverts our attention to the impact of our choices on the environment, animals and plants, to other human beings, and to ourselves. In Anna Karenina by Helen Edmundson adapted from the novel by Leo Tolstoy, we are reminded of the great importance of real-life questions by an unexpected ally: late 1800s Imperial Russia.
Rebecca Swan plays Anna Karenina with astonishing brilliance. Each line is embedded with deep emotion and insatiable struggle as she is faced with an endless amount of choices over how to pursue true happiness and love. From the outset of the production, the audience is thrown into the inner turmoil of Anna Karenina’s affair between her pious Russian Orthodox husband, Karenin played by the very talented Scotty Fletcher; and Vronsky, played by the up-and-coming star Mitch Shira.
As the production unfolds, we see two parallel stories: one of life and one of death. This is a complicated task that the featuring Guest Director Laura Gordon pulled off in a remarkable way. What is clear throughout the production, is that the entire cast and production team is fully invested in bringing these parallel stories to life. Dane Braddy plays Levin, a role that is full of thought-provoking lines and big questions, extremely well. A role that truly establishes Dane for a very bright future. Throughout the story, Levin and Anna represent two ways of going about life. Both characters seek the good life and happiness through their choices; however, Anna’s choices seem to lead to death and heartbreak as she tries to understand the relationship with her son Seriozha played with great nuance by Sophie Call. Levin’s choices seem to lead to intellectual curiosity, life, and growth. Nevertheless, in the end both paths seem to demonstrate the inevitability of suffering. Especially as Levin is confronted by his dying brother Nikolai played by promising local Cameron S. Neeley.
The dynamic Cat Evangelho plays Kitty, Levin’s lover and wife. I found Kitty to be an intriguing character as she is caught in the middle of a love affair; and yet, she demonstrates throughout the show that she too has desires and aspirations for a happy life by declining the invitation to marry on two occasions. Kitty’s sister Dolly is played by the wonderful Rachael Hodge. Dolly’s relationship with her husband Stiva, played by the engaging Hayden Sproul reminded the audience complex relationships can involve laughter, morality, and suffering at the same time.
Perhaps the most absorbing relationship throughout the production was the central place of the Russian Orthodox Church in all aspects of life: social, cultural, family, political, and moral. Each character is confronted at one point or another with central life questions echoed by the imperial church. Wyatt Coggins plays the Orthodox priest, Vassily in a gripping way. As the priest hears the confessions of Levin, the audience is able to enter into the world of a Russian land owner who is sincerely wrestling with his faith and doubt. Nancy Hills, Jordan Richenbacher, and Lauren Haskins did an amazing job in coloring the narrative through their costume designs. Especially the magnificent costumes of Madison Archibald who plays the Countess Vronsky, Agatha the mother of Vronsky; Mollee Barse who plays Princess Betsy; Anna Bodily who plays the Governess; and AJ Black who plays Petritsky. In addition to the beautiful costumes, was the high-quality set, hair and makeup, voice and speech, and movement throughout the entire performance. The decorated Dwight Camilluci really put together perhaps one of the most beautiful designs this year, a sublime minimalist set full of trees and rural landscape. Sara Shouse really pulled off some of her best work where each character story is displayed in their expressions. Jason Spelbring and Mollee Barse also did a tremendous job with the show’s movement and choreography. One of the most exciting moments of the play is when the peasants begin digging intensely in their costumes that perfectly displayed their struggle, as Levin wrestled with ideas that would demonstrate his idea with the poor. The sound, props, paint, lighting, scenic, and other technical work is on point during the show as well, which really shows the overall growth of the theatre program in recent years. The stage manager Jordan Simmons and his crew must have gelled together as well in order to run a complicated show like Anna Karenina so smoothly. Productions like this cannot be done without the collaborative work of the entire department and production service team.
Anna Karenina, presented by Utah State University’s Department of Theatre Arts, is challenging, meaningful, sorrowful, and joyful all at once. I highly recommend this show to anyone who wants to be captivated again by a world that in many ways we have lost, but at the same time its central questions remain: Who are we? Why do we suffer? What do we want in this life? How should we love? And, finally, how should we die? Prepare for Braddy as Levin, and Swan as Anna Karenina to guide you through these questions as we take a break from the contemporary world of mass media and conspicuous consumption.
Utah State University’s Department of Theatre Arts presents Anna Karenina by Helen Edmundson adapted from the novel by Leo Tolstoy
Morgan Theatre, Chase Fine Arts Center, 600 N 1150 E, Logan, Utah, 84322
April 12-13, 17-20, Morgan Theatre 7:30 PM, 4/20 2:00 PM Matinee
Tickets: $8.00-$13.00 (Free for USU students)
Contact: 435-797-0085
USU Department of Theatre Facebook Page
Anna Karenina Facebook Event
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