Deaf West Theatre’s Cyranohas given its own twist to Edmond Rostand’s classic story of a witty, eloquent man self-conscious of his abnormally large nose who uses his mastery of language to help an attractive, less versed man win the heart of the woman who has beguiled them both. In this version, the title protagonist is deaf and feels a large degree of shame and self-loathing to the point of deducing his inability to hear and dependence on ASL and reading lips to understand and communicate precludes him from the love of a woman he has recently met. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the plot or are as forgetful as I am, that’s all you need to know.
The conceit works quite well. Cyrano carries a huge chip on his shoulder that serves as a well of disdain he amply draws from, cutting down an amateur poet during an open-mike night while his older brother translates for him at a local bar called Roberta’s. He’s too good and proud to share his talents to perform his own independent work there or at another venue that specializes in showcasing deaf artists. He prefers to make a mockery of those who can’t measure up to his poetic abilities, but have something he’ll never enjoy: the ability to hear and speak. This inadequacy, as he views it, is both a weapon and refuge. His defensive cover protects him from ever falling in love, while he fails to realize his strengths. Instead, he romances the past, fears technology, and stakes a Luddite high-ground. He describes himself as a “mighty oak, strong in a forest,” but secretly worries if he falls, will anyone hear him?
The production is for both the hearing and the deaf, as the cast is a mix of those who speak, sign, or do both. There are sign interpreters off to the side (though, full disclosure, based on some of the angles, lighting--perhaps due to logistics--I did wonder on a couple of occasions, if the lines were pre-memorized or actually interpreted on-the-spot; I would prefer the egg be on my face and to be mistaken to have this suspicion in the first place) translating for the hearing audience, as well as characters within the play who sign while they speak or for another who doesn’t.
As well, there are big screen monitors mounted across the ceiling and back of the stage displaying various conversations communicated via iPhone text messaging, as well as sharing activity on social media like Facebook. Along with some scrims, the monitors also efficiently telegraph scene changes and movement (i.e. going from a stationary café to a walk in the park), among many other uses in its multimedia environment. The physical set itself is quite simple and gorgeous, with geometric, rectangular wood paneling, bordered with tile and accented with candles and stylish tables, setting the stage for scenes set mostly in various hangouts.
Troy Kotsur as Cyrano is full of energy and confidence as he carries on across the mini-Elizabethan stage. His animated features and vigorous gesticulation drive the story and maintains its steady speed. He often hilariously bridges the gap between those who understand sign and don’t with the universal language of the visual, that was crassly, yet articulately best epitomized when he zings one of his opponents while describing the length of his member. It’s pretty memorable. Paul Raci, as his tatted-up, blond-tressed, rocker brother Chris, takes on the largest responsibility of both speaking and signing, often simultaneously, and offers Kotsur humorous and gentle, heartbreaking support. The chemistry between the two actors is infectious. Chip Bent, part of the ensemble, provides a few well-earned laughs and the beautiful Erinn Anova is quite convincing as the object of Cyrano’s desire, whom he deceptively seduces with his every word.
Having been exposed to mostly Hollywood spins on Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac (Roxanne; and a film the liner notes failed to mention, 1996’s The Truth About Cats & Dogs, whose twist was society’s impossible and imposed standards of feminine beauty), I had forgotten how it was originally so dark and tragic, which the Deaf West production remains true to. Some of the scenes run long, while others could be slightly better realized, but overall it was a solid effort that’s worth seeing.
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