Schools
Cappies Review: Briar Woods’ Production of ‘Nevermore’
Students critique other students through the national program.
Review by Sarah Santoro, Stone Bridge High School
On the edges of everyday life there is a world of shadows. Some people, seduced by the dark temptation, venture too far and cannot escape entirely whole. Briar Woods's performance of Nevermore! Edgar Allen Poe, the Final Mystery invited the audience to witness the dangers of straying from the light and walking among demons.
In 1847, the celebrated author and poet Edgar Allan Poe set out on a journey to New York but never reached his destination. He was found delirious outside of a tavern in Baltimore days later. Poe died shortly after, leaving no clues as to what had caused his disappearance. Nevermore!, written by director and playwright Julian Wiles, proposes a theory as to what transpired during those mysterious days. The play follows Poe as he struggles with his descent into madness and is forced to live out horrors of his own invention from stories such as The Telltale Heart, The Pit and the Pendulum, and The Raven aboard the ship that was supposed to carry him to New York. Plagued by phantoms, nightmares, and even Lucifer himself, Poe grapples for a way to hold on to his sanity and be reunited with his love, the beautiful Annabel Lee.
Brilliant, tormented Poe was portrayed by Brandon Diaz with a drunken, tortured madness that showed a clear vision and convincing commitment. His depiction of Poe's anguish and delirium set the tone for the dark play and fascinated the audience. The character of Captain Nimrod who appears to Poe as Lucifer was played by Alex Bertke. He handled the duality of the role with a subtlety that left the audience unsure just what to believe about the calculating, infernal participant in the destruction of Poe's insanity.
Jon Merlino gave a frightening and compelling performance as the demonic jester Hopfrog, with maniacal laughter and a devilish physicality. Merlino and many other actors played a slew of contrasting roles and skillfully created distinctive characters each time.
The realistic props served to make the show believable in spite of the dark fantasy elements. From old suitcases, to pages of parchment, to grave dirt, the props were an impressive complement to the performance. Masterfully executed lighting also contributed to the grim, macabre mood of the show and helped transport the audience between the ship and Poe's world of nightmares and insanity.
Though lengthy scene changes left the audience sitting in the dark, the stage was transformed each time, from a ballroom of revelers trying to wait out a plague, to the bow of a ship being tossed by waves, and a variety of settings in between. While the music was a bit inconsistent with the other elements, the crew was creative with their use of sound effects such as the ominous caw of a raven punctuating Poe's madness and the throbbing tones of a beating heart.
The cast of Nevermore! Edgar Allen Poe, the Final Mystery brought the chilling tale to life with nightmarish believability. Despite a few incongruities, the tech provided an impressively ghastly and mysterious backdrop for the dark show. With evident talent and finesse, students at Briar Woods created a suspenseful and haunting performance.
In 1847, the celebrated author and poet Edgar Allan Poe set out on a journey to New York but never reached his destination. He was found delirious outside of a tavern in Baltimore days later. Poe died shortly after, leaving no clues as to what had caused his disappearance. Nevermore!, written by director and playwright Julian Wiles, proposes a theory as to what transpired during those mysterious days. The play follows Poe as he struggles with his descent into madness and is forced to live out horrors of his own invention from stories such as The Telltale Heart, The Pit and the Pendulum, and The Raven aboard the ship that was supposed to carry him to New York. Plagued by phantoms, nightmares, and even Lucifer himself, Poe grapples for a way to hold on to his sanity and be reunited with his love, the beautiful Annabel Lee.
Brilliant, tormented Poe was portrayed by Brandon Diaz with a drunken, tortured madness that showed a clear vision and convincing commitment. His depiction of Poe's anguish and delirium set the tone for the dark play and fascinated the audience. The character of Captain Nimrod who appears to Poe as Lucifer was played by Alex Bertke. He handled the duality of the role with a subtlety that left the audience unsure just what to believe about the calculating, infernal participant in the destruction of Poe's insanity.
Jon Merlino gave a frightening and compelling performance as the demonic jester Hopfrog, with maniacal laughter and a devilish physicality. Merlino and many other actors played a slew of contrasting roles and skillfully created distinctive characters each time.
The realistic props served to make the show believable in spite of the dark fantasy elements. From old suitcases, to pages of parchment, to grave dirt, the props were an impressive complement to the performance. Masterfully executed lighting also contributed to the grim, macabre mood of the show and helped transport the audience between the ship and Poe's world of nightmares and insanity.
Though lengthy scene changes left the audience sitting in the dark, the stage was transformed each time, from a ballroom of revelers trying to wait out a plague, to the bow of a ship being tossed by waves, and a variety of settings in between. While the music was a bit inconsistent with the other elements, the crew was creative with their use of sound effects such as the ominous caw of a raven punctuating Poe's madness and the throbbing tones of a beating heart.
The cast of Nevermore! Edgar Allen Poe, the Final Mystery brought the chilling tale to life with nightmarish believability. Despite a few incongruities, the tech provided an impressively ghastly and mysterious backdrop for the dark show. With evident talent and finesse, students at Briar Woods created a suspenseful and haunting performance.
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