PELLEAS AND MELISANDE AT CUTTING BALL THEATRE
San Francisco’s cutting-edge Cutting Ball Theater is presenting a dreamlike production of Maurice Maeterlinck’s Symbolist drama “Pelleas and Melisande” in a new translation by the company’s artistic director Rob Melrose who also has directed this lovely 90 minute production. The play about the forbidden, doomed love was first performed in 1893 in Paris. The work was very popular and then set as an opera by Claude Debussy where it had its first performance in Paris 1902. This drama has inspired other composers like Gabriel Faure, Arnold Schoenberg and Jean Sibelius. I saw the Debussy work performed at the Metropolitan Opera House in the 90’s
“Pelleas and Melisande” has been ignored on the stage for many years however many avant-guarde plays have been influence by Maurice Maeterlinck such as plays by Pirandello, Samuel Becket and Stanislavski. Rob Melrose has adapted this fairy tale into a modern 21st Century language. He has succeeded in give us a fresh approach to this symbolic drama.
Maeterlinck’s plot is simple. Prince Golaud (Derek Fischer) discovers Melisande (Caitlyn Louchard) by a steam in the woods. She has lost her crown in the water but does not want to retrieve it. They marry and win the favor of Arkeil (Paul Gerrior), Golaud’s grandfather and king of Allemonde and his queen Genevieve (Gwyneth Richards). Melisande meets Pelleas (Joshua Schell) Golaud’s brother at a deep well one day. She has lost her wedding ring and Pelleas has come by to help her retrieve it. It’s love at first sight. They begin to keep each other company almost like brother and sister. Golaud grows suspicious of the pair and has his son Yniold (Jessica Jade Rudholm) spy on them. The boy discovers them caressing and kissing and tells the brother. Golaud in a jealous rage kills Pelleas and wounds Melisande who later dies after giving birth to a small girl.
Ron Melrose’s script is sharp and slightly formal sounding. The drama fells like something that the famed Actor Studio would have done in the 30’s. Joshua Schell and Paul Gerrior have a certain monolithic style when talking. It is perfect for the ghostly atmosphere of the drama. The love scenes between the appealing Caitlyn Louchard and Joshua Schell’s concentrated Pelleas are ardent and yet physically chase. Derek Fischer is very good as the distressingly fixated as Golaud. Gwyneth Richards gives a fine performance as the wife of the king and a servant. She especially shines in a beautiful soliloquy toward the end of the play to explain what has happen to the three lead characters. Jessica Jade Rudholm is excellent both as the son of Golaud and a servant of the court. Paul Gerrior gives a polish performance as the king. Brittany Kilcoyne McGregor and Carla Pauli offer graceful performances as servants.
Michael Loucher has devised a very clever set which is a long wooden pier that bisects the small theatre upon which all of the action takes place. Above the stage there are 13 veils though which by Wesley Cabral scenes are projected. Sound designer Cliff Caruthers evokes the sound of water and bubbles in the scenes that involve water. Choreographer Laura Arrington has staged stark dances for the company.
“Pelleas and Melisande” plays through November 27th at the EXIT on Taylor, 277 Taylor Street, San Francisco For ticked call 800-838-3006 or on line at www.cuttingball.com