'Orson's Shadow' hovers at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts
Louise Tripp
Issue date: 9/17/02 Section: Theater
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Directed by Columbia College acting professor, David Cromer and written by Austin Pendleton, "Orson's Shadow" takes place in 1960's London and zeroes in on the tangled lives of Orson Welles, Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh and Joan Plowright.
Although dialogue and actions are obviously fictionalized, much of the plot is based on a true story. "Orson's Shadow" reveals struggles between the gifted twosome, Welles and Olivier, as both try to rise to stardom once more.
While Olivier's style of acting is old-fashioned, pre-Stannislavsky, Welles believes that, to act, one must lose themselves in the moment and the two clash about this, as well as everything else imaginable. Meanwhile, Olivier is trying to leave his wife, Vivien Leigh despite her fragile mental state, because he has fallen for actress, Joan Plowright.
At times, the play nearly seems improvised. Characters argue and speak over each other. Regardless of the impression given by such tense scenes, the play has a brilliantly written script and acting so superb that the audience is drawn into the worlds of these stars with such ease, they'll barely flinch.
As Welles, Jeff Still is startling, with a thundering voice and a shadow nearly as looming as that of the real Orson Welles. David Warren as British critic, Ken Tynan is especially remarkable as he brings together Welles and Olivier to present Eugene Ionesco's "Rhinoceros," allowing the story of "Orson's Shadow" to unfold.
Originally, "Orson's Shadow" premiered as a Steppenwolf Theatre Production in early 2000. Now it has returned, giving new audiences a chance to enjoy this real life drama.