Charles Darwin's Story in Historical Drama Trumpery from Olney Theatre Center
Olney Theatre Center - Mainstage, Between Dominion Dr. and Old Vic Blvd. (2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Rd. Olney, MD 20832)
- Full Price:
- $41.00 - $56.00
- Our Price:
- $21.50 - $29.00*
* Additional fees apply.
All offers for Trumpery have expired.
The last date listed for Trumpery was Sunday July 4, 2010 / 2:00pm.
Currently at Olney Theatre Center - Mainstage:
Thriller Sleuth Reveals a Strange Game of Cat and Mouse
- Full Price:
- $51.00 - $56.00
- Our Price:
- $26.50 - $29.00
Twice adapted into films starring Michael Caine, Anthony Shaffer's play concerns a mystery writer who schemes to trick and befuddle his wife's lover. Set in the manor house of author Andrew Wyke, the home reflects his obsession with the inventions and deceptions of fiction and his fascination with games. Wyke lures Milo Tindle to the house and convinces him to stage a robbery, setting off a chain of events that will leave you trying to figure out where Wyke's imagination ends and reality begins. This production is directed by Jim Petosa, Artistic Director of the Olney Theatre Center. Learn More
4 Goldstar Member Reviews
Goldstar Member
I thought this play was quite good. Not great, but certainly better than some of the reviewers thought. I was interested in the subject matter bec. I had just seen a movie on TV about this same period in Darwin's life, and the perspective and portrayals were quite different. I thought it was quite well acted, I did not think the text was too wordy or abstruse. I think it was sometimes a bit over-wrought.Written on Jul 05 2010
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Goldstar Member
This was a most interesting play for me because I knew a lot about the history of how Darwin was motivated to publish "Origin of the Species" in 1859, following receipt of a letter from Alfred Russell Wallace. In his letter, Wallace outlined the theory of descent by natural selection. He had arrived at his idea by reading Malthus. Darwin had followed the same line of reasoning.Written on Jun 22 2010
It was fascinating to see the characters come to life in the play. Besides Darwin, there was his beloved daughter, his wife, Huxley, Wallace, etc. For me it was enlightening and exciting.
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Goldstar Member
I felt the verbose script made for a sluggish play, during which one could hardly wait for the agony to end. The stunning discoveries made by Darwin, as well as the staggering resistance he anticipated to his revelation of them, never came to life in this draggy, uninspiring two-plus-hours production. And, unfortunately, just as one thought it had mercifully ended, another scene, and yet another, were tacked on. Attention should have been paid to the adage, "Always leave them wanting more."Written on Jun 17 2010
As for the acting, it ranged from merely competent to over-the-top, although, admittedly, the characters were not well-conceived and integrated to begin with. "Real" characters still need to be dealt with in terms that are dramatic and engaging to the audience. Darwin was portrayed as a simpering, whimpering wuss, crawling and vomiting over the stage like an iguana cowering from a dinosaur, and this detracted from our seeing him with the breadth a man so conflicted between brilliant head and loving heart deserves. What can I say, a lousy play, and a stilted production. My husband is an authority on Darwin, and he was as disappointed as I.
Olney may deem itself a professional theatre, but a sensitive and crisply-performed University of Maryland production seen just a few hours later confirm that "professional" refers as well to the creativity of the actors, not just to their compensation.
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Jerilyn
While the acting was uniformly excellent, the script itself could have used some serious editing. The second act was too long, Darwin's angst was never ending and a number of elements could have been eliminated. However, the subject matter did encourage a lively discussion following the production.Written on Jun 10 2010
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More Information About Trumpery
Website
http://www.olneytheatre.org/ticketsprogramming/season2010.asp
Description
Trumpery
By Peter Parnell
The year is 1858 and Charles Darwin struggles to finish his theory of natural selection while coping with his daughter’s fatal illness and his own loss of faith. Meanwhile, halfway around the world, an unknown young explorer named Wallace is about to come up with the exact same theory. Both vibrantly comic and deeply moving, this gripping drama examines whether scientific discovery inevitably routs religion and spirituality or whether there's a place for all three.
For those who love historically based dramas like Copenhagen and Democracy, this area premiere is not to be missed.
The performance runs two hours and 10 minutes including a 15 minute intermission. No haze, smoke or strobe lighting is used and there is minimal stage combat.
About the Ticket Supplier: Olney Theatre Center
Located just north of Washington, D.C. in arts-rich Montgomery County, Maryland, Olney Theatre Center for the Arts offers a diverse array of professional productions year-round that enrich, nurture and challenge a broad range of artists, audiences and students. One of two state theaters of Maryland, OTC is situated on 14 acres in the heart of the beautiful Washington-Baltimore-Frederick "triangle," within easy access of all three cities.
An award-winning regional theater, Olney Theatre Center operates under an Actors' Equity Association Council of Stock Theaters (COST) contract, one of only three theaters in the country to operate under such a contract.
In addition to its mainstage season, which emphasizes 20th-century American classics, new works, area premieres, reinterpretations of classics and musical theater, OTC offers a wide range of programs and affiliations including: National Players, America's longest running classical touring company (since 1949), which performs for high school and college audiences in over 25 states; Potomac Theatre Project, which offers experimental and alternative plays that explore provocative and challenging human situations, ideas and visions; special school performances of mainstage shows; a free Summer Shakespeare Festival; and post-show discussions.