Your Reviews of THE HEAVENS ARE HUNG IN BLACK
James Still’s latest play, The Heavens Are Hung in Black, opened the 2009-2010 OneAmerica Season at The Indiana Repertory Theatre on October 9, 2009. REVIEWS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THIS PRODUCTION.
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James Still’s latest play, The Heavens Are Hung in Black, opened the 2009-2010 OneAmerica Season at The Indiana Repertory Theatre on October 9, 2009. REVIEWS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THIS PRODUCTION.
There are 20 Comments to "Your Reviews of THE HEAVENS ARE HUNG IN BLACK"
As usual the IRT did not disappoint-scenery, costumes, acting, symbolism, dialog-excellent. We are so lucky to have access to such 1st class theatre. The only thing I felt was the play ran a little too long. I found myself getting restless in the middle of the second act.
Looking forward to our next play.
The acting was wonderful–as usual in an IRT production–but we felt as though we were seeing a play that was still in rehearsal. For the first time since we’ve been subscribers (over ten years now), we were disappointed by the set and confused by the frequent moving of the stage for no particular purpose. The stage movement was more of a distraction than anything else.
The knocking bothered us, too, at first until we realized by the end of the play that the knocking was Lincoln’s great opportunity for change–the Emancipation Proclamation.
We are big fans of the book Team of Rivals, and having read that book helped contribute to our understanding of the various characters in the play.
All in all, a well acted good production, but not a great one. David Allan Anderson was–as always–excellent.
This play was awesome, from the writing, to the directing, down to the costumes and stage presentation.
One of the BEST plays I’ve seen in the past 3 seasons. Worth twice the price of admission, in my opinion.
GREAT JOB!!!
It was our first time visit to the IRT and my family and I loved it! The volunteers and staff were outstanding! As for the play I felt that the dialog between John Hay and Abe Lincoln was a bit too fast paced. However both men did a superb job in delivering their lines with emmotion. My personal favorites for the evening were Walt Witman and John Brown!
It is too bad that “still a fan” left at intermission. Overall, I loved the play, but found the first act distracting when everyone was yelling at each other, or talking over each other. By the time the show was over, I was very moved and felt it was an outstanding production.
We left at intermission, because there was not anything we could see to gain from staying. We were completely flummoxed by the tossing of the papers in the air. What did that symbolize?
Lincoln had a lot of downs in his life, but historians generally don’t think he was haunted by voices that drove him batty. He was a shrewd, conniving, brillaint politician who more or less was a supreme strategist. He planned lots of the minutiae, knowing instinctively that each incremental move would contribute to his ultimately prevailing, even against steep/seemingly insurmountable odds, on every level. The play really didn’t give much of an inkling as to how he developed or acuqired these skill sets, nor did it give a basis for understnding how deftly he depolyed them. Lincoln, more or less, was caught in the onslaught of history in the moment, as if in a speeding vehicle which he drove blindfoled. In this situation, he deployed all of his considerable aptitudes to their fullest extent.
The depiction provided was along the lines of an August Wilson play, where supernatural forces are tossing the main character to and fro. It’s the artis’s prerogative to give that depiction, and Mr. Still did so quite comprehensively, with great fidelity to the historical figures whose apparitions visited themselves upon Mr. Lincoln. But doing so made Mr. Lincoln far less of a compelling, and proactive figure, than historians know him to be.
Thank you for such a great play. My 17 year old son enjoyed it very much as did my 13 year old daughter. Not hard to follow what so ever. I personally found this play very touching. Your cast was great, set charming, lights and sounds moving. Thank you again.
My husband and I are season subscribers and this show is the first to disappoint. The portrayal of Lincoln, Mrs. Lincoln, most of his advisors and Whitman were all excellent but the incorporation of characters from Lincoln’s past–who undoubtedly did influence him–made the show next to impossible to follow. Were it not for the program spread featuring brief biographies of both the living and the deceased we would have been utterly lost.
It’s been a week since we saw the show and I’m still disturbed by the knocking theme. It was emphasized to the point that Lincoln appeared either obsessed or nearly maddened by it. Was he haunted by knocking? Even if he were, the ending felt manipulated: politically correct but not historically correct.
We’ll certainly return to IRT and look forward to stronger performances.
My wife and I were privileged to see this production at the Ford’s Theatre in March. It was a moving experience then; it was even more moving here on our intimate IRT mainstage.
Artistic and technical aspects: scenery, costumes, sound and lighting all came together seamlessly, enabling the cast–particularly Nicholas Hormann in his convincing protrayal of Lincoln–to bring to life James Still’s studied look inside the private thoughts of one of our greatest Presidents in the most trying times.
James has a rare talent–after painstaking reading, study, research, and gaining the “permmission” of his subjects to write about them (you need to hear him explain that process!)–in putting together a very personal look at likely thoughts and events in a historically accurate setting. We are so fortunate to have enjoyed his presence in our midst for the last 12 years!
“Well done!” to James, all of the artists and staff at the IRT, and to the actors. It was a very enjoyable evening!!
Great production!
Only thing was surprised at — I had expected far more interaction with Mrs. Lincoln. Very little time onstage compared to what an impact surely she had on this period of his life.
Audience comments from the House Manager’s opening weekend reports:
“It was wonder!”
“It was excellent!”
“I enjoyed it very much.”
“It was excellent!”
“Better than good.”
“It was a powerful ending.”
“The end brought tears to my eyes.”
“Very enjoyable.”
“This is a must see show. I’m telling my friends and coming back Thursday.”
“Really enjoyed this!”
“I loved it!”
“The ending was so moving.”
“Really enjoyed, but a little long.”
“Excellent!”
“I really enjoyed it!”
“The playwright out did himself this time.”
“Wonderful.”
My family and I enjoyed this play very much!!! Very educational and professional, one of the best plays we have seen in a long time.
Audience comments from the House Mangager’s opening night report:
“Excellent!”
“I loved it!”
“Wonderful.”
“I really enjoyed it.”
“Very much in line with the Lincoln I read about.”
Wow, what can I say. I sent a tweet out at mid-show to tell my friends on Facebook they have to see this show. The set, as usual, was excellent and an engineering masterpiece. You guys rock. The actors were once again exceptional. Stanton, the role, really got under my skin. Robert Elliot did a great job portraying him, he even looked like the real Stanton. Way to go make-up. The role of Abe played by Mr. Hormann, wow. Great line delivery. I really got a sense of Abe’s wit and humor. Granted this is James Still’s portrayal of history but still the delivery was superb. I also commented after the show, the torment that Abe felt regarding the war and what was happening to the nation was palpable. I wonder if all war time presidents feel the torture and burden? I have to comment about Tad. The young boy, Anthony, who played Tad, now he has a future in the theater. His presence, projection and articulation were delivered like a pro. I sometimes have difficulty hearing young voices, but not his, bravo. Finally, I just love David Anderson. I really get the sense he plays roles from deep inside himself. His portrayal of the old soldier. I never knew it was him. And at the end, the scene between he and Lincoln – it brought me to tears. 5 Stars.
Here are some audience comments from last night’s house manager report:
“Excellent!”
“I loved it!”
“Very enjoyable.”
“It was a good show.”
“Very good.”
“I enjoyed it very much.”
The Heavens are Hung in Black gave us an outstanding evening of theatre. Playwright James Still’s use of Lincoln’s dreams was the perfect tool to take us into Lincoln’s mind. The pear was an inspirational touch to bring those thoughts into reality. Lincoln’s recitation of Shakespeare with the Shakespearean actors was a brilliant way to have him allude to his circumstances. I was very moved by the dramatic conclusion of the play. IRT is fortunate to have Still as a writer in residence.
Russell Metheny is to be commended for his scenic designs. The tents in the background, serving as a constant reminder of the soldiers’ presence, was a great idea.
Audience comments from the second preview:
“It was a wonderful, great big production!”
“Fabulous! I’m going have to tell my friends to come.”
One of the best I’ve seen in a long time and an interesting historical viewpoint of possible “behind the scenes” events–things you don’t really think about in the “normal” portrayals of history! Definitely a must-see for Lincoln and Civil War history buffs. The stage setting, lighting, sound, costumes…everything came together so wonderfully. I spent as much time watching the technical aspects as I did the play and acting itself. Kudos to James Still for a well written play as well as to the cast and crew and IRT!
It has been said that Martin Luther King could give spellbinding sermons on 20th century issues without ever mentioning the 20th century. James Still has now written a play that has clear and direct implications for the 21st century without ever mentioning the 21st century. Still is able to read out of history an honest narrative that helps us to use history truly as “a distant mirror.” And the production itself is superb.
Here are some audience comments from the first preview:
“It was a wonderful show!”
“I loved it!”
“The whole thing was great. I liked everything about it.”
“Excellent!”
“Great.”