Beauty in the Ear of the beholder
Souvenir tells the story of Florence Foster Jenkins - outrageously successful at singing badly.
By Helen Watson White In Theatre- The Listener
ou welcome reviewing “a fantasia of the life of Florence Foster Jenkins”, since she’s world famous for doing something well. You’re also compromised, for the career at which Jenkins was so outrageously successful was in singing badly.
Some interesting background to this script given its first New Zealand showing at Dunedin’s Fortune Theatre: writer Stephen Temperley earlier tried two other story forms – full-scale play and one-woman show – abandoning both. His third try explores the American singer’s project through the eyes of her accompanist, Cosme McMoon.
Temperley shapes a revealing contrast “between the way we see ourselves and the way the rest of the world sees us”. The story, he says, shows someone “who is nothing except self-doubting” meeting someone “with absolutely no self-doubt”.
McMoon opens, idling on a grand piano that is patent-leather black. Looking back years after Jenkins’ death, he remembers he was the “new kid in town” and she – bless her sensible shoes and lavender costume – gave him work. He knew at once she was never going to “scale the pinnacles of the soprano repertoire” as she imagined; but having carried her bags to base camp (and initially being unbothered by critics), he stayed on.
In tune with untalented performer
By Charmian Smith, 15 May 2014, originally published in Otago Daily Times
Although unburdened by talent and tone-deaf, Florence Foster Jenkins had a singing career in New York, culminating in a concert at Carnegie Hall. Her tragically comic story is told in Souvenir at the Fortune Theatre. Charmian Smith reports
Florence Foster Jenkins was an extraordinary woman.
She had no sense of rhythm, pitch or tone yet she gave elaborate charity concerts in New York, culminating in one at Carnegie Hall that sold out in three hours.
Her story is told in Souvenir, which opens at the Fortune Theatre on Saturday.
Frances was a wealthy woman, president of this and secretary of that and put on concerts to raise money for charity, director Lara Macgregor says.
''They were extensively advertised and she would put them on in the music room of the Ritz-Carlton, fill them and give generously to all sorts of different charities.''
The question Macgregor and her cast, Angela Johnson who plays Florence and Michael Lee Porter who plays Florence's accompanist and friend Cosmé McMoon, are trying to figure out is why people came to these concerts and stayed when she sounded so terrible; recordings of her singing can be heard on YouTube. Read more...
STUDIO 4 X 4 - Young Playwrights Initiative
Tickets are on sale for Studio 4x4 for ONLY $5!
Over the last 8 weeks four playwrights (Cassie Sim, Barnaby McIntosh, Jess Green, Adam Goodall) have been busy devising a piece of theatre each to perform to the public.
Four different productions performed one after each other on Monday, 26 May at 7pm and Tuesday, 27 May at 8.30pm.
Don't miss this opportunity to see young talented locals at their best.
For bookings phone Maureen at Box Office or visit fortunetheatre.co.nz
TAKE NOTICE
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the FORTUNE THEATRE TRUST
will take place at 5:30p.m. on Wednesday, May 21, 2014
The AGM will be held at the Fortune Theatre (Studio Theatre), 231 Stuart Street, Dunedin.
Business to be transacted: Presentation of 2013 Annual Report and Audited Accounts. Election of Officers: Three trustee positions for election.
The Nomination form for the trustee positions is available now via email:
Signed Nomination forms must be received at the theatre no later than 5.30pm Wednesday, May 14, 2014.
