Performance "Misery": feedback from viewers and critics

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The theater program allows each viewer to choose a production that will be interesting for him. One of the famous works is the novel by S. King "Misery". It was adapted for staging on the theatrical stage. Feedback on the play "Misery" will be discussed in the article.

Literary basis of the play

The novel "Misery" by the world-famous American writer S. King was first published in 1987. The word "Misery" in translation means "suffering", and it was this emotional state that the author experienced, according to him, while writing his works.

Readers and critics received the work positively. The reviewers noted that the novel "Misery" differs from the rest of the writer's works in its departure from the mystical orientation and praised for the successful study of the relationship between celebrities and their fans.

The novel is recognized as one of the best psychological thrillers by Stephen King. The performance "Misery" allows you to look at the work of a famous writer inspecial light.

About the play

The novel "Misery" has been adapted more than once for staging on the theater stage. One of these adaptations was the play by S. Moore. According to it, the director N. Orlovskaya staged a play at the Modern Enterprise Theater. According to reviews, the play "Misery" at the Central House of Culture of Railway Workers became a real event for the theatrical audience. Premiered on December 9, 2015.

Storyline

According to the reviews, the play "Misery" has an exciting plot. This is the story of the relationship between two heroes: the popular writer Paul Sheldon and his passionate fan Annie Wilkes. Sheldon wrote a series of works about a woman named Misery, in which he spoke about her difficult and bitter fate. The books became bestsellers and made Paul famous.

According to the plot of the novel, one far from perfect day, the writer got into a car accident and was seriously injured. He was found by the woman Annie, a passionate admirer of his work. Recognizing her idol, she pulled Paul out of the wrecked car and brought him straight to her home.

And since Annie worked as a nurse in the past, she decided not to go to the hospital, but to treat him on her own. At first, Paul decided that the ardent love of a fan for her idol was to blame. However, he soon becomes suspicious.

From Annie's strange behavior, the writer understands that he is not a guest in her house, but a prisoner, and his life is in serious danger. The pathological love of the main character for her idol, combined with a crazythe plan to make him his manual writer turns a woman into a dangerous maniac. Paul must write a new book or die - this is the demand of his savior.

Actors

"Misery" was formed thanks to the excellent play of the actors involved in it. There are only two heroes. E. Dobrovolskaya and D. Spivakovsky made a wonderful duet on stage. It is their subtle psychological duel that keeps the viewer in constant tension. In the play Misery, Dobrovolskaya and Spivakovsky from time to time take the viewer away from the realm of a hard psychological thriller into a less heavy genre with elements of tragicomedy.

The performance, according to those who have read S. King, is less rigid than the novel. The images of the characters in the production are somewhat changed and seem weaker. Although the fault of the actors is not in this, and it is difficult to fit all the vicissitudes of the novel into a play lasting 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Reviews about the play "Misery" with Dobrovolskaya are ambiguous. Viewers note that her Annie does not cause horror and disgust, as in the book. She looks more like a nervous, unstable person than a dangerous psychopathic killer.

Spivakovsky's Paul looked more hysterical than really frightened and humiliated. Nevertheless, the actors perfectly maintained the oppressive state and the atmosphere of fear throughout the whole action. It remains even in those rare moments when the characters sneer or portray sarcasm, which causes a smile and nervous chuckles in the audience. So, in general, the actors perfectly managed to embody the spirit of the works of S. King on stage.

Critic reviews

The play "Misery", according to critics, delighted with a well-crafted atmosphere of horror and oppressive tension. The whole entourage is aimed at creating a heavy depressed mood.

Black and gray scenery, low lighting create the impression of a gloomy basement from which there is no way out, which makes the viewer feel hopeless and hopeless. Periodically, the stage is illuminated in such a way that the face of only one of the characters is visible. Sometimes the lights go out completely, and then the audience has an eerie feeling that Annie is sneaking up behind them in the dark with her ax.

Contributes to maintaining this mood and well-chosen music. All this as a whole creates a very heavy, depressing impression that does not let go of the viewer for some time and at the end of the performance.

Target Audience

Usually, fans of theatrical art are people over 45 years old. However, this production will appeal to a younger audience familiar with King's work. Fans of the classics, most likely, will not be able to appreciate the special manner in which the play "Misery" is staged.

This production looks too unusual compared to others. Although, according to some viewers, it was after attending the performance "Misery" that they wanted to get acquainted with the work of S. King, read his books and watch films made on them.

The play "Misery", according to reviews, is very emotional,atmospheric and exciting. The actors keep the viewer in suspense for more than two hours. During the intermission, the audience is looking forward to continuing. Even those who have read S. King's novel and are familiar with the plot note the impact on the psyche of the oppressive atmosphere that the creative team of the play managed to create on stage.

A killer cocktail of action-packed thriller and psychological drama makes the impression of the performance truly indelible. And the excellent work of decorators, lighting and sound engineers further enhance the impression of the talented performance of wonderful artists.

All viewers in their reviews point out among the main advantages of acting, entertainment, originality and amazing atmosphere of the performance. Being someone's fan - what does it mean? Is it good or bad? And what can it lead to? What does it mean to be someone's idol? And what could it lead to? What pathological forms does worship sometimes take? And how can you protect yourself from them?

The authors of the performance tried to find answers to these questions. And the writer's ingenious plot made this study unforgettable.