http://vanmusicals.com/2010/01/27/beyond-eden-playhouse-review/ A guide to all things musical-theatre in Vancouver Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:10:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ http://vanmusicals.com/2010/01/27/beyond-eden-playhouse-review/#comment-248 Thu, 28 Jan 2010 04:20:58 +0000 http://vanmusicals.com/?p=688#comment-248 I’ve downloaded the song “Beyond Eden” from
the Calgary Theatre blog site and have listened to it 20 times at least. If they had had a CD of the score at the opening night it would have sold out! Everybody at opening night clapped when the set was revealed, clapped after each song and gave a standing ovation at the end of the performance. Wilson’s interaction with his wife and son are a necessary part of the character development, showing the inner turmoil and angst, which when combined with his growing
horror as he finally realizes what he has done, results in a near catotonic state of depression—sitting without motion clutching the two masks to his chest. Without the wife and son interaction the character would have been less believable, not more. In the song “Beyond Eden” the phrase “dance me to the border and I will cross over” has much meaning, it is an example of the symbolism you can find throughout this work. In later life Wilson Duff, who the Wilson character is fashioned after was totally immersed in the Haida thought-world
and did cross over, he committed suicide to go there, after all he had been there forever. Both sides of the central question are so well presented and no judgement is made.
On the one hand the beautiful Haida art is preserved and in the historical context may have resulted in Bill Reid almost single-handedly bringing Haida culture to the forefront, where it is today. This side was presented very clearly. On the other hand who cares about future glory when your central beliefs and cultural truths are being brutalized. The Watchman and the chorus presented this side beautifully and Wilson was caught in the middle. The dialogue is necessary to develop this dilemma. If any had been omitted, this would have been weaker. In the end we are presented with the dilemma but not the solution. The question remains unresolved as it truly is.

]]> http://vanmusicals.com/2010/01/27/beyond-eden-playhouse-review/#comment-247 Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:40:26 +0000 http://vanmusicals.com/?p=688#comment-247 Your crazy the music and writing is brilliant you obviously don’t get it !!!

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