August:Osage County is a new play that opened last year and received rave reviews plus gaining numerous awards. Working with such a new play can certainly be a challenge for the dramaturge. There is not a lot of history to date on this production. It is important to understand the world that Letts created and stay true to the script in upcoming performances. This is a heavy plot driven show where events just keep piling up. The audience definitely should be relieved to watch another family’s problems. They should identify but not get bogged down in the emotions until leaving the theatre.
With that being said it is important for the production team to understand the concept of how this family functions. The audience is not given a lot of physiological depth as to why these characters behave in the manner they do. This can be a problem when portraying a dysfunctional family that is confronted with issues like: suicide, divorce, alcoholism, drug addiction, incest and pedophilia. There is not a lot of background that causes their monstrous behavior. We get a small glimpse about Violet when she briefly talks about her childhood but not near enough to explain her meanness. For the most part there is not background given on the characters and the audience is forced to accept their actions and motivations on what is on stage. The roles are rich and meaty for the actors and director but when dealing with such raw emotions of highs and lows the production team needs to understand how a dysfunctional family functions.
The action in the play is fast, probably faster than anything in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. There a several scenes that involves the actors arguing and talking over one another. Once the play has reached its climax the actor are left to improvise lines at the close of a scene. This can be problematic if the research and ensemble is not close. There also are scenes where they might all be talking simultaneously at different parts of the house. This is another reason to understand the family dynamics so it will make sense to the audience. The fourth wall is truly removed and the audience is invited into the Westons home. They must remain engaged during their 3 hour and 20 minute visit to view this reunion. If the production team does not have a clear understanding of how they existed on the plains in remote Pawhuska there could be a tendency to comment on the characters. If this is done by the cast it could result for a very boring evening of theatre for the audience. They most likely would leave with a feeling that these eccentric characters are shallow and have no need for them.
The setting is in their rural home that happens to be a three story home. This can be problematic depending on the auditorium because scenes are played all over the house. Like a family lives all throughout a house and traditions are conducted in certain rooms. The structure of the house is important to the structure of the family and should not be adjusted to any great extreme. This actually lends to the craziness and how they attempt to hide issues from one another. You can see the layering and complexity of this family sense there is not a lot given to the audience.
Having the play set in rural Oklahoma brings a realness and understanding to their madness. They are intellectuals! Beverly a poet and professor, Barbara also a professor at University of Colorado, Karen practices real estate and Ivy a librarian at University of Tulsa. Violet even in her drugged state of mind has a sharp wit and the mental capacity to argue with the best of them. Her favorite song is Lay Down Sally by Eric Clapton. This is not the image one might conjure up of a traditional family in Pawhuska. Understanding life in Pawhuska is important and what it was like to grow up there. Although a dysfunctional family can be placed anywhere, knowing the environment that helped shape who they have become is important since in the script there is not a lot of information given. One can’t go on assumption.
There also is much reference to poetry and poets.Often the family quotes various poems. This is a major part of their culture knowing what they are referencing to is valuable and should be included in the program and lobby display to aid the audience. There is an excerpt from Robert Penn Warren, All the King’s Men and it talks of families and how a family reunion can be compared to diving into an octopus tank. This is a wonderful image for all involved and understanding the dynamics of this particular reunion. One must also look at Of Hollow Men by T.S. Eliot. Beverly quotes him and discusses his life. Johnna and Violet end the play with a stanza from the poem. By understanding the references and poem can greatly assist in the design element and character development.
Another aspect to note is no modern updates have been done to the house since 1972 and this is when Beverly was at his writing peak and has produced nothing memorable since then. Time has stood still for them. The kids started getting older and what is to be left for the parents except to fill themselves with pills and alcohol. There is a haunting feeling to this family and the plains in Oklahoma are said to get in your head and create a haunting feeling.
