Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 2, 1991 TAG: 9104020145
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: ROBERT RIVENBARK/ SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The British play, penned in 1677 by Aphra Behn, is set in Naples during Carnival (precursor to our own Mardi Gras).
It chronicles the sexual escapades of four Spanish ladies - Florinda, Hellena, Valeria and Angelica - who pursue four out-of-work English soldiers, or "cavaliers."
Behn was far ahead of her time in writing a play that emphasizes the emotional needs, desires and ambitions of her female characters. At the same time, she ridicules the sexual pretentions of the men in her play.
The play, considered too frank for centuries, gathered dust until 1986 when the Royal Shakespeare Company revived it in London.
Virginia Tech's Theater Arts production draws, to a limited extent, on the London production, though director Bob Leonard has brought his training as an improvisationalist to bear to give it the visceral feel he wanted.
"Life was very different in 1677," Leonard said. "What seemed natural and realistic and down-to-earth to an actor of that age doesn't seem so natural to a modern actor. . . ."
So he used several word games to help the actors get more comfortable with the play. Then he expanded the exercises into physical action; the play, which has many sword fights, offered plenty of that.
"Carrying a 39-inch rapier around with you while you negotiate through 15 people in a 20-by-20-foot square creates a whole new way of understanding your body," Leonard said. "How you bend over, how you stand up, begins to get interpreted by the presence of the rapier. That took some getting used to, and the exercises helped."
After rapiers came dance. Leonard had choreographer Barbara Carlisle teach the cast the Morris dance for scenes where the characters are caught up in Carnival revels.
The Morris dance, which is dated more than a century before Behn's time, is derived from the Moresca, a Spanish Middle Ages dance that celebrated the expulsion of the Moors.
Leonard said the Morris dance is appropriate to the play, since Naples was a Spanish colony at the time of the play.
Designer Randy Ingram came up with a wraparound set for the production that places the audience in the middle of the action. Some the spectators will be seated onstage, and the set will extend deep into the audience.
Ingram studied late 17th century paintings to get a feel for colors of the Naples of Behn's era. His set employs streamers of faded yellow, blue, green, sienna and purple to give the feel of a sunwashed Mediterranean city during a muggy spring. Leonard added early baroque music to complete the atmosphere.
"I'm not trying to do this play as a re-enactment of the first production," Leonard said. "I'm interested in making the world of the play real for the audience."
"The Rover" features Wendy Carter as Valeria, Peggy Gannon as Hellena, Kathy Pope as Florinda and Elizabeth Lambert as Angelica. Other players are Randy Ingram, Doug Cockle, John Cook, Barry Ellenberger, Paul Gobble, Darryl Gibson, Holly Gibson, Anthony Henderson, Cary Nothnagel, Cheryl Fare Tormey and Todd Whitson.
Felice Proctor is the costume designer and Charles Kaiser the lighting designer and fencing instructor.
Night performances of "The Rover" will be staged at Playhouse 460 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and April 10-13. An afternoon performance begins at 2 Sunday. Call 231-5615 in Blacksburg for tickets and information.
by CNB