An Evening with C.S.Lewis
It's funny.
On Wednesday at youth group we discussed as an illustration how we would react to meeting our favourite celebrities. Meeting C.S.Lewis was brought up and thought funny because the reaction would be mostly surprise at his being alive.
On Friday I spent the evening with C.S.Lewis.
Well not literally, but as close as I’m likely to get this side of heaven. It was a one man show written and acted by David Payne and titled “An Evening with C.S.Lewis“.
I was thrilled when I got a call from friends who were reserving box seats for the show. In addition to my interest in C.S.Lewis, I think box seats are the things of stories. I was perhaps a little disappointed to find the boxes were not quite the shadowy and ornate things of the Scarlet Pimpernel or the Phantom of the Opera. However, as modern as they were, they still made for a delightful view of the stage. It was like being seated in a bird’s nest. Really I carry on far too much about box seats, but I suppose this could be both a review of the show and of box seats in general.
As I settled in my perch I felt a thrill of excitement at the sight of the stage and the simple props of an antique chair and a table set for tea. I felt as if I could reach out and touch them, and that is really the greatest advantage of live theatre. C.S.Lewis stepped out on stage with a steaming pot of tea and welcomed us to his home. I was hanging on every word for the next hour or so.
The substance of the monologue was the life story of Lewis with special attention to his journey to faith, and writing career. There was also an emphasis on the relationships that influenced both of those aspects. The second half of the show was almost entirely given to his love story with Joy.
The humour was not lacking. All the funny stories and lines that you would expect and more besides were delivered with perfect comic timing. The only downside could be the one or two places where the humour was edging on what could be considered not appropriate for all ages.
David Payne remained the character of C.S.Lewis through the performance. That is, he didn’t become the other characters in his anecdotes even when quoting them. It was still C.S.Lewis telling the funny thing that Joy said or that Warnie did. I have seen a single actor give the impression of distinct characters, but that wasn’t the case here. It was C.S.Lewis the whole way, but that was alright. It was C.S.Lewis who I went to see.
David Payne is qualified for the role of C.S.Lewis on a number of accounts. Firstly, he is British. He had no extra work for the accent, and I think this also gives him a better understanding of the role. Secondly, He is a talented actor and portrayed a warm, witty, and sincere C.S.Lewis. A lengthy monologue of this sort must be hard to memorize, but he delivered it well. Any places he might have stumbled over a line came across as normal conversation. Even when his chair started to break partway through, he made it part of the scene and performed the rest standing. Thirdly, he has a very decent likeness to C.S.Lewis. Not quite a twin, but a good enough double. Finally, what I think qualifies Payne the most is that he is himself a knowledgeable fan of the C.S.Lewis. This comes out in the script and in the way he speaks about C.S.Lewis when out of character.
To the casual fan, the show is a great way to learn about the life of C.S.Lewis and the influences on his writing. But what about for the dedicated fan who has already read all he wrote and a half dozen biographies and seen both versions of the Shadowlands? Is it still worthwhile to hear again all the quotes and stories you are already familiar with? The answer is yes. It is true that I knew most of the punch lines and plot twists before they came, but hearing them live and as if from Jack himself was a whole new experience.
So in conclusion, I heartily recommend going to see “An Evening with C.S.Lewis” if it comes your way.Statistics: Posted by Swanwhite — Tue Aug 27, 2013 11:36 am
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