Carnal embrace and other topics

I first saw Arcadia when I was 17, on a trip to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival with my high school drama class. I enjoyed it, but was confused. In the play, Stoppard addresses concepts like chaos theory and predeterminism and art vs. science. Fortunately, he does it in an engaging way and has some fantastic characters discussing it, meaning that Barb At 17 liked it, if she didn't quite grasp it. In the years since, it's the final image of the play that's stuck with me.

I saw it again last night at the Folger, and again, it's going to be that last image that sticks with me. I appreciated the other elements (and understood them) much better this time around (it's amazing what 13 years will do!), but still...that last image, and all that it symbolizes, is what gets me. It really brings together the themes of the play, but in a poetic way. Love it.

The actors did a fantastic job. Erin Weaver, as the 13-year-old Thomasina in the 1809 world, was a bit over the top, particularly for the last few scenes, when she's supposed to be 16, but I never doubted her relationship with her tutor, Septimus Hodge (Cody Nickell, who has just fabulous hair), which is an important point. Nickell was awesome; it has to be a gratifying role--he's funny and charming and mischievous and a bit of a rake. His is a character easy to fall for. (Let's just say that yes, I did check out Nickell's website. And yes, he is married. Of course.)

The characters in modern times were good as well. I was actually probably most impressed by Peter Stray, who played Valentine. It's a hard character--he's clearly a smart guy, but has to also be completely dense about the literature side of things. When he's first introduced, he comes across as a fool, which he isn't. He's also quite likeable, and I loved his interactions with Hannah (Holly Twyford, who's apparently quite the fixture in DC theater; I've never seen her before and enjoyed her in this). (And holy crap, apparently Stray is Welsh. Fantastic!) (Also married. Of course.)

Seeing it made me wish I ushered at the Folger, just so I could see it a few more times, despite the long running time. And it is quite long. But it didn't feel it.