Stage Review - Great Expectations / (Allen Fitzpatrick / Aspire Repertory Theatre)
Stage Review - Great Expectations
Presented By: Allen Fitzpatrick @ Aspire Repertory Theatre - Seattle, WA
Show Run: October 19 - October 20, 2024
Date Reviewed: Saturday, October 19, 2024
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman
This past December, I had the opportunity to visit Key City Public Theatre in Port Townsend to take in a staged version of Great Expectations, the second in Allen Fitzpatrick’s series of one-person shows based on the works of Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol being the first. Originally commissioned by Key City, I first saw Allen’s A Christmas Carol a little over a month prior to that when he performed it at Aspire Repertory Theatre (ART) in Northgate. ART was but one of the stops on his 2023 tour of the Dickens classic, which took him as far away as Michigan, and to various venues around the Sound. Allen’s adaptation of the story that follows the life of protagonist Philip “Pip” Pirrup through his life of love and loss, desperation and wealth, and his transformation into a gentleman at the hands of an anonymous benefactor has come a long way from that evening in December of 2023, and in his continuing partnership with ART, he recently brought the new show to Northgate as part of what the theatre’s new Dickens Series, which includes this show and a return of A Christmas Carol on December 14. Great Expectations ran for two nights, October 19 and October 20, and if his Saturday performance is any indication, this is a show that is just about ready for even more exposition.
I say “almost” because, as the audience Saturday was informed, it’s still a “work in progress” and that we might expect to hear the call for “line”, or to see some things that need more polish. Well, the calls for “line” happened twice on Saturday….twice. And there was nothing noticeable to me or any of the other attendees that felt rough or not ready for prime time. Incredible considering the number of lines that Allen is required to commit to memory, and that’s in addition to developing an entire show around this classic story. The amount of work that goes into something like this can not be understated. First, Allen has to take a 500-ish page book and distill it down into a 90 minute show, including intermission. That includes picking which story arcs, which characters, and which themes he feels are both important and those which the audience will find either familiar, engaging, or intriguing. Then there is making that abridged version of the story flow, so that there’s continuity between scenes and between the narration and what pieces of the book he wants to reenact. Add to this building a stage show around it, which includes blocking, set design, lighting and sound (designs credited to Erin Crall Scott and Bry Kifolo respectively), and the individual characterizations of those he is portraying on stage. I think of the amount of work that goes into developing just one character for a show, understanding motives, history, mannerisms, voice, etc., and applying that to 19 characters, the amount he embodies in his Great Expectations, and the amount of work he must have put into this is just astonishing. And it doesn’t end there. There’s the context switching, between the narration of the story and those scenes in which he portrays one or more characters, he’s got to figure out how to stitch is all together so that it feels smooth, and not choppy, not like a series of vignettes with some narration in between.
Understanding the work that goes into a show such as this, 10,000 words and 19 characters, and knowing this is the first time he’s been off book in front of an audience, the fact that “line” was called only twice is remarkable, and once he was fed the first word of the line, he was right back at it. Incredible. Watching Allen perform these shows, it’s like watching a masterclass in storytelling. The dialogue is focused and precise. In the narration, he brings the audience into the story, and does so with such an enthusiastic quality that they can’t help but wait to see what happens next, even for those of us familiar with the story. Then, when he toggles to a flashback, or a recreation of a scene, whether it’s Pip’s interaction with convict Magwitch, or with Miss Haversham, her adopted daughter Estella, or father figure and blacksmith Joe Gargary, Allen literally becomes these characters. Each speech pattern and intonation is unique to the character, as is his facial structure. What I mean by that is, for each character, Allen has the unique ability to shift a muscle slightly, whether it’s an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth, or his forehead, to differentiate each character from the other physically, which makes each a complete representation of the character, going along with the emotional and intellectual aspects he presents. In addition to this, there’s a unique gait for each, a posture that is different for each role he plays. In the conversations he recreates, he switches back and forth between participants quickly, always looking at the other. When his conversation is between young Pip and an adult he makes sure that as Pip he’s always looking up, and then down to Pip as the other, directing his gaze right to where his Pip was a second ago. It’s almost as if when he switches, there’s a phantom left behind that he addresses, and he switches bodies as he moves through a conversation. This is all to say that aside from his excellent narration, his portrayal of Dickens’ characters is so believable, so realistic, the audience soon forgets that there’s only one actor on stage.
The adaptation of the story that Allen has put together flows, in part because of said narration, but also because of his movement. He flits across the stage as though he’s skating, and though his set is limited and simply designed, he manages to move from location to location as quickly as Dickens has written those transitions into his novel. The piece, as it is designed is constantly in motion, and as such, requires a keen eye and hand for the light and sound cues, of which there are a decent amount, more than you might suspect in a show featuring one actor. During Saturday’s performance, each was spot on thanks in large part to Karen Skrinde and Erin Crall Scott, who operate the sound and light controls for the performance. There’s a maturity to this performance, far from the reading ten months ago, which was good as it stood then, which illuminates the sheer number of hours Allen must have put into the development of his Great Expectations.
Allen Fitzpatrick’s Great Expectations, his one-actor adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic, is a piece that doesn’t just honor the classic novel, it makes it accessible, engaging, and, quite frankly, fun. He tells the story of Philip “Pip” Pirrup, his life with his adoptive family, apprenticeship as a blacksmith, and his coming to terms with becoming a gentleman at the hands of an anonymous benefactor with enthusiasm, precision of dialogue, and an overall production value that is sure to engage any audience that sees it. Whether you are a fan of Dickens, someone who loves good theatre and good acting, or an aspiring actor yourself, there is something here for you, and it is my sincere hope that more audiences get to see this master class in both developing and performing a wonderful piece of theatre art.
For more information on Aspire Repertory Theatre, visit https://www.aspirerep.org/. And to keep up with Allen Fitzpatrick and his upcoming performances of his one-man version of A Christmas Carol, keep an eye on our website and Facebook page.
