A Man for All Seasons opens at the Santa Ana Theatre
By Judy Newell Feb 2, 2007

Theater A Man for All Seasons Mon–Fri, Feb 5–9, 7:30pm Sun, Feb 11, 2pm & 7:30pm Teatro Santa Ana, Reloj 50ª, 100 pesos

A Man for All Seasons, an award-winning play set in 16th-century England, opens February 5 at the Teatro Santa Ana and runs through February 9. Written by Robert Bolt, it was first performed in London in 1960, then opened on Broadway in 1961, where it ran for 637 performances and won Tony Awards for Best Play, Best Direction in a Play and Best Actor in a Play. 

It was made into a feature film in 1966 that won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Actor for Paul Scofield. In 1988, Charleton Heston produced, directed and starred in a made-for-TV movie based on the play and called the role of Sir Thomas More one of his favorites.

Taking the lead, Jim Newell plays the role of Sir Thomas More, the Chancellor of England who refuses to endorse or denounce Henry VIII’s wish to divorce his wife, Catherine of Aragon, so he can marry his mistress, Anne Boleyn. The play is directed by Murray Kamelhar.

The major theme of A Man for All Seasons concerns conscience: Should a man of principle and reason risk the wrath of a king fond of executing people for treason? Should he bow to the seemingly unstoppable Henry VIII, who has no qualms about bending the law to suit his own needs and desires?

In a line some may find applicable to today’s politics, Sir Thomas More says: “I think that when statesmen forsake their own private conscience for the sake of public duties, they lead their country by a short route to chaos.”

More fears that if he breaks with his conscience, he will be damned to hell, while his aristocratic companions are more concerned with holding onto their temporal power. His strict ethical and religious code will not let him waver. Cardinal Wolsey chides him: “If you could just see facts flat on without that horrible moral squint.”

When the petulant king breaks with Rome and the Pope, More resigns his chancellorship in protest. He gives up his high office, income and great household to preserve his freedom and protect his family. But that is not enough, and More ends up imprisoned in the Tower of London for his convictions. 

Eventually, he lays down his neck on the executioner’s block because he refuses to swear under oath that he accepts the King’s title as “Supreme Head of the Church of England” and his new marriage. After his execution, Sir Thomas More was named a saint of the Catholic Church.

The play stars Jim Newell as Sir Thomas More; Geoff Hargreaves as Cromwell; Mike Gottlieb as Richard Rich; Frank Simons as the Common Man; Edward Simpson as Norfolk; Cleo Stevens Kamelhar as More’s wife, Alice; Clara Dunham as More’s daughter, Margaret; Seth Sharp as William Roper; Gary Ware as Henry VIII; Jonathan Taylor as Cardinal Wolsey; and Joyce Barnett as Catherine Anger

Tickets can be purchased in the Biblioteca’s patio from 11am to 3pm and the theatre from 4 to 7pm.

Playreaders present two one-act plays

Theater, San Miguel Playreaders

Tue–Thurs, Feb. 6–8, 7pm

St. Paul’s Church, Cardo 6

10 pesos

San Miguel Playreaders will present two one-act plays from the collection of four by Robert Anderson titled You Know I Can’t Hear You When The Water’s Running, the title of which is a line from the first play of the evening, The Shock of Recognition. A playwright, read by Don Connolly, is trying to convince his producer, read by Jack Caulkins, that his hero should appear naked in the bathroom door saying the above line to his wife, who is reading the paper in bed and has called to him. Also in the cast are Richard Koerner, as a wannabe actor, and Rosalie Gower. The second play, I’m Herbert, features Don Connolly and Rosalie Gower as an older married couple who can’t remember quite who they are. The director is Lois Read. 

Doors open at 7pm and the performance starts at 7:30, or when the house is full. 

Inside Love Letters

Theater Love Letters Feb 8–Feb 25 Thurs–Sat, 8pm; Sun, 4pm Villa Jacaranda, Aldama 53 125 pesos/250 pesos with dinner

Kirsten Dehner

When Alan Jordan proposed that I direct Love Letters, I’d just come off the very satisfying one-woman acting experience of Blown Sideways Through Life. To jump into another project felt premature, even impossible. And directing? Oh, boy. Although I said yes, to myself I said, “What?! Are you crazy? Again?”

Well, crazy I got. Crazy great in the form of my two actors: Billie Bremer and David Hunter. Crazy great, too, with our set designer, Gerry Holmes, publicity person, Chris Foster, and Alan, overseeing every detail.

As a director, you are only as good as your actors and the people around you. You’re as good as you have the skill to create a place where a play happens, discovery happens, magic happens. And now I'm doing it all over again—Billie and David and I, as crazy as ever. 

Billie Bremer

When I was asked to perform in this production of Love Letters, I had seen the play three times before. I was always moved by the material, but never terribly captivated by the presentation. When the director, Kirsten Dehner, explained her idea of having us memorize the script, play the age progression, and move away from the constraints of simply reading the letters, I was intrigued. Transitioning from a precocious 7-year-old girl to a deeply troubled 55-year old woman is not easy.

Technically, this play is unique, in that each actor is performing alone and yet with one another. Although David [Hunter] and I never speak to each other directly, we have worked through this complexity by really listening to each other. A great acting and life lesson!

As an actor, my job is to take the audience with me on this intriguing ride. I invite you to join me! 

David Hunter

Andrew Ladd, III, as a character, is NOT me. I am much more bohemian and spontaneous, so playing this character, who is so painfully conscious of his “duty” to uphold societal and familial responsibilities, creates some resentment within me, even as I portray Andrew.

My character is both so intellectually smart and so emotionally dense at the same time.

During each performance, I wrestle with inner emotions as to what I would really do and how much I want to reach out to Billie’s character, and say, “Hey! Straighten up! You have so much talent, don’t throw it away!”

We take a journey that feels genuine, star-crossed, humorous and ultimately revelatory. When the play ends, I am left each night with the feeling that … if only, if only … and isn’t that exactly the course of our own experiences?

Mike Goot

My wife, Karen, and I visited San Miguel last February the first time. Like many others, we were immediately smitten, but frankly nervous about making a major life change after more than 30 years in the Carolinas. Then we saw Kirsten in Blown Sideways. “Holy shit! We expected a credible community theater production but had no idea we could find this level of performance, and sheer daring, in this charming little place. We decided to move that night.”

Having served on the board of a small theater for several years, I know how hard it is to stay true to a lofty artistic vision—working with skimpy budgets, scrounging for venues, props and already-stretched-too-thin volunteers. I only hope we can keep pushing the envelope of our 57-year-old lives the way Alan and Kirsten keep pushing the envelope of San Miguel performance art. 

Love Letters returns for a three-week engagement at Villa Jacaranda, opening Thursday, February 8 and running Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 4 pm, with a special Valentine’s Day performance. General admission is 125 pesos, which includes a drink. There is also a dinner package that includes a three-course dinner, drink and show for 250 pesos. Reservations are available at Biblioteca Pública´s gift shop, Villa Jacaranda (Aldama 53) and Galería Izamel (Mesones 80) or by calling 154-0352. Check www.loveletters-sma.com for on-line reservations and additional information.