We asked seven questions of director/playwright, John Ammerman of Theatre Emory about their upcoming production of PERSUASION.
Q. Did you look around for other adaptations and find them wanting or did you just see something in this story that you wanted to do yourself?
JA: The adaptation came about with a desire to work on a 19th century text. I have always been interested in 19th century literature—its styles, forms, selective distribution of ideas and vocabulary, as well as the notion of letter writing and how that translates to conversation and choice of words to communicate. I am also a style-actor so the challenge of staging a ‘period’ story had great interest for me. Plus, PERSUASION is most likely Austen’s darkest novel and least produced for which both perspectives caught my eye.
Q: The action in the book takes place in at least four different places - Kellynch House, Uppercross House and Cottage, Bath, and Lyme. How did you manage these different locales on the stage?
JA: In adapting a novel, one always has to figure out the best possible strategy for staging locales without making it a production of scenic changes. My approach is two-fold: first, I focused on the use of curtain-drops where a series of Projections could be screened to show not only locations (landscapes for example) but also personal touches such as portraits at Kellynch-hall (example in having a portrait of Lady Elliot). The other strategy is the use of light and an artistic style called Trompe L’oeil where I can have a pattern painted on the stage floor (example to suit a large carpet-rug at Kellynch-hall) then with a change of Light and textured shapes, I can change the visual perception of that ‘carpet’ painting to appear as a cobbled street or a countryside meadow. Thus, I can easily change location visually without hampering the flow of the story—either with light or projections.
Q: There are a range of age groups in Persuasion. Did you have any difficulty casting the play?
JA: It has always been a commitment of Theater Emory to combine professional performers (along with designers, stagemanagers, etc) with student actors. We are a professional company which employs Union and Non-union actors from Atlanta and the region while giving students a direct experiential opportunity to learn a craft alongside professionals. For casting, our focus is on age-appropriate assignments although for this play we are pushing it a bit with slightly younger actors playing slightly older (late 20’s) roles. There was no difficulty in casting really (we wanted to do a play that had a heavy dose of female roles), but it is always a challenge finding children. We have the good fortune of having two nicely talented lads to play Little Charles and Walter.
Q: In one of Jane Austen's letters she says that Anne Elliot "is almost too good for me." One could say something similar about Captain Wentworth. What did you think of Anne and also Captain Wentworth as you developed their roles?
JA: Anne and Wentworth truly are extraordinary people because they have integrity, honor, charm, patience, mercy, along with a genuine strength to persevere, protect, and maintain a moral justice—quite a list of virtues yet what makes them so attractive is their humility. Just about all of the other characters around them have at least one attribute that is questionable, suspicious, or unappealing, although having said that you might see the Crofts as Austen’s example of a seemingly perfect marriage of acceptance, respect, delight, and true love. Sort of what Anne and Wentworth will become along with a bit more solemnity in their step. In developing them, it is important to balance propriety with hope. They step lightly for fear of shattering possibility while carrying a deep ache to love again—to belong to someone.
Q: One of the attractions of Jane Austen's novels are the characters that DO have flaws in a delightful way such as Mr. Collins in Pride & Prejudice and Mary Musgrove in Persuasion. Do you have any favorites among these characters in Persuasion?
JA: I have a number of characters that I delight in their flaws: Mary’s whining and arrogance, Sir Walter’s narcissism, Mrs. Clay’s sacrificial brown-nosing; and Lady Russell’s etiquette-laced nose in other peoples’ business.
Q: There are several scenes of repressed feelings and sexual tension in Persuasion. Will the audience see these subtle moments?
JA: Storytelling is all about secrets—how a character represses information or opinion, how a character uses secret as a weapon for advancement, or the toll it takes upon a person to keep one. This translates into behavior—character action or inaction and how it is manifested before an audience. Yes, the sexual tension is most acute (along with fear) and subtly dictated in the play. For example, Anne being helped into the carriage by Wentworth for a ride home with the Crofts; the over-hearing of information from another conversation; how to translate ‘news’ of Wentworth coming to visit—to abruptly and suddenly being in his presence.....or He with Her. A look, a glance, a turn away, a stammer—they all have to be there. But we also are focusing on other characters like Mrs. Clay (especially when Sir Walter begins his tirade about the ‘everyday Mrs. Smith’ and how that translates to Mrs. Clay’s perception of that missive) as well as William Elliot, Henrietta, and Louisa.
Q: The major theme in the book has to do with second chances in love and in life. But there were some secondary themes such as having to do with class and gender differences. Did you want to keep and maybe play up any of those secondary themes as you developed the script?
JA: Yes, the theme of love and second chances—rebirth and rediscovery are crucial to the storytelling but also in context to this world of 1813 which has everything to do with status, social expectation, the well-to-do and the have-nots; and the perception and treatment of women. Anne has a speech near the end of play that has everything to do with the use and abuse of women (in William Elliot’s case) and the injustice of it all.
