A close look at Welles

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This article was published 16/07/2018 (2735 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

An icon of the film industry is the subject of a production that’s set for its world premiere at this year’s Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival.

There will be seven performances of Dramatic Hat Productions’ Mercury Man: The Last Performance of Orson Welles at the Rachel Browne Theatre, located at 211 Bannatyne Ave., between July 18 and 29.

Written and directed by Joel Pettigrew, the dramatic play tells the life-spanning story of one of cinema’s most legendary — and complicated — directors, and utilizes a bold approach that incorporates live radio play sound effects, voice acting, and projected animation, organizers say, adding the production takes place just days before Welles’ death in October 1985, as he’s recording the role of Unicron in the animated Transformers: The Movie. Upon meeting his “biggest fan” he recounts his early success in movies, theatre, and radio, as well as the career sacrifices he made in the aftermath of what’s widely regarded as the most important film of all time, Citizen Kane.  

And according to production designer and manager Chris Coxson, the show also gave her the opportunity to stretch her artistic horizons, and even paint cast members — literally — as black and white film characters in certain scenes.

“They go back in time, as the makeup makes them look like they are in a black and white movie,” Coxson said, noting she also had fun recreating a bygone era with period clothing and also by building a 1920s-era microphone for the set. “In 1985, he was doing a voiceover for an animated sci-fi film, as he had to find other roles. It’s reminiscent about Orson Welles, but people will also learn about him.”

Coxson, who currently lives in Toronto, but has previously lived in various parts of Winnipeg — Marion Street in St. Boniface, St. Anne’s Road in St. Vital, Wardlaw Avenue in Osborne Village, Ingersoll Street in the West End, and Wolseley Avenue in Wolseley — said her connections to the city also have been helpful during the production process, and she is looking forward to the upcoming run.

“I volunteered as a crew member at the Fringe for years, and I’ve always found the art scene in Winnipeg strong and vibrant, and it’s great to have another connection to the city,” Coxson said.

And when it comes to the production, Coxson is encouraging Winnipeggers to come out later this month, as it’s a show they won’t want to miss.

“It’s full of amazing performances and an amazing script, and compelling, in some senses. You’ll learn a lot about the creative process, and there’s lots of humour in it. It’s about the creative process of art, and some of the roadblocks that get in the way.”

“Welles certainly had a public persona, and a reputation for having a bit of an ego, but he needed people in his working life, and he recognized this. I don’t think he thought of himself as a genius, but he knew he had great ideas, and he surrounded himself with people who got it.”

Go online at www.winnipegfringe.com to learn more about the festival.