PoeZest
Reviewed by Stephen Fife
The ARK Theatre Company
Through July 7
PoeZest is the latest iteration of the one-man show about Edgar Allan Poe that his only living descendant, Edgar Allan Poe IV, has been presenting in various theatres in the Los Angeles area for the last decade. This latest version has taken up residence for the next month in the cabaret space at the newly-revived Ark Theatre in North Hollywood.
Edgar Allan Poe is a lone wolf of American letters — there is simply no other great maker of American literature like him. He genuinely can be seen as the originator of the modern horror story, the psychological mystery and the detective novel. Though he lived only 40 years, his life was filled with tragedy and loss and, yes, mystery. Even his death is mysterious, as he perished anonymously in Baltimore, a John Doe body in a place where he had no particular reason to be.
Poe IV claims to be his great-great-nephew, the only living relative of the great genius — and I have no reason to doubt him. I had never seen his show before, and I was impressed by his turn as Poe I. There are moments that are vividly realized, and there is a deep familiarity with and understanding of Poe’s material. At times Poe IV seems to completely disappear into the tortured genius of Poe I, a haunting evocation of a haunted man.
But Poe IV has chosen to frame his show by entering as himself or — as depicted here — a “hack” actor nagged by his wife to get a real job, and a terrible father to his young son. His aim is to present both the contrasts and the parallels between his life and that of his great-great-uncle, evoked when he drifts off to sleep onstage, only to be taken over (or “possessed”) by the spirit of this famous forbearer. The problem with this depiction is that it contains too much self-loathing; the 19th century Poe seems as obsessively disappointed with his descendant as the playwright is obsessed with living in the huge shadow of one of the iconic writers of American literature.
This is a bit too heavy-handed, at least as it currently plays out. If, instead, the show focused on the intersection of the historical Poe’s life and work, this could be a completely fascinating and memorable evening. As is, it loses steam when it dwells on the problems of the contemporary Poe, which are simply not very compelling. But when Poe IV is reciting the poems and stories of his brilliant ancestor, his performance rises to authentically exciting heights.
Currently the show runs two hours, and it lags. But the ingredients for a successful 90-minute evening are there, and I hope a director or dramaturg will emerge to help shape the material accordingly.
For those obsessed with Edgar Allan Poe’s work, this is a must-see. For others like myself who are intrigued by this anomaly of American literature, it is a fascinating but flawed evening. I expect to see it lurch back to life around Halloween, which seems like a better time than late spring to have it haunt our minds and our dreams.
The ARK Theatre, 5708½ Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood; Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.; through Jul. 7. (818) 856-8068 or poezest.brownpapertickets.com. Running time: two hours with one intermission.
Jeff Jerome
June 7, 2019 @ 7:38 pm
“Even his death is mysterious, as he perished anonymously in Baltimore, a John Doe body in a place where he had no particular reason to be.” Poe did not die “anonymously” nor was he a “John Doe” body! Poe was traveling from Richmond to New York with stops in Baltimore and Philadelphia. Baltimore was a transfer point between the south and the north. No mystery why he stopped in Baltimore. He was going to transfer to a train to go north. Poe was recognized when he was sick and his family took care of him the best way they could under the circumstances. He died on October 7, 1849 in a hospital and was buried in his grandfather’s plot in the Old Western Burial Grounds along side his grandparents and his brother Henry. Jeff Jerome, curator emeritus, formerly with the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum in Baltimore.