We are now in the midst of the regional premiere of Peter Brook and Marie Helene Estienne’s THE MAN WHO, based on Oliver Sacks’ bestselling book THE MAN WHO MISTOOK HIS WIFE FOR A HAT.  It’s a unique production with a stellar ensemble including Ron Choularton, Sandra Ellis-Troy, Manny Fernandes and Walter Murray accompanied by the genius Scott Paulson creating music.  Below are some various reviews of the show along with random thoughts…

Audiences and Critics are raving about the unique experience that is THE MAN WHO:

“In the hands of four expert actors and a musician, these case studies spring to theatrical life at the New Village Arts Theatre in Carlsbad. Under Kristianne Kurner’s steady and sensitive direction, what might have been a tough slog of an evening becomes 90 minutes of drama you won’t soon forget…All of the actors performed admirably… [but] two that stood out for me were Mr. Coularton’s depiction of a man attempting to control his Tourette Syndrome symptoms and Mr. Fernandes’ portrayal of a man whose conversational tonal patterns belied the nonsense words that peppered his speech…Perhaps the star of the production, however, is Scott Paulson. In his sound lab, on one side of the stage, Mr. Paulson worked with the text and actors to provide sounds ranging from noises to beautiful music.” - Bill Eadie Sandiego.com

“Four outstanding actors-Ron Choularton, Sandra Ellis-Troy, Manny Fernandes and Walter Murray-take all the roles, and to enhance the production directed by Kristianne Kurner, NVA provides sound man and multi-instrumentalist Scott Paulson… The acting is amazing, insightful, restrained and touching, as each individual portrayed struggles to get it “right,” even though many will never live outside an institution. Ellis-Troy is especially endearing as the woman who’s never seen the ocean.” - Charlene Baldridge, North County Times

“NVA’s The Man Who is an excellent balance of technologic and human stagecraft…Paulson transcends. His live original score and sound design bends and breaks with the action in some of the show’s most eloquent commentary. Paulson is a priceless fixture in San Diego theater…As it is, it’s a captivating look at mental phenomena that the theater, ever the opportunist, is almost obliged to provide.” - By Martin Jones Westlin, SD CityBeat

“Recruiting Paulson was a savvy move by director Kristianne Kurner, whose sense of atmosphere is smartly in tune with the mood of the play. (Tim Wallace’s sets add a quirky retro feel, augmented by some live video.) Kurner, NVA’s executive artistic director, also deserves a tip of the hat (or is that your wife?) for staging the play in the first place. It’s a stretch for both audiences and artists, and a risk not many theaters would venture. (Or have ventured, for that matter; this is the work’s regional premiere.)” - James Hebert, San Diego Union Tribune

BEST BET - “an actors’ showcase, a hard look at the brain; something different and provocative (the subject matter may not be for everyone, but the performances are!)” - Pat Launer, www.sdnn.com

Thoughts from Kristianne:

The playwrights purposely kept the play very sparse.  To me, it is about the resilency of the human spirit in sometimes unimaginable circumstances.  It does not have a traditional story line or a strong build of characters.  Rather, it is a series of studies - each standing alone, that together add up to a complete experience.  It is left to the audience to fill in the blanks created by the playwrights through watching the work of the actors and musician.  It requires a lot out of an audience, and in today’s society and circumstances that can be hard to achieve.  I’m very proud to say, that for the most part, our audiences have been completely up for the adventure.  I love the play, and find more in it everytime I watch it.  I hope you are able to get to the theatre before Feb 28 to experience THE MAN WHO!!