Mark Twain: Patriot,
Teacher, Philosopher
Adapted by John Oster
Directed by Stephen F. Murray
at St. Bonaventure, 1625 W. Diversey (map)
thru March 11 | tickets: $7-$15 | more info
Check for half-price tickets
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A delightful compendium of insights from that most hallowed of storytellers
The Saint Sebastian Players presents
Mark Twain: Patriot, Teacher, Philosopher
Review by Clint May
In Mark Twain’s world, the best way to deal with the incongruities of existence is to laugh at them. His incisive wit had the ability to cut through the unconscious ironies of human nature and bring them into the light. The ensuing laughter is one of self-defense, as we recognize ourselves in his timeless stories. Five such stories are presented in The Saint Sebastian Players (SSP) production of Mark Twain: Patriot, Teacher, Philosopher. Each one explores the pitfalls of human relationships in politics, love and war with Twain’s signature satire. As brought to life by SSP, the sum is greater than the parts, but Twain’s language and insight demonstrate why he was and is one of the American Masters.
It’s Adam and Eve’s journey through innocence to love to death that is the real star of the show. Twain composed the story as a series that was later compiled into a book, and it’s one of his most personal works. The foibles and explorations of the “first couple” demonstrate that their troubles are every couple’s troubles. Victoria Montalbano brings a sweet earnestness to Eve, while Dylan Parkes gives Adam a gruff sort of incredulity specific to the male sex. The psychological insight into what it was to be the template for all ensuing relationships is Twain at his most wry and ultimately tragic.
As a large ensemble, SSP stumbles a bit at first getting the hang of late-nineteenth century dialog. At times the production feels overly rushed and frenetic, chewing the scenery in a mimicry of what modern audiences believe their turn-of-the-century counterparts delighted in. Elders Judi Schindler and Todd Parkhurst get few scenes, but their mastery of inhabiting Twain’s language make one wish they could have done so much more and inadvertently exposes the weakness of anyone else sharing the stage. As a whole, however, they are charming to observe, and the period music played between scenes brings to mind a warm summer evening of days gone by.
 
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Twain’s beloved wife Olivia died shortly before he finished Eve’s Diary, and it is believed the tale is a love letter to her. The deep sentiment that runs through the collected Diaries keeps the entire production grounded in the humanity that let’s us laugh at the tragicomedy that is human nature. Mark Twain: Patriot, Teacher, Philosopher is also a love letter of sorts to one of America’s first—and some would say best—observers of that nature. Twain could make us laugh at ourselves because he never put himself above us. Instead, his words lead us into a path of humble self-exploration that is universal, and always worth embarking upon.
Rating: ★★★
Mark Twain: Patriot, Teacher, Philosoher continues through March 11th at St. Bonaventure Church, 1625 W. Diversey (map), with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm. Tickets are $7-$15, and are available by phone (773-404-7922) or by sending an e-mail to [email protected] (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at SaintSebastianPlayers.org. (Running time: 2 hours 15 minutes, which includes one 15-minute intermission)
All photos by OCA Photography
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