Cyrano Audience Feedback
Eric Hissom as the title character in "Cyrano" running now through April 15, 2012.
by Catherine Logan, Marketing Assistant
It is no secret here at Arden Theatre Company how much I love the story of Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand. I knew that once I heard the announcement of our 2011-12 Season, Cyrano Translated and Adaptated by Michel Hollinger and Aaron Posner would be my favorite production this year. This classic story of unrequited love, beautiful daring poetry, and exciting swordplay captured my heart at a very young age when I read Rostand’s famous work in Mr. Leventhal’s Honors English class in Middle School.
We have received an overwhelming amount of feedback for this production. Here is what some of our audiences have to say:
Roxane (Jessica Cummings) falling in love with Christian (Luigi Sottille). Little Does she know it is Cyrano (Eric Hissom) who is teaching Christian how to woo her.
This is the third or fourth production of the play that I’ve seen, not counting reading Rostand in French and the various films. They are all different. Yours was probably the funniest. This is not a put-down of Eric Hissom, who did a terrific job in the lead, but usually the actor who plays Cyrano is a really good-looking fellow who just has a large nose, whereas in your production, Hissom looks more like an ordinary guy, proboscis or no, so he is more believable in the role. –Joan, Blackwood, NJ
Though I majored in French and English, I never read Cyrano, saw the play, or watched the movie all the way through. The Arden production is terrific–perfectly pitched modern words, well-delivered, skilled swordplay, staged to make use of all the levels, and well-paced–all the way up to almost the end. The final scene worked for me to a point(so to speak–I cried–but it delivered its message what felt to me like a long time before it ended. I write only because I enjoyed the play so much for so long. Is there an opportunity to revisit the last scene at this time?
I agree with all of those who thoroughly enjoyed the production of Cyrano. I do have one negative comment which was also expressed by others around me. The second act was too long and consequently was too slow. Cyrano has to die much earlier for a crisper better ending.
We are Arden members for 15 years and yours is our favorite company.
We were looking forward to Cyrano but having just seen Clybourne Park a second time, I was concerned I would be disappointed (since Clybourne Park was one of my all time favorite Arden productions). But Cyrano was brilliant and the play was remarkably adapted and staged by Michael Hollinger and Aaron Posner. Eric Hissum who i had seen in August, embodied Cyrano as I would think Rostand imagined Cyrano to be on stage. The essence of this play for me is about the beauty of language, and how words can transform relationships. And in my mind, Eric transformed the story as I had never seen it. But all of the actors were equally strong and balanced and together formed an inspiring ensemble, proving again that the Arden is aging beautifully! .
We have seen Cyrano performed before, and this production outshone the other in all respects. The new translation manages to seem consistent with the period setting and a modern take on the play — quite a feat. I disagree with the posters who complained about the ending: it felt quite right to me.
All of the actors were excellent, adapting perfectly to the wide variation in tone and mood in the play, from tragedy to physical comedy. Eric Hissum’s performance was a tour de force: the other Cyrano was quite good, but Eric brought every aspect of the character to life in a way I’d not seen before.
Bravo to all.
My wife and I were so thrilled with the Arden production of Cyrano that we purchased tickets for my son and his friend to attend the following night. The acting, costumes, translation and action scenes were all first-rate!
We LOVED Cyrano! The acting was superb, the choreography of the fencing scenes was Most impressive and the play itself was delightful!
My son and I attended Saturday’s show and left simply amazed at how great a show this is. I think we expected something a bit quaint and maybe “stodgy” (ie. old), but this was funny and relevant and absolutely entertaining. We’re not the most seasoned theater-goers, so perhaps we should have known better, but what fun it was. When act 1 ended, we were both surprised that enough time had even passed. Kudos to all involved. (And especially to the man who played Cyrano – such “panache”! He really made the show.) Thank you