Jobsite has decided to produce March of the Kitefliers again as part of their 2006-2007 season!!! More info…
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The Weakly Planet printed another letter. Regardless, the editor after having seen the play is siding with Mr. Lieb.
“Self-Righteous Justifications
I wish to offer my opinion of Mark Leib’s self-righteous justifications for his desecration of March of the Kitefliers (Letters, Aug. 17-23).I was involved with theater for nearly two decades - and no, I have never been involved or affiliated with Jobsite - from the standpoint of both cast and crew. Each time I read a review from a professional reviewer, I’m struck by the dichotomy between their words and Mark’s, as each review Mark writes reminds me more and more of Ionesco’s Professor holding up an empty hand, shrilly shrieking “Knife! Knife! Knife!” as he stabs at his student. With his latest review of Jobsite’s production of a wonderful and unique play, he seeks to kill that which he did not - and could not - create, and couches his lukewarm apologies for spoiling the theatergoers’ experience in high-flown language, showing his purported moral and literary superiority.
That Mark chose to reveal a rather critical plot point indicates not that he “could not write a coherent review of the play” without destroying one of the highlights of the production, but that he felt a sense of entitlement to act as he so chose, willfully disregarding what makes the theater a wonderful experience: its wonder, its majesty, and its mystery.
Mark states that “A play’s assumptions are essential to any critic’s argument; its conclusions are for the spectator alone.” Ironic, then, that he would provide a conclusion based solely on his assumptions of what the reader needed to hear.
Mark found the play “half-inspired, half-formulaic.” His apology is, if you will excuse the vitriol, half-assed.
Jonathan M. Northwood
Portland, Ore.”
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Keep writing your letters folks, cause this is all the guy gave us…
“MARK LEIB REPLIES: I did indeed receive an e-mail from Jobsite Theater Artistic Director David Jenkins, asking that I not reveal the unspecified “secrets” in March of the Kitefliers. I immediately felt that in one case at least the request was unreasonable - that I couldn’t write a coherent review of the play if I didn’t address a particular theme. This theme, revealed in Act One and elaborated throughout Act Two, was, as I said in the review, the better half of a play that was “half-inspired, half-formulaic.” The real secrets of the play - the results of this revelation and the outcome of a romance - I didn’t give away. A play’s assumptions are essential to any critic’s argument; its conclusions are for the spectator alone. I do regret, though, that I didn’t warn the reader that I was revealing a first-act surprise.”
Why would a critic write out an important plot twist? If I thought it would do any good I’d ask both of you to write letters demanding his removal as critic.
Damn I’m pissed off. I’m not linking to the article because if you haven’t seen the play, I don’t want you reading it.
I went to the show again last night. The cast did it again. A second standing ovation. That’s one of the better way to end a weekend. Especially when the next day I have to return to the office.
The cast of Kitefliers are amazing. Every time I watch it I’m struck by how natural they all are in their roles. If I hadn’t actually co-written the script, I’d think the roles were written FOR these people.The lighting is great, and the set is perfect. The directors vision was within inches of ours, and what differed only served to make it better.
So, a big thank you goes out to the cast and crew for doing such a brilliant job in giving life to the beast we created. We know it was a challenge and we’re glad you all were up to it.
As for the rest of you…GO SEE IT! If the crowds talk, we’ll be sold out the rest of the run, so buy your tickets now!
Standing Ovation