Play a dark ride through Poe’s mind
A new play rapping at Nelson Musical Theatre’s door is set to entertain – and nothing more.
The musical, Nevermore, is based on the tumultuous life of American writer and poet Edgar Allan Poe, and it’s having its New Zealand premiere early next month.
The show includes some of his wellknown pieces including the narrative poem The Raven and The Masque of the Red Death.
Director Ross Benbow said the American show had only been around for five years.
‘‘But the silly thing is, I think there were three shows called Nevermore, they’re all about Edgar Allan Poe, and this is one of them. This is the only one that’s available for amateurs to do in Australasia.’’
Nevermore takes its audience on a dark ride through Poe’s life; starting and ending with his death and featuring five women in the middle.
‘‘The show is in his mind; he will think of one of them and they appear out of the blue. He might be talking to them, and then slowly somebody else comes into his mind so one disappears and one comes through.
‘‘So there’s his mother, his girlfriend from when he was 11 to about 19, I think. There’s his 13-year-old wife whom was his first cousin – he married when she was about 13 and he about 23. There’s her mother, and there’s a whore.’’
He said the portrayal of his life was ‘‘quite correct’’, but there was varying stories.
‘‘Apparently he did die in a gutter in Baltimore, in a state of inebriation and full of cocaine. He was only about 40, he had a shortish life.’’
Poe is played by Ollie Bellis, who also worked on Avenue Q with Benbow.
He is on stage the entirety of the play, ‘‘so it’s a massive part for one guy’’.
While all the cast had very powerful roles, Poe was particularly compelling, Benbow said.
‘‘He starts off at 40, then a bit later he’s 11, then he’s sort of 20-something.’’
Poe lived between 1809 and 1849, and was regarded as a pioneering writer with his tales of the macabre, horror and mystery.
Benbow said the play and its set was a great reflection of Poe’s mind; ‘‘it’s quite sort of, strange’’.
To highlight that feeling the set is dappled with smoke, haze and lighting.
The play would attract Poe fans, but would also appeal to those who didn’t know Lenore from Annabel Lee, he said.
‘‘It can appeal to a lot of young people because it is quite modern and done in a very modern way but also people who are into poetry and Poe in particular; and I guess those that are into steam punk.’’
The production is doing its own costumes, and they’ll be another drawcard for show-goers with the costuming being a mix of steampunk, wearable art and Edwardian dress.
‘‘It’s going to be a good show, something different.’’
In Poe’s words, ‘Quoth the raven, ‘‘Nevermore’’.’
* Opening night for Nevermore is on April 4, with prizes for best dressed in costume. Tickets and more information available at iticket.co.nz, Nelson isite or Theatre Royal.