Author: suparnah

Saturday, March 26, 2023—

“The Canterville Ghost” is a short story by Oscar Wilde and was originally published on March 2nd, 1887. And this past weekend, the R.C. Players put on their own production of the humorous tale at East Quad’s Keene Theater. Sophomore Isabelle Zeaske wrote and directed the production and she did a fantastic job at it! In her director’s note, she says this about the original story: “The first of the two parts is a slapstick, and queercoded satire of both Americans and Brits” and she “wanted to create a new adaptation that honors the first chapter . . . but keeps the themes of life, love connection, and closetedness” from the latter part.

Before the show began, Lord Canterville (Maddie Nolen) and The Canterville Ghost (Will McClelland) roamed the isles and entertained the audience with in-character banter. They treated the whole theater as the Canterville Chase, delightfully immersing the audience into the story’s world.

Senior Will McClelland stole the show as the Canterville Ghost from the moment he stepped on stage. His voice had an impressive range, one moment portraying himself as evil and haunting, and the next as meek and pathetic. My personal favorite moment of his was when he took advice from the audience on how he should haunt the mansion’s new American residents. He ended up scooting across the floor like a worm, taking the word from a viewer to keep his “but up.” 

Another stand-out character was Washington Otis (senior Adrien Beyer), the oldest son of the American family that just moved in. His jealousy of his sister’s mysterious manly suitor was performed dramatically through anguished squeals and head motions that had the audience laughing heartily in response.

Speaking of the sister, Virginia Otis (junior Dax Sheedlo) held the heart of the story. She went through hoops and hoops to keep from her family her reluctance toward getting married, even employing help from the Canterville Ghost himself. The interactions between the two simultaneously brought much warmth and comedy to the story. My favorite moment between the two of them was when Virginia claimed that she just hasn’t “found any man that she likes” and the Ghost looks toward the audience with a face that knows exactly what her romance problem is, dramatically mouthing “Oh—that’s what it is.”

Other than the actors, I very much appreciated the costumes: from pristine suits to large and flowy dresses. They made the play feel that much more real. 

This was the last production for the R.C. Players for the semester, so I’m glad that they went out with a bang. I highly encourage everyone to keep an eye out during the coming semesters for more of their comedic and touching productions. 

You can learn more about them through their Instagram: @rc_players.

Header image from @cantervillercp on Instagram.

Warning: Slight spoilers for All Too Well: The Short Film

Laying on the bed, when Sadie Sink’s character of Her dazedly asks “Are you for real?” she is entwined with Dylan O’Brien’s character of Him. Him and Her appear enclosed in their own clandestine haven.

I already looked up the ages of the actors once the short film was announced. Sink is nineteen and O’Brien is thirty and even entwined together I cannot be fooled that their characters are closer in age. I’m just a year younger than Sink, so her being so intimately held by someone a decade older makes me a bit uncomfortable.

But that’s the point.

If you’ve listened to the original shorter version of Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well,” you would know a story about a woman whose lover left them broken and inadequate. Now, if you’ve listened to the recent “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” you would notice the established narrative unfurl further: a woman — who still feels like a girl — left feeling insecure in the presence of her older lover.

In that first scene, you can already tell so much. Her is sweet-faced with a young flush, her eyes are alert because being there with Him is so new and thrilling for her. Him has a dark beard, betraying his mature age and his eyes are softer — he seems content but doesn’t appear to entertain her same thrill. Sink and O’Brien portray this wonderfully in those first few seconds.

“Are you for real?”

Her asks him initially because when it’s just the two of them everything is enthralling and heavenly.

You kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath.

This line from the song is important to the film because it shows how when the relationship was treated as a secret just for the two lovers everything was tender and loving. However, as the film will proceed to show, once others are let in that loving foundation will begin to crumble.

Soon enough, the song’s ten-minute version begins to play in the background, and scenes between the lovers run by in coherence with the lyrics. They start out playful, happy, and in love — intensely in love — as they drive through pretty autumn trees. The camera always makes sure to focus on their faces; there is the fall scenery, yes, but mostly it is just them — Her and Him. But then, we see them transition into the plummet of downfall when the music abruptly stops and we hear the actors talk again.

They have an argument. It’s tense. It’s gripping. 

At that moment I cannot help but somehow picture myself in the shoes of Sadie’s character. She feels insecure about something her partner never noticed he did. To him, it’s a small thing and he tells her to stop obsessing. Stop looking for things where there’s no meaning. I’ve looked for such things before, but in my place, I do find meaning, so I understand what Her is going through. She’s hurt because Him doesn’t get her. Soon enough, O’ Brien’s character begins to placate her in a way that almost seems like he’s placating a child, and Sadie’s character seems very much like a child at that moment in her distress and sadness.

The film continues with moments of happiness laced with desperation as the lovers try to clutch onto what they have, moments of hardship where they find that they cannot take it any longer, and moments in the aftermath of their downfall. 

Swift has split the video into sections with titles that enunciate the story behind each part of the video. It’s especially useful so that viewers understand the story she’s trying to convey through her song even better.

It is interesting to notice that Sink’s character is reflective of Swift’s own personality. We see her take to a typewriter after the breakup, much like Swift takes to her songwriting. Then in the final scene, when it cuts to thirteen years in the future, Sink’s character is all grown and played by Swift herself. She’s a famous author in this reality with a novel titled All Too Well. It’s a fun easter egg, and fascinating to imagine where else Swift’s writing prowess might have taken her. 

So far I’ve spoken solely about the experience of Sink’s character. However, O’ Brien did especially well in his part too. He does not make himself seem like a complete jerk, ignorant to his young lover’s feelings. He shows his own moments of regret and remembrance after the break-up. I also do like that the film showed Him’s side of the story as well. Often in Swift’s songs, the heartbreak is all from the woman’s perspective, because Taylor writes through her own eyes. It was refreshing to see the man’s viewpoint, to see how he also valued the relationship.

Taylor Swift has done stunningly in the writing and directing of All Too Well: The Short Film, and I’m sure many fans like myself are pleased with the result of one of their most beloved songs getting the music video it deserved. You all should definitely take the time to listen to “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” and the rest of RED (Taylor’s Version). I’m sure you’ll love it.