Art usually outlasts the artist. So, we meet the long-gone artist through the works that they left behind. But it is not often that an artist can create art from beyond the grave, especially not one as revered as Orson Welles. Welles, of course, is most well-known for his directorial debut, Citizen Kane. It is a universal praise that he never quite surpassed in his lifetime. The expectations were simply too high. Perhaps that is why it is so exciting, now, to watch an entirely new Welles creation. There is no more pressure for the film to achieve the meteoritic heights of Citizen Kane. Audiences can be content to judge The Other Side of the Wind on its own merits. Styled as a mockumentary and completed by many of Welles’ collaborators, the film centers on a director, returning from exile in Europe, to finish his movie. The film is being shown at the Michigan Theater on a limited basis from November 2nd to November 8th. Student tickets are $8 with ID. If you miss it in theaters, it will be released for streaming on Netflix on November 9th.

I have heard of live screenings at the Michigan Theater before but had never attended one before King Lear. There were live screenings of Julie and Frankenstein just recently. The Madness of King George (starring Mark Gatiss) and The Nutcracker will be playing December 9th and December 23rd respectively.

King Lear, often considered as the greatest tragedy ever written, was broadcast live in HD from the National Theatre in London. I am really glad I experienced the live screening. I liked how the camera showed the audience before and after the show, as well as during the intermission. It added to the illusion of being there in person.

Before the show, there was a video interview of the actors. It was informative to hear how the stage was designed to promote an intimate experience for the audience. A center stage and walkway (which divided the audience into two sections) was set up. Audience members were so close to production that they could hear the actors’ inhalation and exhalations.

I loved the setup and props used in the show. During the storm that happened in the play, real water poured down the actors’ faces. I could see water splashing as they walked onto stage during the rainstorm. I also really liked their use of a mirror to extend (or at least give the illusion of extending) the stage.

All the actors were fully realized. I appreciated the skill and artistry of each actor. During emotional scenes, I saw real tears run down their faces. My appreciation for Ian McKellen as an actor also grew when I saw him in King Lear. Prior to the show, I only knew him from the X-Men film series. I was surprised to find that he has been involved in more theater productions than movies, and I was blown away by his physical and mental capacity at the age of 79. Memorizing a complex script and performing in physically intensive scenes (kneeling, engaging in fight scenes, carrying other characters, etc), I imagine, are difficult on the body.

It was an emotional play. The fight scenes were entertaining and choreographed very well. There were also scenes that were quite disturbing (i.e. the eye gouging scene) and incredibly well done. No wonder the Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of King Lear received five-star reviews.

There were definitely differences (disadvantages?) between seeing a live screening of the play and being there in person. There were some issues with the microphone during the show which were generally minor but distracting. Additionally, the camera dictated which character’s expressions or part of the stage the audience focused on in a particular moment. In movies, blocking is done specifically for the camera. But in a play, blocking is designed for live audience. The audience gets to absorb what’s happening on the entire stage at all times and can choose what to pay particular attention to. A camera changes these dynamics. But to me, these sacrifices demanded by a live screening are well worth it to see a fantastic production of King Lear.

• Website and Video: http://ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/ntlout29-king-lear
• Full Gallery from the Show: https://www.facebook.com/pg/ntlive/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1015573232651385

This performance was very unique because Gao Hong didn’t just play the Pipa, she interacted with the audience throughout the performance to teach us as much about the Pipa as possible. I learned that although the Pipa looks like a guitar it is played very differently. With a guitar, you strum the strings, brushing a finger against a string upwards or downwards to get it to vibrate. A Pipa the strings are plucked outwards away from the instrument, this makes it harder to play because it requires more work to play.

Gao Hong explained that the Pipa is about storytelling. The Pipa is able to mimic sounds, and she began by demonstrating different sounds of the Pipa. The sounds she made was that of blowing wind, clam and bubbling water, Chinese gongs, horses, and people talking and laughing. The diverse sounds of the Pipa especially came out in the songs, During the song “King Xiang Yu Takes off His Armour” her Pipa was not even making musical notes, simply mimicking the sound of clashing metal and bringing the audience to the playing field. Every song that was played had a story behind it for the Pipa would tell. My favorite song was “Chen Xingyuan Placates the Tribesmen”. This song was full of sorrow and I could hear her Pipa moaning as it played. During the song “Mother-in-Law Arguing with Daughter-in-Law” I closed my eyes and could picture slamming pots and a father trying to play a peacemaker amongst his wife and daughter.

Gao Hong also played an original piece that she had written about her life. She has been travelling playing music since the age of 12 and mentioned that she has experienced many lonely moments in her life. Seldom are single notes plucked on the Pipa, notes are usually played together in a stream of plucking. However, when single notes are played they are particularly powerful. Her composition “Flying Dragon” was powerful because of how many single notes she emphasized in the song.

After playing traditional Pipa songs, Gao Hong did something different by showing us a project she worked on, a video that she narrates and plays the Pipa for about her experience of driving in the US. At first, I was not a huge fan because of all the other sounds and music she was playing in the video. I only wanted to hear her Pipa and found the other sounds in the video distracting. My feelings soon changed as the video became my favorite part. Not only was it hilarious, authentic, and relatable especially for immigrants, but I realized that she was doing something different by combining her Pipa playing with everyday sounds and American music. I got to hear country rock songs played on the Pipa.

The Pipa is an extremely delicate instrument and is not meant for everyone to play. I am glad I was able to hear it played by an expert.