Theatre Calgary's Scarlet Letter set to take the stage
The Scarlet Letter is a classic American novel about a woman living during puritan times who is labelled an adulterer.
Originally published in 1850 by Nathaniel Hawthorne, it tells the story of Hester Prynne, who gives birth to a daughter out of wedlock and is forced to wear the scarlet letter — a red letter A on her chest — as punishment for adultery.
An adaptation of that story is set to hit the stage at Theatre Calgary next week — written by playwright Phyllis Nagy — that is a more contemporary take on the historic tale.
"The language is very, very modern. It's been brought forward into our conversation. I often say what attracted me to begin with is that it was a 20th century lens on a 19th century novel about a 17th century story, so there are many, many layers to look at," director Micheline Chevrier told The Homestretch.
"What Phyllis Nagy has done ... is she has taken the heroine of Hester and looked at her as the outsider that she is. And by outsider, I mean somebody who makes her own choices and lives by them, and a society that doesn't necessarily take kindly to that."
Chevrier says Nagy's version is "truthful to the novel."
"She obviously has great respect for the story and is curious about it, and I think some of her questioning echoes some of Hawthorne's own questioning in the original story," she said.
The play stars Calgary actor Heather Pattengale in the role of Hester, along with Christopher Hunt as Roger Chillingworth, Charlie Gallant as Arthur Dimmesdale, Kristen Padayas as Pearl, Declan O'Reilly as Governer Bilingham, Bobbi Goddard as Mistress Hibbins and Paul Cowling as Master Brackett.
"I think it's important, whenever you come to see somebody's version of this story, is to actually allow yourself to leave this story behind, that you've read or that you know so very well. You have to be prepared to reinvestigate it, to rediscover it," said Chevrier.
Chevrier describes the sets being used as "theatrical."
"In the sense of not [being] place-based," she said.
"There's levels, there's metal, the sound is also extremely contemporary, using synthesized music with choral work. So it's a real blend of, as I said, those three particular times, the 17th, 19th and 20th century, and we're trying to blend all those times and make it pretty much an atemporal story, which I think it is."
The Scarlet Letter runs Feb. 26 to March 23 at Theatre Calgary, 220 Ninth Avenue S.W.
