A one-man show is a tricky beast. There are few people who even have the talent to perform them, and even fewer with the charisma to perform them well, with most becoming horrific bores by night's end. Even the most well-written long monologue can become a chore in the wrong hands, and, on the flip side, the most talented person in the world can't do justice to an inferior piece. It's difficult to find the right combination of piece and performer, but Hyde Park Theatre artistic director, and 2010 ATE Award winner for Best Director, Ken Webster, shows that he's a master of both picking and performing pieces in the recent re-staging of his 2006 one-man-hit, St. Nicholas.
The story of a cynical theatre critic, whose stay with vampires changes his life, seems an odd choice of subject for an extended monologue, but famed Irish playwright Conor McPherson mixes gorgeous language with some laugh-out-loud comedy to make the whole experience a delight to watch. The play pokes fun at theatre critics, and the theatre game itself, while also reminding us of the importance and artistic beauty of the dramatic form. Some of its funniest moments come from its send-up of the vampire mythos, especially its supposed romantic nature, which makes it a perfect counterpoint to today's Twilight generation.
Watching Webster perform is like watching a master weaver at his loom. The words twist and turn around in dizzying shapes, the image becoming more and more beautiful as the play progress, the world more vivid with each moment of creation. Webster uses every weapon in his arsenal to enthrall the audience, with every gesture, every modulation in speed, frequency, and pitch thrown in with the sole purpose of keeping the audience rapt. By play's end, he's painted such a genuine and immersive picture of his world, that we forget that we are simply watching one man tell us a story.
Though it never quite reaches the gut-busting, moving levels of 2009's House, St. Nicholas still proves that Webster is one of the most talented forces in Austin's theatre game, who would probably pull of the phone book with aplomb. It's rare to find such a combination of skill and material to make an one-man-show worth it, but Ken Webster and Conor McPherson turn this little play into one to watch.
St. Nicholas is playing at Hyde Park Theatre through March 12th. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit Hyde Park's website at hydeparktheatre.org.
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