Bringing together all forms of media–from song and dance to film-footage and epic rants–Nessa Norich’s (BC ’08) senior thesis performance of Snow White showcased the rich creative diversity of our campus. Under the guidance of Director David Neumann (BC Theater Dept.), Nessa co-directed, choreographed and starred in a stunning reinterpretation of the traditional fairy tale.
Creating an intimate performance space, Nessa chose to seat the audience in folding chairs arranged perpendicularly across the Minor Latham stage. Facing into a narrow wing, where most of the performance’s action took place, the audience was forced to engage in the performance in a new, and perhaps, uncomfortable ways. Not only was this choice innovative, but it was completely appropriate given the subject matter and successfully recreated the cluttered den of the Seven Dwarves.
As Snow White, Nessa inflected all her lines with an eerie appeal. She mastered Snow White’s doe-eyed stare alarmingly well and sung her lines in equally alarming falsetto. Floating about the stage in a white dress and a long black wig topped with a pair of oversized headphones, Nessa’s Snow White was more creepy than chaste. After she led the dwarves in an orgiastic shower scene, brilliantly choreographed and backlit behind a shower curtain, it was clear this performance was no virginal fairy tale.
The lighting and sound, designed by Kati Fitzgerald (BC ’11) and Pardis Dabashi (CC ’08) respectively, reinforced Nessa’s provocative interpretation of Snow White. Matching red lights and blinding halogens with a mix of exotic music, Kati and Pardis surrounded the audience in an atmosphere of uncertainty. At times there was so much going on that the audience was unsure where to look. What was most impressive was that there was never a wrong answer.
Under the direction of Sam West (CC ’08) and Josh Breslow (CC ’08), the performance capitalized on the use of pre-recorded videos and live film footage. In a documentary-like clip, Sam, affecting a German accent, confronted the camera and detailed the “Snow White Conflict.” Perfectly timed cuts to a diagram of a female figure periodically interrupted Sam’s frantic rant and emphasized the absurd brilliance of his performance. Instead of distracting the audience, the intelligently edited recordings allowed them to enter the characters’ conscious.
Supported by an excellent ensemble, Nessa consistently drew in the audience’s attention. With the help of some black eyeliner and well-chosen costumes, the ensemble as whole had a mesmerizing stage presence and made the most of their bit parts. Bettina Weiner (GS ’09) played a chilling Evil Stepmother and together Ramon Torres (SEAS ’09) and Lakshmi Sundraram (BC ’08) headed the band of dwarves.
Dressed in a uniform of mechanics’ coveralls and headlamps, the dwarves excelled as a cohesive unit. Instead of seven dwarves, the gruff pack was made up fourteen miners who were far more bewildered and enticed by Snow White’s presence than they were bashful about it. Displaying her impressive creative vision, Nessa directed the miners in a visually stunning dance. Dancing in perfect time to mix of beat-box and Portuguese bass lines, the miners stomped out hip-hop moves with only their headlamps to illuminate the dark stage.
The cast handled the transitions into and out the production’s numerous music and dance performances with skillful control and confidence. At times, however, the performance lacked structure and the pace lagged. At one point, the dwarves donned white barrister wigs and commence a court hearing. Although it was mildly entertaining to see so many white curly wigs at once, the dramatic drive of the scene was buried beneath them. Thankfully, Sam West entered and revived the energy level with an incredible speech.
Often, Snow White lacked the clarity and intensity that Sam brought to his lines and that made his performance so effective. But, Nessa’s creative vision required her cast and crew to take risks and depart from traditional dramatic techniques. If their performance was not one hundred percent successful, their boldness is still worthy of high praise. With the distinctive brand of creativity exemplified last night, Nessa is certainly bound for bigger and brighter stages after graduation.
– MEQ
16 Comments
@KSCT fan come on bwog!…. where is the mention of KCST’s outdoors show this year?
@Go away you are lame.
@That's my reply to unlucky #11.
@PaybacK You say I’m lame
But you got no game
What a shame
That I answer back
To a no-name hack.
So you go away
Or I’ll make you pay.
@correction Pardis did not create the sound design, that was David Neumann. Pardis directed the live singing.
@Payback2 That’s my reply to unlucky #7.
@Payback In eight words of hate,
You concentrate,
Your foolish emotions
Into infantile notions
Lucky your online
Cuz you have no spine
To face somebody as great,
Why don’t you dissipate
And disappear—
You petty creature of fear!
And I aint full of that stuff
You think your all that tough
With your half haiku
Which lacks more than you
Reality check,
All you do is type,
I live up to the hype
So stay away
Cuz there’s little to say
Unless you admit I own you
Like Linus owns his blanket
Like a man owns his pet
And you’ll be all set.
@what you have got to be kidding. she is foul, prob one of the least physically attractive people ive ever seen. but she is talented and a really cool person.
@12345 i am shocked and outraged that no one has yet mentioned how gorgeous nessa is. there, i did it. carry on.
@I am joking Of course I’m jokin’
What do ya think I’m smokin’?
We all like it diverse
More than y’all love my verse
But sometimes we must chill
For fear of overkill
We don’t wanna overreact
Let’s just make a pact
Accept who we are
From near or far
Whether dark or light
Lets just stop the fight
To say our university
Don’t believe in diversity
Is letting reason take flight,
Confusing left with right.
———-
@reality check you full of shit
now deal with it.
@serious question what time does daft punk go on?
@Again... Writing about Snow WHITE when people think Bwog lacks diversity = NOT GOOD POLITICS
@Erm... I really do hope you’re joking.
@somebody should correct all the little smart quotes that got caught into ASCII or whatever. also, nessa’s last name is norich, not norwich
@Hillary Fixed–thank you!