By Cynthia Wands
The growing trees in Lori Nix and Kathleen Gerber’s artwork (@nix_gerber_studio) ‘Library’ reveal a glimpse of hope surrounded by the slow decay of human culture. This striking image is part of the artists’ series exploring post-apocalyptic landscapes and interiors, created entirely by hand using miniature models and painstakingly assembled dioramas.
I used this image as inspiration for a play I wrote about ghosts, hoarding, the artist John James Audubon and a historic home that faces decay, “The Hoarding House”. I was drawn to the idea of creating a space onstage that would share the world of an interior space that had been lived in and loved and left. The pulse behind this idea came from my grandparents home and it’s slow decay, a grand house in Upstate New York that they called Bonnie Brae.
I was reminded last night of the power of interior spaces when I went to the opening night of Catherine Butterfield’s play at the Open Fist Theatre, “Brownstone”.
I haven’t been to an opening night in quite a while, so I was thrilled to be part of a full house of theater people, who gave themselves over to the magic of a first night. The performances were wonderful, the direction crisp and nuanced, and the story especially poignant. I’ll just say that I loved the last moments of the play. But I left marveling at the silent character, the magical element – the home. The Brownstone became (for me) a wonderful felt experience of aging in place, with chapters of lives and energies played out over time. I also loved the set design of the interior – with minimal adjustments, you could see what was once a grand home shape shifting through the decades.
It was a lovely evening, and the audience response was a great experience. I was especially chuffed to hear this morning that this play has been extended to March 14! If you can, come see this show; it’s a beautiful kaleidoscope of memory, the echo of different lives, and the silent testament of interior spaces.
