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AHOY: 'Blackbeard' serves up pageantry
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Published: June 14, 2008
He terrifies those around him and loves drawing blood as much as stealing treasure and conquering women. He is Blackbeard, the stuff of pirate legend, and the star of Triad Stage's most recent production, Bloody Blackbeard, which opened Thursday night in Greensboro.
In some ways, this play tantalizes us with the complex psychology of a man whose mother was a drunk and probably a prostitute. We understand that he would want to leave home and that in the seafaring days of the early 18th century, the sea would be the lure for young Edward Teach, the most likely name for one of history's most fearful characters.
Written and directed by Triad's artistic director, Preston Lane, this play is inventive and offers grand sweep and pageantry. We meet Teach as the young man longing for the sea; next, as the man, a bit older, who becomes a pirate; and last, as a full-blown Blackbeard, who marries multiple women and terrorizes the colonies and coast. At every age, Teach wants one thing above all else: that his name be remembered.
The set by Alexander Dodge, a broken ship beached in sand, is the perfect foil for shifting scenes of debauchery, swashbuckling and storytelling. A large sail becomes
both a curtain to signal new scenes and a backdrop for projected images that set mood and time. Costumes are wonderfully rich period pieces, and lighting and sound add depth.
Original music by Laurelyn Dossett is also effective. Dossett is a creative and accomplished songwriter whose folk music for Bloody Blackbeard is sung in solos, trios, quartets and by the complete cast. With the accompaniment of live musicians, Dossett's material helps establish the emotional heart of the action. This is Dossett and Lane's third original collaboration.
The play, however, is long, more than two hours, and suffers from that at times. There are several bold scenes that include sword fighting and prostitutes and one particularly violent scene with Blackbeard's last wife, Mary Ormond. Consequently, Triad set a PG-13 caveat to the piece, and a play that could otherwise be wonderful family entertainment has been limited.
A large cast sweeps us into the days of pirates and colonial life. Some actors take on multiple roles, and three different actors portray Blackbeard with depth, particularly Mark David Watson as the full-blown man of legend. Other standout performances include Allen Edwards as an old, one-eyed sailor; Andrew Rein as Capt. Hornigold, another pirate for whom Teach was a crew member; and Isabelle Gardo as the beautiful, young Mary Ormond.
We learn history in Lane's well-researched work, and for North Carolinians, learning about the pirate who lived on our shores is especially appealing.
■ Triad Stage is presenting Bloody Blackbeard through July 6. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays (except for Sunday, July 6, no night show); 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; and 2 p.m. Sundays. Parental guidance recommended for children under 13. Tickets are $10 to $42. Triad Stage's Pylre Theater is at 232 S. Elm St., Greensboro. For tickets and information, call 336-272-0160.
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