As the lights dim in the theater and a hush falls over the crowd, there is a moment of silence before a single actor enters. Standing tall and meeting the gaze of the audience, he sings out in a deep voice, "All night around the thorn tree, the little people play…" And so begins the production of "Magic," a comedy by G.K. Chesterton about fairy tales that really do come true.
"Magic" is one of four dramatic readings being presented in the Theatre-in-the-Round as part of the sixth annual Saints and Sleuths program. Presented by the Celtic Theater Company in cooperation with The G.K. Chesterton Institute for Faith and Culture and the Center for Catholic Studies, the program is presented over the course of two weekends, with one performance per night.
Directed by Dr. McGlone and read by the Celtic Theater Company, last Friday's "Magic" was both funny and fascinating. While the play is generally upbeat and there is certainly a lot of "good-natured fun," Dr. Dermot Quinn, who led a discussion of the play after the reading, said there is another side to the play.
Director McGlone agreed.
"The central idea is that ‘Magic' is a dream that narrowly avoids being a nightmare," he said. "And the nightmare is the reality of evil, which is brilliantly expressed in the last movements of the play."
Though the performance of "Atticus" on Saturday night was canceled due to the snow, the Celtic Theater Company will be returning in full force on Friday, Jan. 27 with "The Trials of St. Patrick" and Saturday, Jan. 28 with "The Ballad of the White Horse." Each performance will take place in the Theatre-in-the-Round at 8 p.m. and will be followed by discussions and light refreshments.
Andrea Aguirre can be reached at andrea.aguirre@student.shu.edu
