Art of Acting
Professor Jonas
3/4/13
“Rimers of Eldritch”
Lanford Wilson’s play caught my attention from the very beginning. The size and range of the cast made for an interesting plot line and dynamic interaction. Furthermore, this 1960s play has resonated with people today because of its ability to appeal to people’s regular sense of feeling confined to a hypocritical world.
The opening conversation about Cora and Walter (“What I heard isn’t fit for talk”) made me interested in what was to come. From this very moment, I felt both anxious and curious. Immediately my mind went to sex because, in our culture, sex is not “fit for talk.” Later I found that sex and seduction drove the plot. The closest thing to sex that I saw were the intimate glances between Cora and Walter; almost like there was a sense of desperation and longing.
The climax of the play also filled me with emotion and physical sensation. The center event of this play took place when the town derelict was mistakenly shot by a woman, who may or may not have believed that he was committing rape. In reality, he was in the act of preventing a rape. I felt empathy for this man. I also came to realize that stereotypes, reputation, and perception of others play a great role in our social structure. Because he was the town derelict, it was easy for the woman to assume he was committing an act of violence. I felt a sense of injustice and a physical sensation of heat came over me; heat because I felt angry.
The last and final scene I found most impacting was that of when Eva’s mother screamed at Cora. It was a frightening moment because her objective was so clearly evident, yet her method of