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Bethania Aponte and Aracely Delgado Aponte and Delgado take on the Big River by the Deaf West Theatre at the American Airlines Theatre BETHANIA: Even a New Yorker who visits Times Square is overwhelmed by the experience. On the crowded streets are people representing all corners of the world. New York welcomes all and attempts to meet the needs of all. To further this philosophy, the American Airlines Theatre joins the Deaf West Theatre in the adaptation of Huckleberry Finn. Big River is the name given to this Broadway musical. ARACELY: Indeed, in this theater Big River is presented to everyone, deaf or not. With the musical being performed right in the eccentric- filled Times Square, it leaves a person expecting a stereotypical Broadway show. It being a musical, I anticipated little more than cheesy songs and outrageous dance numbers. It was so much more. BETHANIA: The lights are dimmed and a multifarious cast of both deaf and hearing actors emerge. The voices of deaf characters are played by hearing actors. I was very pleased to see that Huck was played by a deaf actor, because it shows that both companies united to allow all to show their best skills. ARACELY: I definitely agree. The fact that they were signing, singing and/or acting, left nothing to be desired. The signing was not a distraction, because it added more body language and emphasis to their performances. BETHANIA: Truly these actors, both hearing and deaf, are extremely talented. Keeping in mind that Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an American classic makes it much more difficult to present as theatre. The directors and choreographers however had no trouble at doing this successfully. They took advantage of all the space available on stage. The producers focused their attention on making this a tale of friendship, trust and -- needless to say -- adventure. The musical refrains from being a satire and exposing the harshness of slavery or the family feud between rival families. The kernel of the story remains the same with an added twist of song, choreography and comedy. ARACELY: Also, the story is told with a different approach. It is told by the author himself, who explains certain scenes as they unfold before our eyes. This allows us to be more involved in the story and to have a better understanding of why certain things take place. For example, the author explains that there was a part during his book where he stopped writing for several years, leaving the book to continue in a rather odd way. BETHANIA: Huckleberry Finn is the tale of a young boy living around the 1850s who was tired of others trying to change him and civilize him. He decides to carefully engineer a plan that will put an end to everyone's expectations of him. Ironically he encounters Jim, a runaway slave who is also seeking to attain his freedom. An irreversible friendship develops between the two. Jim becomes the father figure that Huck always lacked in his father. Just like the river, Huck's adventures have unexpected twists, turns, bumps and irregularities. ARACELY: It is usually a disadvantage to have read the book before seeing it performed live. It leaves one comparing the play to the book and trying to catch what part of the book was left out. Although this was my expectation, I did not find myself doing this because I was engulfed in the actor's performances. The way the novel was reshaped to become this musical was a surprising delight. It displays the aspects of American society that make us special, and that is friendship: friendship with a person that does not share one's race, education, etc. Twain‰s forever controversial novel was quite ahead of its time, but it is clear that its success has not diminished because of the countless movies made of it, not to mention this play. BETHANIA: I also found it interesting that in the beginning of the play the audience is reminded by the author himself that anyone seeking to find a moral in the story will be disappointed. It is very evident, however, that there are moral issues discussed in this novel. The most visible display of this is, as you mentioned, the friendship between Huck and Jim. The bonds of friendship, trust and loyalty still remain part of American society. The audience was having a blast listening to the non-conformist, Huck Finn. The fact that this production has placed so much emphasis on the positive aspects of young America makes it a great show to go watch with the whole family. ARACELY: I myself was not prepared for this spectacular play filled with elements other Broadway plays do not display. It was based on my co-reviewer's recommendation and not my own desires that I went to see this. I have no regrets and I completely recommend it to anyone who would want to be awed by the incredible acting, singing and laughs that make up Big River. |