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Battered souls: 'Anna Christie' weaves a classic tale of love and despair
Jim Williams is Johnny the Priest, Rachel Foster plays Anna Christie and Stephanie Jones is Marthy Owen in 鈥淎nna Christie.鈥�
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The sea sometimes foams into a tragic force shaping human destinies.
In 鈥淎nna Christie,鈥� a weary former prostitute seeks out her estranged sea captain father, hoping to find forgiveness from him, while hiding her past from a stoker she loves in Eugene O鈥橬eill鈥檚 Pulitzer Prize-winning play.
Directed by James Cady, the Vortex Theatre will stage the O鈥橬eill classic from Friday, Sept. 13, to Sept. 29.
As a child, Anna Christie was abandoned by her father, Chris, to live with harsh relatives in Minnesota 15 years ago. Although she escaped her family, Anna descended into prostitution, and she still resents her father鈥檚 desertion.
Premiering in 1921, the play won the playwright his second Pulitzer.
鈥� 鈥楢nna Christie鈥� is right at the top, up there with the great plays, 鈥楾he Iceman Cometh鈥� and 鈥楢 Long Day鈥檚 Journey into Night,鈥欌�� Cady said.
The characters are battered souls, using alcohol and other means of escape to survive their own aching loneliness. They are seeking love and forgiveness, both from others and themselves.
Anna鈥檚 father Chris is 鈥済etting older and he鈥檚 captain of a coal barge,鈥� Cady continued. 鈥淪he comes to a saloon where she meets Chris. He鈥檚 happy about it and he鈥檚 guilty about it. Anna lives with Chris on the barge.鈥�
Seeking sanctuary, Anna feels refreshed by the sea.
First working as a nurse鈥檚 aide after she flees her family, Anna eventually turns to life in a St. Paul brothel.
鈥淪he was raped by her cousin when she was 16 years old,鈥� Cady said. 鈥淪he comes back with a real hatred for men.鈥�
Chris has taken in a shipwrecked sailor named Mat.
鈥淭hey fall in love, much against the father鈥檚 wishes,鈥� Cady added. 鈥淪he is now drawn to the sea.鈥�
Anna finally tells both men the truth about her past. Mat reacts angrily, and he and Chris leave.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a unique play for O鈥橬eill because it has a happy ending,鈥� Cady said. 鈥淗e was roundly criticized for it, too. He wears all his emotions on his sleeves. He鈥檚 always in conflict.鈥�
鈥淎nna Christie鈥� marks the third O鈥橬eill play Cady has directed. The double-cast production features Rachel Foster, Matthew Van Wettering, Philip J. Shortell, Harry Zimmerman, Stephanie Jones, Tyler A. Strand, Shannon Hayes, Jim Williams and Sergiu Iva.
