INTERVIEW: Terrifying tale of ‘The Birds’ flies into 59E59
The Birds is one of the most iconic horror stories in both literature and cinema, and starting this month at 59E59 Theaters in midtown Manhattan, the tale of two people stranded in a house and attacked by a murderous mass of birds can be seen on stage. The new play, written by Conor McPherson and directed by Stefan Dzeparoski, begins performances Sept. 9 and runs through Oct. 1.
In the play, which is based on the short story by Daphne du Maurier, Nat and Diane are strangers holed up in a house while the world outside is spinning out of control. There’s no explanation as to why the birds are attacking, and there seems to be no end in sight. The play is a testament to the destruction of paranoia, the fear of the unknown and the consequences of difficult decisions.
“Well, obviously I know McPherson’s work from way back, and simply this play came to my lap,” Dzeparoski said recently in a phone interview. “I wasn’t looking for it. It found me. I started reading it, and it resonates with what we’re going through right now as a society and as a global consciousness. And I thought maybe this is a good response to the current moments.”
The production, which is presented by BirdLand Theatre, stars Mia Hutchinson-Shaw, Antoinette LaVecchia and Tony Naumovski. Theater fans should know McPherson’s previous work, which includes the plays The Weir, Port Authority, Shining City, The Seafarer and The Good Thief. Dzeparoski is a director and artist whose work focuses on the intersection of art and technology. His past directing credits include Wide Awake Hearts (also at 59E59) by Brendan Gall, Gruesome Playground Injuries by Rajiv Joseph and After the Fall by Arthur Miller.
As far as The Birds, fans of Alfred Hitchcock’s famous cinematic take will recognize the story, but the play is actually based on du Maurier’s work. It promises to be more intimate than the movie, featuring only three actors, a simple premise and an intense narrative.
“People know much more about Hitchcock’s take on the story rather than the original story itself, and then McPherson’s take on that story is quite different from what is in Hitchcock’s movie,” the director said. “So I think people will come with a certain preconceived knowledge … It is something quite different because McPherson, he really took the story and made it go through all the filters of our contemporary moment and spoke about all our anxieties, political tensions, human relationships.”
It’s an interesting perspective to have an older source material speak to the political and social climate of the 21st century. That’s one of the freeing and creative ways that theater can find new wrinkles in seemingly old tales. “The core of [McPherson’s] take is that it is about a human condition,” Dzeparoski said. “And it is about how we easily shift and change into something that is not so human.”
As Dzeparoski added — with all due respect to animals — the humans in The Birds become less human and more animalistic, much like the marauding birds outside the window. This makes for an intense evening at the theater.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
The Birds runs Sept. 9 to Oct. 1 at 59E59 Theaters at 59 E. 59 St. in New York. Click here for more information.
