Vincent
Vincent By Leonard Nimoy
Directed by Brant Pope
Starring James Briggs
Starry Night Theater
Presented at The Orlando Shakespeare Theater</strong>
The line between art and insanity is thin and fuzzy, and while Theodore van Gogh (Briggs) insists repeatedly that his brother is sane you sense that sort of weird vibe street people often emit. Tonight the point is moot: Vincent is dead, Theo is still mourning, but he brings us together for a post mortem retrospective of his brother’s difficult and careening life. Vincent grew up in a religious house and wanted fervently to preach to the poor in the coal mining district of Belgium. He believed that to preach to the poor one must be poor, and while he lived his beliefs the Church felt he ought to at least wear a clean shirt when representing Jesus Christ. Vincent began sketching when he was fired by the church, and built his art skills observing the broken poor and hellish landscapes of Belgium. Rejected by his pious and middle class parents he depended on Theo for money, and when he took up with an Amsterdam prostitute and her children even Theo was pushed to the edge. Vincent hungered for success but made it nearly impossible to show his work; only one painting was sold near the end of his life although he turned out hundreds of oils.
Briggs shows us a convincing and real demonstration of brotherly love as the men argue by letter and every element of their relation comes down to money, money, money. As Briggs moves about the set he reads letters, projects paintings, conveys his frustration with a brother he loves but can’t get to behave. Briggs’ best moments come when he’s preaching: it’s so close to a real church service I almost stood up and sang a response. When he stopped the sermon, arms raised like Christ in his deaths throws; it felt like we should all come down for some laying on of hands.
The details of Van Gogh’s life are plentiful and well documented; he lived in an age where people sent letters like we send texts, but the letters were preserved. I suspect it’s only a coincidence, but this play was written by the recently deceased Leonard Nimoy and it constantly returns to both Theo and Vincent’s relationship with God and the Church. Faith was a large part of their lives although Vincent did much more to require confession than his more staid brother. Well told and moving, this is a historical drama that’s worth seeing. It excels as turning these century old people into living, breathing bundles of energy, hope and despair.
For more information on “Vincent” and the Starry night tour please visit www.StarryNightTheater.com
