A sincere thanks to Colbert University quizmeister Vigwig for this report, originally published on LiveJournal and reposted with permission here:
I just returned from the show so these are my first impressions. Stephen Colbert appeared last, after the intermission.
I saw him waiting in the wings to go on, I was up close in the 3rd row, center. Isaiah Sheffer introduced him and explained how he had to rush from his TCR taping to appear and that he called him and was thinking of canceling when they cancelled his week off but Sheffer said: “NO! You gotta come!” So he did. :) As he awaited his entrance, a white pen bobbed rapidly up and down in his mouth like a piston and you could see him gathering his concentration as he stared at the floor. He came out, still chewing on his pen furiously, took it out and gave a huge sigh and began.
The story was wonderful, about a 20-something man playing hooky from his hated job as a “film frame logger” a collator of film for film editors, and his wife (who is studying to be a lawyer at night) and their young infant girl. It shows how his initial lie to get out of a day of work snowballed into a whopper of a lie: I can’t come to work, uh, it’s my baby, she’s sick, -then – she’s in the hospital, then – she died of leukemia, then I have to go to the funeral) and all that that lie eventually entailed.
Despite the story’s black premise it was quite funny and Stephen’s reading of it was incredible. Anyone who had doubts about his skill as an serious actor would have had them answered. His subtle changes of tone and facial expression, timing and rhythm were perfect. He changed his voice and accent to suit the characters in the story, including the elderly Slavic boss. He knew exactly when to pause, extend a dramatic beat, tear up (I could see his eyes actually watered) or go for a laugh. Within two minutes he had the audience in the palm of his hand. He was very impressive. He got huge applause afterwards and when he came out for his bow he pointed to the pages he had just read indicating that the writer deserved the credit, then he did his “best friend” point to the papers and exited.
Aasif Mandvi had to cancel his appearance due to his duties at the Daily show and the story “The Chairs” (excerpted from “Then We came to the End) by Joshua Ferris was read by a blonde actress (sorry I didn’t catch her name) which was a farcical story about office chairs and a dead guy that no one noticed.
David Rakoff author (This American Life, “Don’t get too Comfortable” & “Fraud”) and actor director (Strangers w/ Candy, Book of Liz Stiches, One Woman Shoe, The Little Frieda Mysteries, Capote) read “Alvin the Typesetter” by Lydia Davis (2003 MacArthur Fellow, Guggenheim fellowship and many other literary prizes). The story was a sad one about the lost dreams of a would be stand up comedian who works as a typesetter. Mr. Rakoff did a fine job of reading with a heavy dollop of ironic woe.
Also, I forgot to mention that absent his stage makeup and sporting a new hair cut how handsome Stephen looked. He soaked up the flattering soft stage light (so unlike the harsh TV lights at TCR) and beamed it back to us like a lighthouse. He stood at a simple lecturn, behind him was a small table with a vase of orange dahlias and some drinking water and glasses. You didn’t need any more, his imagination and the skill of the author were enough.
A delightful evening. I hope Symphony Space will upload the audio soon. Sorry no picture taking was allowed.
I’m so green with envy! Sounds like an amazing evening.
And the premise of the story itself sounds hilariously dark. (My favorite.)
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
It was a brilliantly written story, I’m going to investigate more of Coraghessan Boyle’s work. Seems he wrote “The Road to Wellville” which was made into a film a while back. Other works are: A Friend of the Earth, Riven Rock, The Tortilla Curtain, East is east, Word’s End (PEN/Faulkner winner), Budding Prospects, Water Music, Drop city, The Inner Circle, Talk Talk and 8 story collections. He also wrote for major magazines like The New Yorker, Harpers & Esquire.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
thanks SO MUCH for the recap. it sounds like it was great. I admire all actors so much because what they do would be totally impossible for me.
(too bad Aasif couldn’t be there, but it appears as though Stephen was enough to make the outing worth it!)
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
I remember reading that story in the New Yorker! I hardly ever read the fiction section, but my lame, lame English teacher used to force the New Yorker on us for an entire class in the frequent absence of an actual lesson plan, so I always ended up reading it cover to cover. It’s one of maybe four stories I’ve actually read out of a New Yorker magazine, and I really liked it. I would have killed small animals to hear Stephen read it.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
“I would have killed small animals to hear Stephen read it.”
Ditto!
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
Thank you for the beautiful review Vigwig! May I say you’re a great writer as well! I loved your choice of words including your lighthouse analogy . I’ll cross my fingers for audio and possibly pictures.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
Thanks for the kinds words ColbertGirl27, Selected Shorts is almost always broadcast on NPR radio so I expect this show will be as well.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
What a beautiful write up Vigwig! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. Sounds like it was a night you’ll never forget. : )
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
As they say in the Quaker community – Vigwig speaks my mind. I managed to jot some notes of my own from last night; I hope you don’t mind my sharing. With apologies, I tried to keep it short, but, well, we can all see that didn’t quite happen.
Reading the first piece of the evening, Ivy Austin (of Symphony Space’s “Thalia Follies”) subbed at the last minute for Aasif, who had been sent by TDS to Denver. Denver?
Stephen would be reading the third selection and intermission came at 7:51p. Ah, the suspense! How long can a 10 minute break be stretched to allow Stephen time to get to the theater. I had recurring visions of him bounding directly from the street onto the stage.
8:14 and the theatre lights finally dip and rise. It’s the antithesis of “Elvis has left the building.” Actually, he’s arrived!
8:20p – Stephen is introduced and takes the stage. He practically jogs on, still “in costume”, chewing vigorously on a pen. There’s that impish, alluring energy! A sip of water, a deep breath, and he gently, firmly, immediately draws us into the story’s world.
I really don’t want to sound like some smitten teenybopper, so please excuse me, but DAMN! Masterful and subtle. Perfect. His voice, the ease, the TIMING! For almost 35 minutes Stephen seemingly effortlessly lives this story, and carries us all along with him, right down to evoking a theatre-wide gasp at one of the turns the tale takes. His craft is an almost unimaginable combination of natural brilliance and unobtrusive inspiration; it’s enthralling while you’re steeped in it, and breathtaking after the fact, when you realize what you’ve just seen.
As much as I love “Stephen” and TCR, I sometimes dispair that it bars Stephen from extended work in other projects. He would kill in any Mamet play. I would give anything to see him play Cyrano, or Matt Friedman in “Talley’s Folly”. He would own Bogosian’s “Talk Radio” or Shanley’s “Doubt”. “Twelve Angry Men”, “Caine Mutiny”, “Frankie and Johnny”. O.K., I’ll stop now. I’m just frustrating myself.
I can only hope NPR or Symphony Space posts the audio, ’cause I’d love to give this a few more listens. And definitely check out T. Coraghessan Boyle’s other work. It’s compelling stuff.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
That was so good. So very, very good.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
@somuch2know -That was great! And yes Stephen would KILL doing straight theater, his talent as an actor blazes forth. He is undeniably brilliant. Thank you for your very interesting comment.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
i wish i could have gone to something like this. it sounded absolutely wonderful!
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
Many, many thanks to vigwig and somuch2kno! I very much agree re: Stephen doing theatre. I also wonder if he’d ever consider tackling his own book of short stories or essays.
Can’t wait to hear this on NPR!
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
It’s going to be on NPR! Oh God.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
Oh, Eris – details please!! I’ve tried searching NPR and Symphony Space, and although they’ve got an incredible line-up, I don’t see anything about this particular reading. (Tries desperately not to faint with frustration.) (O.K., that was a tad overdramatic, but it is Friday and I had a very long week today.)
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
No I was just repeating what Graphics Machine said. I saw on the Symphony Space website that they do the Selected Shorts as CD’s, but this one isn’t listed.
I did post a link with the text of what he read.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
They have radio podcasts of the selected shorts but they are generally a few weeks or months behind the live shows, you can download an RSS feed to their podcasts here:
http://www.selectedshorts.org/
The Oct 15 readings should show up eventually.
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
Here is the full text:
http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/features/2008/04/14/080414fi_fiction_boyle
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
for Selected Shorts is here
http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_detail.php?siteId=9911210
Shout Out (Hey!):
0