When I first read Middletown, John Lennon’s quote,” Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” came to mind. Will Eno writes with a kind of absurdist, abstract and slightly surreal style that, for me, beautifully captures humankind in all it’s imperfections; those average moments that make up everyday life. We, the audience, get to listen in on Middletown’s citizen’s conversations; their thoughts and feelings, their deliberations on what life feels like on earth. It’s, at once, simple and profound. I’m reminded of Thorton Wilder and Samuel Beckett; a unique and wonderful combination. I think that we see ourselves in these characters in ways that we know but rarely express and I’ve been very fortunate to have such a fine group of actors dedicate themselves to working with this premise in mind. Glancing interactions that often come and go in a flash are difficult to portray; they require a fair amount of discipline, of concentration and I’m immensely grateful for their efforts. So too for the efforts of these designers and stage and production personnel. We’ve been collaborating for many many years and their extraordinary talent never ceases to amaze me. My love and thanks to all of them.
Thanks for coming and I hope you enjoy the show.
Christopher Price