Belle of Amherst Belle of Amherst (April 29, 2005)

Pear Theatre play brings poet Emily Dickenson to life

Katie Vaughn

Imagine the difficulty of acting the single role of a full-length play. Now make that sole character one of the leading figures in American literature and you have an idea of what Diane Tasca is doing in the latest undertaking by Pear Avenue Theatre.

Tasca, artistic director of the Pear, is playing the leading and only role in "The Belle of Amherst," a play based on the life and writings of Emily Dickenson.

As a young woman, Dickenson was a prolific writer who dreamt of becoming the belle of her small town of Amherst, Massachusetts. However, when a literary critic didn't appreciate her writing style, she withdrew into seclusion at her father's house. Becoming the local eccentric instead of her hometown's star, Dickenson continued to write over 1,000 poems, although they were not discovered or published until after her death at age 56.

In "The Belle of Amherst," playwright William Luce draws on Dickenson's poems and letters to create an unconventional story in which poetry, dramatic flashbacks and monologue tell Dickenson's life story.

The play begins on a regular day in 1884 as a 53-year-old Dickenson turns from preparing tea to speak directly to the audience. Through flashbacks of significant events in her life, stories of her past and recitations of her own poems, the audience learns about her upbringing, family and one great romance, as well as her thirst for fame, feelings about her literary criticism and her subsequent isolation.

Tasca said this multifaceted approach to Dickenson's life offers a fuller view of the woman than most people ever see.

"When I read Emily Dickenson in school, the focus was on her cute nature poems," Tasca said. "Words and nature were her two greatest passions. But we get her feelings on life, death and love."

Director Jim Gunn said that by drawing on a variety of historical sources, the playwright has made a rich and complex character out of Dickenson, instead of merely portraying her as a recluse.

"He tries to write an Emily that is much more understandable as a human than a character," Gunn said. "She sure could get out more often, but she's not as nutty as she could have been."

That the play's overall treatment of Dickenson is positive in tone lies in contrast to recent criticism of the poet, Gunn said.

"A lot of people don't have a lot of good things to say about Emily," Gunn said. "Criticism in the last 10-15 years is that she was some young crazy girl who couldn't write very well."

Gunn and Tasca believe it's up to audiences to decide how they ultimately feel about poet. And for a depiction of a more faulted Dickenson, they suggest attending the Pear's next play, "The Psychic Life of Savages," in which a number of famed writers are portrayed.

For Tasca, who holds a doctorate in literature and has studied Dickenson since elementary school, playing any version of the poet is an enjoyable role. However, that doesn't mean her job has been easy.

"This is more lines than I've ever had to memorize in my life," Tasca said. "It's both exhilarating and somewhat scary, but I feel very drawn to the material."

Along with Gunn, the production is truly a two-person affair, with the director also working as the play's light and set designer and stage manager.

Adding pressure to the duo is the fact that the script includes facts about Dickenson's life and many of her poems, some of which will likely be familiar to audience members.

But that's not to say theater-goers must be Dickenson buffs - or even know any of her poems - to enjoy the play.

"The people who will get the most out of it are the people who know and love Emily's work," Gunn said. "But others may realize how beautiful the poems are and rush out and want to read more of the poetry."

Tasca predicts every audience member will learn something new about Dickenson by seeing "The Belle of Amherst," even by simply finding a new way of looking at the literary figure.

"A life lived very deeply within narrow confines is not necessarily a narrow life," she said.

E-mail Katie Vaughn at mvvoicearts@yahoo.com
What: "The Belle of Amherst" presented by Pear Avenue Theatre Where: Pear Avenue Theater, 1220 Pear Ave., Unit K When: April 29-May 8, with performances Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m. and Sun. at 2 p.m. Call: (650) 254-1148 or visit www.thepear.org.

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