Our Night with 'The Screwtape Letters' by C.S. Lewis

Last Saturday we experienced C.S. Lewis' 'The Screwtape Letters' presented by the New York-based Fellowship for Performing Arts. If you are not familiar with the book (I had not read it either) - it is a fictional story about an experienced Demon (of the name Screwtape), who advises his nephew (in a letter exchange) on how to successfully tempt a man (called 'the Patient'). Generally speaking, it is all about the struggle between good and evil.

At the theater, I did not know what to expect, especially when I read in the program that the play was going to last ninety minutes, without any intermission. I thought, 'Oh, it might be boring'. But I was wrong! From the very beginning, the acting of Max McLean (Screwtape) was so very involving. The expressive way in which he presented the letters kept us focused on his words. Mr. senior Demon was accompanied by his secretary named Toadpipe (Marissa Molnar) whose interesting and also amusing miming acting complemented the performance. The two exquisite actors created an outstanding show - profound and entertaining at the same time. Scenic design, lights, music and sound effects were an important part/frame of the play - the components which very much added not only to the hell nature of the Screwtape's office but also to his messages as well.

 All in all, our night with 'The Screwtape Letters' at the Hill Performance Hall was quite a special experience. The ninety minutes of the show passed by surprisingly quickly. We would not mind seeing other plays by Fellowship Performing Arts.

PS
Would you be able to memorize so much text to speak without a break for ninety minutes? Even reading aloud for such a long time could be difficult. You need to be a very good, professional actor to not only learn so many lines by heart, but also to present them in a great and interesting way as Max McLean did.

• More info on the performance by FPA here. You can still buy the tickets for the New York January performances.
• Fellowship For Performing Arts website.