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| Photo by Andy Barr |
This introspective play is adapted for the stage from Jay
Flewelling’s book of personal essays, by Jason Rouse & Jessica Dart and
directed by Rouse. It is playing at the
Portland Playhouse space, 602 NE Prescott St. (parking lot two blocks North of
the theatre), through August 12th.
For more information, go to their site at www.pleaseunderestimateme.com
I assume you realize that we mere mortals are more than one
person?! For example, you are a
different character when around close friends; around family; around a loved
one; around co-worker and/or schoolmates, etc.
This is well shown in the excellent animated film from Pixar, “Inside
Out” or the very good film, “Being John Malcovich,” (or the extreme case of
Jekyll & Hyde, if you will) as they all show different aspects of being the
same person.
In this case, the author, Jay Flewelling (an actor on stage,
as well), is also played by himself and
five other actors (Rose Bonomo, Stephanie Cordell, Scott Engdahl, Shareen
Jacobs and Savira Kambhu) are different stages of his life, as well as other
characters in it. And he certainly has
had a varied life and learning experiences up to this point.
Consider being raised in a Fundamentalist, Christian
household, even speaking in tongues at their local place of worship;
discovering his love of horses at an early age when his parents rented out
their field to a group for their use, only to find out they were part of a
radical organization; being a bully to those he felt were “deviates,” until he
discovered the reason for his “hatred;” dealing with being fat as a child; and
finding a certain peace when working for a group that consisted of military
people, gays and the “riff-raff.”
Finding, ultimately, that we all are united under the skin and can all work
together for a common good (a lesson not yet learned on a universal scale!).
But what is probably most remarkable, is that much of his
progress as a human being, was because people underestimated him. When that happened, he found he could rise to
the occasion and prove them wrong. And
so, when someone tells you, you can’t climb trees or play football or be a
politician because you’re a girl, prove them wrong! When you are jeered or laughed at because of
your ethnic origin or color of your skin and thought inferior, prove then
wrong! When you (or someone else) are
bullied or made fun of because of different beliefs, and that you don’t conform
to the crowd, stand taller than them and be a leader, not a lemming…and pretty
soon all those “thems” will be gone!
This show will take up about an hour of your time but it
will be well spent, I assure you. The
dividing of a person’s character into different segments is a clever device and
well presented by Rouse and Flewelling and a talented cast.
I recommend this show.
The book on which it’s based is also on sale at the box office. If you do choose to see it, please tell them
Dennis sent you.
--DJS
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