The King in Emerald Review: An Aipoen Classic

     The King in Emerald Review

     A curious rendition of an Aipoen classic

     Written by Denagoth von Drachenfels

     At the Darkdale University auditorium, a respectable crowd amassed for what they assumed would be a contemporary twist on a beloved theatrical classic. Well beyond the university community, even producers for cinematic projects hailing from the most elite corners of Aipoen Central took an interest. With stakes risen far beyond last year’s rendition of “Tale of Woe,” a quaint and cute production, the pressure was on for the comparatively humble collegiate community. The department proclaimed that “this year brings elegance back to the University stage, as The King in Emerald’s name is uttered once more”. For those who aren’t familiar, this play details the loathsome journey into madness, as the eponymous King awakens to mesmerize those seeking his cosmic Green Sign. What is the Green Sign? It is a spectral calling card, the harbinger of his arrival. Those who witness it can expect certain doom, and such doom afflicts many of the characters in this play. The play jumps between Aipoen Central, in what is now the past, and a nearby metropolitan cityscape. Will the characters endure the macabre-tinged majesty of this mighty eldritch foe? Let’s have our players decide, shall we?

     It would be a waste not to bring up a major aspect of this play first, the ambience. Through subtle cues in sound and visuals, we are immersed in a dark and gothic world. The play opened with the visual of a green gaseous vortex opening upon the stage before a shadowy abyss cloaked all. As the darkness faded, so did the curious light murmurs of the crowd. The orchestra set the tone early through its strings section, unleashing a perturbing caterwaul of screeching. Brass assisted what could only be interpreted as distant wailing in the ether. This became the leitmotif for the King himself, as his vision presented itself upon the stage proper. In fact, gazing upon such a visage truly captivated the audience. Save for me, everyone looked simply entranced in the performance from there on out.

      As the storyline unfolded, the audience continued to look fixated, beguiled even. The most common of visitors exhibited the same reactions as the pinnacles of high society. There is something to be said by bards who proclaimed that a theatre is a place of unity. Perhaps the audience simply willed themselves to be taken by the magic of this play, should such magic truly exist. The life of a critic does not reward such behaviour though, but there is far more to comment on. This is not the end of the magical soundscape, as the daring incorporation of synthesized instruments further adds to the alien nature of the forbidden city, the mystique of The King and so much more. Overlayed with at times discordant symphonies, it creates a worthy soundtrack just to have for one’s spare time.

     While a play of this magnitude saps the energy of everyone involved, one must recall that this is a presentation assembled within university limits. The majority of the acting department was adequate in their portrayals. One dashing gentlemanly character was portrayed by a Sludge Skeith, who conveyed utmost confidence, even when faltering against powers well beyond his comprehension. However, the costuming department must be criticized for using incorrect measurements on his suit. Problems with wardrobe, especially around the arms, became gradually more visible as the production went on. By curtain call, one of the sleeves upon his button shirt torn asunder. Nonetheless, his dedication was as strong as his character, with said character succumbing to eccentricity and paranoia. Another exceptional acting talent was a Mutant Kougra who played a young countess seeking the Green Sign to contact a deceased aunt. Her toil and waning hope were magnificently conveyed, as the actress practically shambled as if wrecked by tragedy. However, only these two truly stuck out. The lines were otherwise delivered tastefully and the mood was never broken. The only thing to risk shattering the ambience was one factor I can’t hamper on enough, the inability to pronounce, “Slorgeth’at”. The eponymous King has a name and it is worthy of saying right, as linguistics very much figures into the structure of acting. Some can excuse the “maddened” characters blowing the pronunciation especially poorly. They might feel that this represents the crumbling minds of those deepest afflicted by the horrors of the moon city, but I decry this as a lack of preparation on behalf of the director and their talent team. To my astonishment, only a few mostly dazed members of the audience were aware of this mangling of important names. This would assume that clarity and volume wavered in a way that I would pick up the community mispronouncing this name. On the contrary, everyone involved carried a sharp and vibrant sound to them. The fact that they were otherwise so well-prepared baffles me, to overlook such a crucial aspect of this play. This would have been less of an issue if the audience members, relinquished of their trance, started to talk about the entity in the play. And yes, they pronounced “Slorgeth’at” correctly. Perhaps the magic of the play’s spell? I am uncertain, as such superstitions of the theatre have never affected me.

     Other “off” and quirky characters had moments where their actors flubbed minor lines or even jumped their cues. The worst perpetrator of this was during an earlier scene, where the protagonist (played by aforementioned Sludge Skeith) encountered an equally unhinged researcher over the meaning of a play similar to this one. Brimming with excitement, the young star burst their lines a beat early, excusing it as the character herself being rather eager to make the protagonist’s acquaintance. A fine enough save, but not enough to shake my vigilant gaze. Overall, this did not take away from the acting chemistry that these two shared on stage. In just a few otherwise simple scenes, they conveyed the manic relationship of two distant researchers piecing together an incomprehensible mystery. Likewise, the countess, played by the Kougra, warrants further praise. Her growing concern was reflected not just from her own acting, but through her reactions to dealing with other characters. However, a poem performed by her felt too overdramatic upon being visited by the green “masked” figure, where astonishment over the “mask” being a face was accentuated too far. Otherwise, this made for a believable scene.

     Beyond those upon the stage, those around it displayed some troubles as well. One stage light, meant to highlight the tension and drama, had a mercifully? brief malfunction. The scene showcased a dancer attempting to use her gifts to discover deeper meaning in the brush-stroke-like movements in the Green King’s symbol. As the green spotlight began to flicker and twist, the dancer took it upon herself to cease her ritual, recoiling as if a supernatural backlash beckoned her to stop. While the audience maintained the same awe, it proved quite the enthralling improv by me. Far less intrusive, the props shop had some issue with creating set pieces. As if in tune with some of the lines, paint chipped and curled off from various set dressings. One might suggest a phantasm interfering, but it was likely just poorly painted with layers coming undone at the wrong time. For the most part, the effects proved rather stunning and showcased the most that other art departments had to offer. The effect of floating eyes surrounding victims of The King must have been painstakingly crafted, the works of a master puppeteer. Likewise, parades of mad phantoms descending and cascading towards the end was a masterwork of lightning techniques seen in far more professional productions. For what it’s worth, these malfunctions are best to address now, to prevent future shows from sharing these issues. And if those are the worst technical issues, I have faith that the other performances will be even more visually marvellous.

     One performance that proved to be especially memorable was a complete deviation from the original storyline. In a stroke of genius, the Professor of Multiversal Engineering, made his own cameo. His motions and mannerisms were erratic, perfectly telling of a victim befallen to the Green King’s maddening gaze. He leapt onto the closing scene, as if to interrupt the protagonist’s struggle. The chaos within his voice, detailing a device to link the fabled city, was a rather dramatic incantation. The science professor turned thespian promptly vanished, after hailing our Living Moon, which the mythic city is said to be found. Curiously, one of the sound engineers simultaneously vanished as the effect went off; violet smoke coated the stage. In fact, the reactions of the actors were truly convincing, as if they witnessed the doom of some hapless victim of the King’s terror! Doc’s daring presentation showcased his incredible versatility, as he was already engaged with supervising of the audio team as well as being in charge of special effects.

     All in all, this was an opening night that was stalled by a variety of grievances both personal and more objective. This isn’t to call it bad, just marred with challenges that the crew will have to face and tackle for subsequent performances. As the players have shone themselves to be resourceful and adaptive in the prior semester, it is likely that this initial rough start will prove a learning experience to expand and flourish from. After all, the Gothic Horror of The King in Emerald is by no means a simple piece for a small college community to handle. And for what it was, the overall performance was enjoyable. I, personally, look forward to coming back to a follow-up performance to see how they have improved. And on top of that, I much look forward to the powerful charisma of that mysterious Multiversal Engineering professor, truly a breakout role! And what of the Director? Professor Hopkins Goblet, a Colourless Space Lenny, provided quite the improvement from last year. Then a new professor at the university, his work with Tale of Woe was fair, but had a noticeable disconnect with the student body. It’s clear that he deeply enjoys the tragic hero, as the greatest roles overseen by him were such. Clearly, much of what worked with that play helped to shape this one. As Goblet’s experience in prior community venues and a college production as a graduate student has shown he simply requires the knowledge of his base first. This can be seen in my review of his second director role, with the production of an Aipoen classic comedy, War of the Obelisk.

     Should you take interest in classic literature, gothic fiction or the history of Aipoen itself, the Darkdale University Theatre Department’s production of The King in Emerald should greatly excite you. And with any hope, your own sense of engagement will be far better than that of the initial crowd. Mind you, it was hard to read their glassy expressions and fixated locking gaze. But, should you be strong in mental fortitude and be able to withstand some truly intensive drama, surely you will enjoy this play as much as I have. And with any hope, this crew of enthusiastic and youthful actors will learn and grow from both their experiences and my own. This production will continue tomorrow night and over the weekend. And from there, one can still see the play the next two weekends after. As previously stated, I’m imagining all further shows will learn from these initial gaffes. And from that, they will create an all the more immersive experience. Beware the Green Sign, as the very protagonists of this play proclaim. Can you fathom the power of the King in Green? I certainly have.

     About the columnist.

     Denagoth is a writer for the Aipeon Spaces, the famed journal throughout the multiverse. His subtle charms and deep analysis are next to none, with few willing to challenge him on this matter. This Atomic Drake hails from the mighty Von Drachenfels bloodline, a prestigious family holding influence within the Aipoen National Overseers Council. He is a proud alumnus of Darkdale University’s Honors Literature and Journalism program.