The World Premiere of Lewis and Tolkien is presented by the award-winning Actors Co-op Theatre Company in association with MWO Productions. Written and directed by Dean Batali. Produced for Actors Co-op by Marc Whitmore, Lori Berg, and Rob Loos.
In Lewis and Tolkien, Playwright and Director Dean Batali explores the dynamics of the close relationship between C.S. Lewis (Phil Crowley) and J.R.R. Tolkien (Michael Beattie), two of the most influential fantasy writers of the 20th century. But the play also delves into the issues that made them grow apart over the years.
The arrival of fellow writer Charles Williams to the Inklings group didn’t sit well with Tolkien. He thought that Williams was replacing his special friendship with Lewis. Even after William’s death, the relationship between Tolkien and Lewis was never the same again. Straining their relationship even more, Tolkien didn’t show any kind of empathy when Lewis’ wife, Joy Davidman, passed away. A devout Catholic, Tolkien didn’t approved of their marriage. He believed that they were living in sin, as Davidman was still married to her first husband when she started the relationship with Lewis.
Batali, however, focuses his writing in the probability of seeing the two writers trying to make amends to their strained relationship later in life. Batali pierces the artistic veil and takes a look at the creative process of both writers and their mutual encouragement that boosted their imagination when they experienced the dreadful writer’s block stage. The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia are masterpieces that awakened the imagination of avid readers around the globe. But those fantastical stories went far beyond that, they also inspired people to turn fantasy into reality to achieve their dreams. The character of Veronica (Bianca Akbiyik), the barmaid at the Eagle and
Child Pub, is the eyes of the audience, a curious young woman familiar with The Lord of The Rings but who has yet to discover The Chronicles of Narnia—let’s not forget that the play is set in 1963. Veronica is a symbol of the writer’s followers that have been influenced by the myth and the powerful messages of the worlds depicted in those books.
Batali resisted the temptation to incur in over sentimentalism, rather, he explores the deep philosophical and spiritual dynamics in the relationship between Lewis and Tolkien. They do express their emotions, but the main focus of their conversation is the mutual support to keep exploring, questioning, and reassuring their religious beliefs and creativity, in an attempt to make their respective writings more meaningful and impactful.
The play implies that the writings left behind echo some kind of regrets from both writers, mainly for the lack of mutual support when they needed it the most. And that is one of the deepest messages of the play: Make amends before it’s too late.
The set design is excellent, full of details to take the audience back to the Rabbit Room, right in the middle of Oxford. It was in that room where Lewis and Tolkien’s writings reached new heights, stimulating each other with debate, humor, intelligence, and sometimes, with pints of beer.
Lewis and Tolkien
Actor Co-op Theatre Company at Crossley Theatre
1760 N. Gower St., on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood
Hollywood, CA 90028
October 27 – December 3, 2023 *No Show Friday, November 24*
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm (New Time!)
Sundays at 2:30 pm
Additional Saturday Matinees at 2:30 pm: Nov. 4, Nov. 25 and Dec. 2.
Tickets: www.actorsco-op.org
Written and directed by Dean Batali. Cast: Phil Crowley as C.S Lewis, Michael Beattie as
J.R.R. Tolkien and Bianca Akbiyik as Veronica. Creative team: Joel Daavid (Set Designer), Martha Carter (Lighting Designer), Chris Moscatiello (Sound Designer), Vicki Conrad (Costume Designer), Colleen Darling (Stage Manager) and Beth Batali (Assistant Stage Manager). Produced for Actors Co-op by Marc Whitmore, Lori Berg and Rob Loos.
