INTERVIEW: Patricia Lynn puts new twist on Henry James classic
Photo: Patrick T. Horn stars as Peter and Patricia Lynn as Molly in Hunger & Thirst Theatre’s Strangers in the Night. Photo courtesy of Al Foote III / Provided by PR for Smarties with permission.
Strangers in the Night is a special theatrical eventing feature two one-act plays focused on the unexpected intimacy between strangers. The first offering, a loose adaptation of The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, is Screwed by Patricia Lynn, and the second offering is Bottling Dreams of the Tearful Don’t-Knower, about a man traveling deep into the woods for a pool of tears.
The double bill comes to New York City courtesy of Hunger & Thirst Theatre, and the show runs through Oct. 26 at the West End Theatre on West 86th Street.
Lynn is a Gothic feminist writer whose previous works include Your Invisible Corset, Jekyll and Rescue Gone Wrong. She specializes in telling female-centered stories based on classic horror tales, and she also serves as artistic director of Hunger & Thirst Theatre.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Lynn about Screwed, which is directed by Caitlin Davies. Lynn actually appears as an actor in the production as well. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
How would you describe Strangers in the Night to someone looking to check out the evening of one-act plays?
Strangers in the Night won’t be your standard evening of one-acts. Even though, yes, we are sharing two one-act plays — both of which highlight a pair of strangers meeting and connecting — we’ve created a single fluid evening of theater by including a tour guide for the audience: a beguiling strange man named Frank who will navigate you in and out of the two different worlds.
I think my favorite description of Strangers in the Night is that it is an evening of provocative nocturnal stories. The word ‘provocative’ hits home with me because it not only pertains to the traditional definition: that the stories each have varying degrees of sensuality in them. This evening of theatre is incredibly thought-provoking.
And my goal as artistic director is to produce work that stimulates conversation; when the audience goes to the bar after the performance, they don’t chat with their friends about everything except the show. They talk the entire time about that particular piece of theater; they can’t not talk about it, as they didn’t only watch a show — they experienced the power of live theatre. And that visceral and profound experience surprised, challenged, haunted, moved and/or changed them to the point that they have to talk about it with someone.
Nocturnal is another exciting word to me. I think the world changes after the sun goes down. People change, too. For some reason, I’ve always felt braver when it’s dark outside — more willing to share and open up. But as we all know — especially as we approach Halloween — troubling things can happen to you at night as well.
So to sum up: Strangers in the Night will be an untraditional and thought-provoking theatrical experience that explores the unexpected — and perhaps unsettling — intimacy that can develop between total strangers.
Your play, Screwed, is partly inspired by The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. What inspired you to write this updated take on that story?
So I like to call myself a Gothic feminist writer — I love adapting traditional horror stories and giving them a contemporary female-focused spin. As I’ve been revisiting classic Gothic tales, looking for inspiration, I re-read The Turn of the Screw. The thing that really struck me when I explored it today in 2019 was not just the story itself: It was diving deeper into the literary debate circling it — how scholars can’t agree if James is suggesting there is a ghost haunting Bly Manor or if the female protagonist is just ‘hysterical’ or ‘crazy.’
I remember when I reached the end of the novella this time around, my immediate curiosity was what happened to her next. Because I knew things were about to get so much worse — I imagined this distraught woman trying to make her voice heard and tell people about the horrible experience she had in this house … but most likely, no one is going to believe her.
So Screwed begins with the image of a woman huddled in a chair, having just been arrested for murdering a young boy: She is soaking wet, handcuffed, bloody and terrified. A young police officer — a stranger — tries to convince her to tell him what happened to her. But she is stubbornly resistant, knowing that the odds of him believing her story are very, very slim.
How difficult is it to get independent theater produced in New York City?
I’m not going to lie: It’s pretty darn difficult. Because there are so many talented artists in the city producing work at the off-off-Broadway level, it’s challenging to get the word out and let people know why your particular piece of theater is the one to see this weekend. But luckily, I love a challenge! And when you love what you do as much as I do, you are more than willing to bend over backwards to find ways to make it work.
When did you first fall in love with theater?
Oh, that has to be the first time I was in an actual play: fifth grade, when I appeared as Queen Groucho in The Planet of the Perfectly Awful People. The climax of the play was me getting a pie thrown into my face, and I got the biggest laugh of the entire evening — possibly of my entire theatrical career. And that was that.
Do you believe there has been progress to make more opportunities for female writers and directors in the New York theater scene? Or is there still a lot of work to be done?
I do feel there is definitely more awareness about women gaining equality in the industry — particularly in the New York City theatre community. And I am very grateful that more conversations are taking place about this issue, which has led to more opportunities for us. I’m hopeful that in five years from now, I’ll answer this question differently, but for now, I would say: Yes, I do think there is still more work to be done. But I am excited — and very willing — to help us make that work happen!
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Strangers in the Night, featuring Screwed by Patricia Lynn, plays through Oct. 26 at the West End Theatre in New York City. Hunger & Thirst Theatre produces the show. Click here for more information and tickets.
