In celebration of its 40th anniversary, the Steppenwolf Theater Company is presenting its new adaptation of John Steinbeck’s complex novel, “East of Eden,” which focuses on the essence of evil, and mankind’s ability to do good.
Adapted by Frank Galati, a director, writer, actor, two-time Tony Award winner, and Steppenwolf ensemble member, “East of Eden” centers on an eternal question – whether evil is born or made.
Directed by Terry Kinney, co-founder of the Steppenwolf Theater Company, the audience is pulled into the spectacularly vivid world of the Trask and Hamilton families as they struggle with this question and their mundane human flaws.
The actors, costumes and set designs are stunning. The 1900s period outfits are intricately detailed, and when the audience is first introduced to 13-year-old twins Caleb Trask (Aaron Himelstein) and Aron Trask (Casey Thomas Brown), the boys are covered head to foot in “farmland dirt,” making the setting of their home believable.
Audible gasps from the audience echo throughout the theater as the family drama unfolds. Adam Trask (Tim Hopper) is a single father trying to raise his twin sons in the valleys of Salinas, Calif. Adam refuses to tell his sons that their mother Cathy Trask (Kate Arrington), who left them days after their birth, is still alive. She is a vile woman, who lacks conviction, kindness and empathy.
But as the boys grow older, Caleb struggles with evil impulses he cannot explain, and desperately tries to control his urges to do wrong. Based on rumors about his mother, he questions whether he has inherited his sense of evil from her.
The nearly three-hour performance is attention-grabbing, and goes by very quickly.
At the conclusion of the first act, Peter Carey, a retired attorney and frequent theater goer, said Galati’s production makes the it easy for the audience to put themselves in the characters shoes.
“You are part of the story,” Carey said.
The performance is filled with both entertaining and emotionally charged moments. Viewers giggle at the child-like mannerisms of actors Himelstein and Brown as they portray the teenage twins, and sit speechless as actress Arrington owns her difficult role as Cathy, delivering each line with a chilling bite.
After the Nov. 7 performance, the audience was allowed to stay behind to share their opinions and discuss the play’s interpretation with staff and cast member Stephen Park, who played Lee, the Trasks’ servant.
During the discussion, a few audience members revealed themselves as the actors from the original 1990 “East of Eden” cast.
The original play was nine hours long and performed in Salinas, Calif.,: the setting of the story. Robbie Dick, who played Sam Hamilton (Adam Trask’s friend) in the original play, said he liked Steppenwolf’s version a lot, but it was quite different from the one he performed in, mainly because of the length.
The role of Sam Hamilton was shortened by Galati to the beginning of the first act, but in the 1990 play, Sam Hamilton is a main character, appearing throughout the story.
“When we did it we got permission from Elaine Steinbeck to do it,” Dick said, referring to John Steinbeck’s widow. “Elaine’s only admonition to us was: ‘You must do the whole book.’ So our play was nine hours.”
Fellow 1990 cast member David Parker added he missed “the voice of Steinbeck” in the play.
“The dialogue is different,” Parker said. “That’s all right – it’s apples and oranges.”
But despite the changes, Dick and Parker, like the majority of the audience – judging by their standing ovation and roaring applause – were pleased with the performance.
“East of Eden” will run through Nov. 17 at Steppenwolf Theater’s 1650 N. Halsted St. location.
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