I need to write about this for this
issue has bothered me ever since I attended a performance of the Rogers and
Hammerstein “Carousel” at Union Ave. Opera at the end of July. I am not going to talk about the production
(much). Frankly, I felt there were lots
of problems with it but particular production is not really relevant to my
concern. The issue is deeply embedded in
the “book.”
First preliminary comment: I
love the musical. I was in it as a child
as one of the bratty “Snow” children. I
have very, very happy memories of that show.
My dad was in it – in the chorus and he was the police officer in the
crucial scene where Billy and Jigger’s plan goes awry. So, I got to do this with my dad and it was
really fun. And then there was Longwood
Gardens outside of Philadelphia that is a wonderful place. And then there was the incredible carousel
itself used most prominently in the opening prologue. And I got to ride on it! And then there is the music. I can hardly get through any production of
Carousel without crying during some of the songs – “If I Loved You,” “When You
Walk Through A Storm,” “When I Marry Mr. Snow,” “When the Children Are
Asleep!” Wonderful songs all of them and
the instrumental prologue and ballet sequences are musically brilliant –
perhaps among Roger’s best compositions!
Second preliminary comment:
I work as a Lutheran Pastor in a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America, and I have been a Pastor for 30+ years. In my role as pastor I often – far too often
- encounter women (and children at times) who have been or who are the subject
of domestic abuse. Sometimes this takes
the form of verbal or emotional abuse; sometimes neglect and sometimes actual
physical abuse. I have seen the effect
it has. How it destroys everyone who is
involved, but especially the victim. I
have absolutely no sympathy for abusers.
It is wrong! It is evil! You have no right to abuse your wife or
children in any way! Marriage must be
based on respect and trust. There can be
no respect and trust when there is any kind of abuse. Period! Sometimes an abused wife will ask me: “But
what about my vows before God?” The
first time he hit you – the first time he verbally abused you, put you down,
called you names - HE broke HIS vows and broke the bonds of trust and respect!
A woman who is abused needs to get out. And
getting out is simply accepting the break that has already occurred through HIS
action. And to that end I support any number of shelters and agencies for women
who need a safe place.
To the issue at hand – the
“book” of Carousel:
Louise
Bigelow: But is it
possible, Mother, for someone to
hit you hard like that -
real loud and hard, and it not hurt you at all?
Julie
Jordan: It is possible dear,
for someone to hit you, hit you hard, and it not hurt at all. (See Footnote #1)
Julie is wrong - NO
it is not possible! Love never makes abuse ok!
Julie spends all of her married life as an abused woman. No matter what his issues, or whether we
might want to agree with Carrie and Julie’s other friends that Billy is bad news
and that she shouldn’t have married him and she ought to leave him,
nevertheless, the heart wants what the heart wants and Julie loves Billy. But he treats her like crap! And by the
middle of the first act everyone knows that Billy’s verbal and emotional abuse
has turned to physical abuse.
Starcatcher: … So then why did you beat her?
Billy: I didn’t beat her. I hit her
once!
Typical excuse. “I
only hit her once. It wasn’t hard. She deserved it. She was nagging me!” Billy has lots of
excuses. He actually admits at one point that he gets angry because Julie is
right! But none of those excuses hold a
drop of water. He hit her! He is guilty
of physical abuse! And physical abuse is
never ok! But I find the act 2 exchange
between the 16-year-old troubled Louise and her mother Julie to be the most
troubling in the musical. Julie, in this exchange, is passing on her victimhood
to her daughter Louise. Julie’s answer sets up her young daughter to continue
the cycle of abuse into the next generation and beyond. This is what I find so
disturbing about this “book.” (See footnote number #2)
(Footnote #1 – To be
fair, Hammerstein essentially lifted this exchange from Molnár’s play “Lilliom”
– in the play Louise tells her mother that the man (the dead Lillion, her
father she never met) hit her hard and it felt like a kiss. Is that possible? Julie responds that yes it is possible. The play is from 1909.)
(Footnote #2 - By the way, in case you are not
familiar with the plot - Louise is the daughter with whom Julie is pregnant at
the end of act 1 and to whom Billy has come back from the dead to visit – the
visit doesn’t go well, he scares her and he gets angry and hits her! – The role of Louise, by the way, was shared
and beautifully performed at UAO by dancer Emma Gassett and actor Caylee
McGlasson)
So what is the answer? I am not
advocating the shelving of this beautiful musical. Not in the least! I believe that is the wrong thing to do. Do I
think that Oscar Hammerstein or Richard Rogers for that matter were somehow
glorifying domestic abuse? Actually, I don’t. I think Hammerstein in particular
was a very astute and keen observer of culture and frankly the domestic abuse
is an essential part of the story, which he takes almost directly from
Hungarian writer Ferenc Molnár’s “Lilliom” (Except for the ending). There is simply
no way to excise it from the show. But, bear in mind that Rogers and
Hammerstein were not afraid to deal with controversial subject matter – for
example, racism in “South Pacific,” or cultural imperialism in “King and I.”
A couple years ago I attended a
performance of “King and I” at the Lincoln Center Theater. They did not shy
away from the issues of cultural imperialism, but rather they addressed these
issues in an upfront and proactive manner. This is, I believe at least one
solution. When a company chooses to
mount the musical “Carousel” I believe they should take it upon themselves to
address this issue in the same manner. Don’t ignore it, or treat it like it is,
well, unremarkable, just a part of the show.
The director or company manager or conductor could write an article for
the program addressing the issue. Or the
company could raise funds for a local shelter, sponsor discussions at
intermission or before the show about the serious epidemic of domestic abuse. Now, I’m don’t mean to single out Union Ave
Opera, who generally do great productions, because, frankly, I attended a
beautiful production of this “Carousel” at Lyric Opera of Chicago a couple
years ago and they didn’t do anything either.
In both cases these were missed opportunities to perhaps save someone
from the cycle of abuse, and maybe even to save a life.
In closing, great art like opera,
theater, musicals address the experience of being human in all its beauty and
ugliness. Maybe it is time for companies
to be just a little more proactive in confronting some of these serious issues.
+++
If you know someone
who is being abused or if you need help:
Crisis Hotline
Numbers in Southern Illinois:
St. Clair County –
618-235-0892
Monroe County – 618-939-8114
East St. Louis – 618-875-7970
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Randolph County –
618-826-5959
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