Audience members for Lee Hall’s adaptation of Network at Florida Studio Theater see and participate in a mix of the 1970’s TV industry with today’s multi-media usage. The play shows how both have and do affect individual lives. Yesterday’s filmed proclamation that “the media is the message” has grown to become “the message is the media”. In addition, business and finance combine as message-giver.
The play opens with news anchor Howard Beale (truly stellar Sheffield Chastain) relaying important events “today” from his desk in a technically elaborate, modern multi-screened set. (Set designers cleverly show workers in engineering booths, people in administrative off-camera roles, camera men.) Due to declining ratings, Howard has only two weeks left on his job.
Howard Beale’s soon drinking off his firing with best friend, news division head Max (Rod Brogan, sympathetic, genuine journalist). Max’ll keep fighting to keep him and the professional network news he’s been devoted to and promised. He gets involved, however, in a somewhat lesser-motivated subplot of romantic involvement with ambitious programmer Diana. She’s sexually loose, heartless, selfishly uncaring of anything but success (which Carly Zien shows well, though her Diana never seems all that attractive in any way except to Max). She can be counted on to use or lose Howard.
Howard’s next broadcast conveys his opinion that all the network managers are incompetent and he has “run out of bull shit” to broadcast to please them. Thus, he’s decided to kill himself in his last spot on the air. When this causes ratings to shoot up, his fatal decision is, in effect, shot down. His broadcast will become a big draw that he can use to get his audience riled up and into various actions. He starts by his having listeners go and open their windows, then shout out: “I’ m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!”
Audience members at FST get many chances to obey the Howard Beale command as he wins them from then on with his views, visions, and whatever comes to his disturbed mind (that Chastain makes so clear and compelling). Director Richard Hopkins is right to have the play concentrate most on Howard Beale’s humanity and the adverse effects media can have on that for him and everyone.
The nine cast members who have speaking roles do very well by them. I was especially impressed by how Alex Teicheira got the opening night audience saying lines, clapping, and otherwise acting as Alex’s Warmup Guy directed them to. At the same performance, Rebecca Jones played Louise, Max's wife, disappointed in his leaving but resolved to get him back. All the men who played executives and managers distinguished their particular jobs from each other’s.
Projections and Video Design by Nathan W. Scheuer accomplished a stunning coordination with FST’s resident set designers, aided by the sound and light designers.
April Andrew Carswell’s costumes nicely ranged from period to contemporary in line with the script’s emphasis on time. Thanks to the major and assisting direction of the play, it seemed almost miraculous that the action was completed in two hours that included an intermission. Network at FST is worth audience participating in every minute.
