Correction: An earlier version of this article had the wrong performance dates. “Incident at Vichy” runs Wednesday-Thursday, Jan. 21-22

Staff report

Homer Independent Press

Incident at Vichy: A play in one act by Arthur Miller

Directed by Maynard Smith

Live on Stage – 7 p.m., Wednesday-Thursday, Jan. 21-22

Run Time: 90 min.

Porcupine Theater

Admission is $20

Vichy, Occupied France, 1942. Eight men and a boy are brought to a detention center for reasons they hesitate to name and for a purpose they dread to imagine. As the demands of the situation gradually reveal, each must consider how his response reaches to the core of his being.

“I find this a deeply thought-provoking examination of the social contract.  What does membership in any society demand of an individual, and how does one respond when those demands come in conflict with one’s own conscience – or, perhaps, with one’s less than fully-embraced ideals?” director Maynard Smith writes.

“Although the setting is specific to Occupied France in 1942, with all the moral and societal tensions of that locale and period, these deeper questions reveal themselves through the responses of the individuals we see caught up in the action. I find myself left to examine my own positions in today’s society, to wonder how clearly I have shown them in my life to date, and to consider carefully how I may be called upon to display them in future.”

“I have had an edition of this play in my library for many years. I came across the manuscript again last October while thinking about the wonderful community benefit that The Porcupine now provides for the performing arts. It struck me that this play was very suitable for staging there, as the minimalist setting prescribed can be installed and removed with little disruption to the venue’s regular schedule. Susannah and Nathan have been enthusiastically supportive and gracious in working with me to make this happen. I hope these performances can help pave the way for further theatrical collaborations with The Porcupine.”

Cast:

Lebeau, A Painter…………………………….……… Ben Tillotson
Bayard, an Electrician………………………………… Tom Custer
Marchand,  Businessman………………..…..… Michael McKinney
Police Guard…………………………………….…. Thomas Vaneck 

Monceau, An Actor…………………………..…… David Schneider Gypsy………………………………………….….…. Joe Clevenger
A Waiter………………………………………….………. Dick Dunn
A Boy…………………………………………………….. Alex Brock
A Major………………………………………………….. Rudy Multz
First Detective…………………………………… Wayne Aderhold
Old Jew……………………………………………. Michael Tupper
Second Detective……………………………… Jaques Longpere 

Leduc, A Doctor………………………………………. Tyler Munns
Police Captain…………………………………. Steve Zimmerman
Von Berg, a Prince……………………………..……. Val Sheppard
Professor Hoffman………………….….… Tommy Morgen-Burke
Ferrand, a Café Proprietor…………….………….. Steve Panarelli