As it turns out, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R Tolkien were great friends. They were both professors at Oxford and upon their first meeting, slowly discovered their shared interest of writing, literature, and debate. They were both members of The Inklings, an informal literary society at Oxford in the 1930’s and 40’s. The two bonded, in a pub, drinking ale and chatting about their work. But the friendship was marred with differences and rivalry. Dean Batali has captured an imagined meeting of the two literary giants in his play Lewis & Tolkien co-produced by Fire Exit Theatre and Hit & Myth Productions. The play examines the bond between the two men and the forces that tore them apart. The play is made more compelling due to the artists on stage but as a whole has moments where it flounders. It’s hard to include tension and drama in a play like this and sometimes the production loses the audience. Yet if you’re very familiar with either the work of Tolkien or Lewis, this play is a great window into their lives and friendship.
The play opens to J.R.R Tolkien (Duval Lang) arriving at a pub. The server, Veronica (MacKenzie Sutton), comes by for his drink order. Then C.S. Lewis (Joel Cochrane) arrives and it’s clear that the two men haven’t seen each other in a long time. Their conversation touches on faith, betrayal, grief, and the power of storytelling. Their longer philosophical debates are broken up by Veronica, who asks clarifying questions.
The narrative sets the audience up for passionate debates about literature, creative worlds, and moral superiority. It’s what the friendship between these two fellows is built on, but it’s also what brings about its downfall. Lang and Cochrane use their acting prowess to embody these authors and Sutton is a bright point in the play, to bring these characters down in their debates and to infuse more common language into the play. She also helps to have the audience understand the subject matter and background.
Dale Marushy’s set design nails the vibe of a small, empty pub on a rainy day in Oxford, complete with a fireplace in the background. Lyall Jovie’s lighting design along with Colin Lowe’s sound design help to ground the play in its place and time. Melissa Mitchell Boychuk’s costume design puts the characters in the 1960s in Oxford successfully.
This play is a reminder of the value of relationships that challenge us to be better. Whether that is to be better at our crafts, be better humans in the world, or just be a better friend. And sometimes, being a loyal friend means being able to put your differences aside for the connection.
Fire Exit Theatre and Hit & Myth Production’s presentation of Lewis and Tolkien by Dean Batali runs until October 26th. More information is available online.