Life and Times – Episodes 7 - 8

‘Ers’ and ‘you knows’

Nature Theater of Oklahoma’s masterly Life and Times epic is drawing to a close. Kristin Worrall, a member of the company, recounted her life story over the course of ten telephone conversations. These sixteen hours – complete with ‘ers’ and ‘you knows’ – provided the script for a ten-part series. Worrall’s story is that of an ordinary American woman with highly recognisable worries. You follow the various different phases of her youth, her search for a job, her relationships, dreams and disillusionments. For each episode, the directors Pavol Liska and Kelly Cooper have chosen a different form. The company’s actors staged the first four episodes – performed previously at Kaaitheater – together with a multitude of guests. Episode 5 became a book. It all went wrong during the sixth instalment, when a large number of the recordings were lost. And now we have episodes 7 and 8: two films that allude to two genres.

In Episode 7, the company operates within the convention of Hollywood Noir and pays homage to Citizen Kane. Nine actors play the roles of more than 100 characters. Episode 8 has a completely different tone. Filmed in the style of the early Cinemascope colour films, uninterrupted panoramic shots offer you fresh perspectives on Worrall’s life. Don’t worry if you missed the previous episodes: no previous knowledge is required for this marathon. At the start of Episode 7, you’ll get a newsreel-style recap of the events so far.

‘A phenomenal experience.’ – The New Yorker

‘One of the most unforgettable adventures of my theatergoing experience.’ – New York Times

‘Sprawling, bizarre, trivial, profound, holy, idiotic and quite resistant to criticism, the piece was as messy and capacious as life itself.’ – Time Out New York