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DEARLY EARNED by interweaving excerpts of letters and newspaper articles, paints a picture of Portsmouth's industrial past. And the portrait is not always a pretty one. Even though the letters used in the piece were actually written by workers at mills in another city, they still work because the details of that time and lifestyle and the sentiments of the writers are not rooted in any particular locale. Plus, the new articles cited are from Portsmouth papers.The life of the 19th century industrial worker was a hard one. People flocked to the mills with the dream of earning money to send to their families back home, of making a better life. But life in the mills was difficult and rewards were few. Nostalgia reigned. As frustrations grew, bitterness burgeoned. Dreams were often crushed the way limbs were in the machinery.
The line between those in charge and those performing menial tasks was a distinct one. Workers were dispensable. The bottom line was all important.
The corporate mentality depicted in DEARLY EARNED seems frighteningly modern.
DEARLY EARNED takes a hard look at just how dear each dollar these workers earned was and just how high a toll workers paid, in terms of their well-being, for that pittance.
By telling an important story with imaginative staging, Pontine invites audiences into a world that may not always be comfortable yet somehow is also inviting. This show keeps these people alive and that's
important. Toward the end of the show, cut out figures are moved to new places as newspaper clips are recited. And even though the photos for these cut-outs came from a variety of sources, each has been cast appropriately. In that way they seem to have life. The audience accepts each theatrical technique as it is introduced because Mathews and Gathers imbue the show with a rhythm that fits each segment. The speech is underscored by activity. Sometimes the activity is slow and measured; at other times it is hectic and flurried. The pace of the show echoes a mill worker's
day. When the audience enters, on view are various standing set pieces all connected by cotton thread. It could be an oddly constructed set up for a game of cat's cradle. As soon as the actors enter, however, they begin rolling the thread onto spools as they recite a history in unison. The flavor and tone of the piece are set. Equal to the text is the style of presentation. As always, presenting their unique brand of storytelling, Mathews and Gathers let audiences see the words as well as hear
them. The use of the panorama is particularly effective, as are the items chosen to differentiate the two people whose letters are read and the hanging of photos printed on cloth as a kind of mural. The people we learn about become real, not because their characters are created before us, but rather because we are carefully reeled into their world. The emotional journey is well worth taking. The result is haunting. It's impossible not to care about these
people. DEARLY EARNED is a testament to human diligence, resilience, and perseverance. As it will join Pontine's touring repertoire, audiences will have other chances to see it. But why wait? See it now in the performance space on the land where several of these characters once tread."
Letters from Educators
"I want to thank you for the outstanding performance you delivered. Your
production of DEARLY EARNED was most impressive given the pace, dialogue, and of course the complex set. Your chronicle of the life and times of
nineteenth century mill life was clearly well researched, and both creatively and effectively depicted. The program was a wonderful compliment
to our curriculum, and I believe it brought to life many of the ideas and events that our students had learned about here at school. As always, the
performance that you provided was of the highest professional quality and exhibited tremendous artistry and attention to detail."
Peter Smith, Greenland Central School, Greenland NH
"Thank you so much for visiting our school and performing DEARLY EARNED for
the entire fifth grade. We count ourselves lucky to witness such a poignant
and accurate portrayal of industrialization in the 19th century. After viewing the performance, students participated in many meaningful
discussions about the life of mill workers. They truly appeared to have a
new appreciation for the impact made by New Englandıs textile mill workers.
Your props were perfect-supporting both the content and at the same time, historically relevant in appearance. We so appreciate Pontine Movement
Theatre sharing this opportunity with us."
Kristen Murray, Daniel Bakie School, Kingston NH
"Our eighth grade curriculum covers the industrial revolution and [DEARLY
EARNED] brought to life all those who worked in the mills. Students were able to gain an appreciation of the conditions people worked in and the
hardships they endured. Thank you."
Cheryl Rotundo, Hampton Academy Junior High School, Hampton NH
"With the strong textile mill history of our community, [DEARLY EARNED] was
particularly pertinent. Your use of primary documents: diaries, letters and
newspapers makes DEARLY EARNED an excellent teaching program as well as an
entertaining one. The introductory educational materials that you sent
ahead of the performance were very helpful for preparing the students for the show. We truly appreciate the effort and resources that went into
making this show possible. DEARLY EARNED was a most enriching experience for our students."
Nancy Cook, Rollinsford Grade School, Rollinsford NH
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