Because I Could Not Stop

Because I Could Not Stop: An Encounter with Emily Dickinson is playing at the Signature Theatre located at 480 West 42nd Street. The play runs for one hour forty-five minutes with no intermission. It closes on October 21, 2018.

Emily Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts on December 10, 1830. She died on May 15, 1886.

Emily Dickinson comes on stage saying I’m nobody and turns to an audience member and says are you nobody. She continues on her way and says who wants to be somebody?

During the play she recites her poems. We learn about her life from her and on the wall. It looks like an envelope, things are put on there (pictures, dates and events going on at that time).

Emily spends most of her time in her parents’ home. She writes poetry and puts them in books she makes. While she was alive she only published 8 poems with no name.

During the second act we learn more about her and what happens when she dies .It wasn’t till after her death that her poetry was published by members of the family who had some of her poems. She kept them in a trunk. The first time all of her poems were published together was 1955.

On the left are musician’s that play music by Amy Beach (who was a composer and pianist 1867-1944). Different poems are sung by Kristina Bachrach. Emily will talk, then the music will be played.

The musicians were excellent, Kristina singing was mesmerizing and Angelia as Emily was brilliant. It was too much to watch, if looked at one you missed what Angelica was doing or what was on the letter screen.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich.

Photo by Annazor.

To read a candid interview with the cast, scroll down to the left for photos. Click on photos for this and other shows.