What did you think of Dave M’s performance? What stood out for you?
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What did you think of Dave M’s performance? What stood out for you?
I really liked his performance. I liked the fact that it wasn’t just that he memorized the poetry and short story pieces and just recited them. I liked the fact that he made each character in the pieces and each had their own personalities. The Madam character was great. I think he did an amazing job with that character. Overall it was very interesting. It was the first time that I had been to such a performance. He did a great job.
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I have never been to a poetry slam or any type of poetry performances at all, until I went to “Meet the Artist: Langston Hughes” at the Macaulay building. Actually, now that I think about it, there was a “poetry slam” in the Macaulay orientation so I guess this is my second poetry performance. Anyways, I found Dave Mill’s reading/performances of Langston Hughes’ poems and short stories to be quiet entertaining. I liked it because he was able to bring Hughes’ characters to life. He portrayed their personality through his body language and accents and that was amazing. I loved that he could portray the women characters, such as Madam Alberta K. Johnson, to the same extent that he could perform the male characters like Elder Jones. I really liked the fact that Dave Mill had such passion for Hughes’s work that he put so much energy into each and every one of his performances (no wonder he was sweating so much). What I didn’t like about the whole performance was that it was a bit too long. Honestly, the fact that Dave Mill kept on performing one poem after the other after the other, made me get kind of bored. I wish he would have introduced each poem or short story before he presented it, so that it would have been easier to focus on his performances. Overall though, I am glad I had the opportunity to see Dave Mill’s performance of Langston Hughes’ work.
The performance of Langston Hughes’ poems by David M. was done really well. It is amazing how well one person can bring alive many different characters without even changing costumes or settings, instead relying completely on one’s voice. Dave M. changed characters very well by adjusting his voice and body language allowing us to have a picture in our mind of what the character was like. It was also incredible how much he had memorized! Flowing from one poem to the next without a single stumble. (Yes that is his job, but it still amazes me! He didn’t even have another actor on stage to sort of bounce off of to help prompt memory!)
I found it helpful that we had already gone over some of his poems, because when he began to do the ones we had already heard in class, it really caught my attention. I agree with Zikran that the performance could have been a little less lengthy. Although I really enjoyed it, there would have been more an impact if there had been a few less poems to take in.
Overall, he really succeeded in bringing Langston Hughes’ work to life. The energy he put into each character was incredible, and it was clear that his whole heart was in the performance.
I really enjoyed watching the performance of many of Langston Hughes work. My favorite one was the Thank You M’am, it was a story that I read when I was younger in middle school and really loved it. Watching it be performed was great and made me like it even more. Mr Mill’s did an excellent job in portraying all his characters and he did a great job going from character to character in seconds. I was really surprised that he was able to go for more than an hour and a half without a break. Overall his performances were great and he really made me enjoy the entire performance even though it was very long, with no break.
I thought that Mr. Mill did an outstanding job in performing Langston Hughes’s poems and short stories. By saying the poems in the way that he did he made me enjoy it much more than I would have if he had just read them. The way he did different characters kept me interested, and wondering what he what kind of voice he would do next. The voices kept me hanging on to every word he said, which surprised me, since I have little experience or interest in poetry. I was surprised that he went that long without having to review his lines. I think at one point in the performance I realized that he had not stopped to read from a paper and I was impressed. Overall a good performance, although it was a little lengthy.
While I do love poetry and I appreciate Langston Hughes, I can’t say I enjoyed all of Mr. Dave Mills’ performance. I thought it was entirely do long and length can definitely ruin something great. I did like the fact that he added color to each piece with the different accents and physicality, but I became bored after some time. He seems to be a brilliant man, but I found it interesting that when asked what interested him to do this type of show, he had no real motivation. (He said it was because he lived at Mr. Hughes home and was the first writer-at-residence.) I expected a different answer of more substance maybe.
I was unable to understand some pieces, didn’t like others, and loved some. For instance, the character of Madame Alberta K. Johnson became a favorite of mine. I didn’t realize before the show how prolific Langston Hughes was and I appreciated that part of the Q&A session. To hear that he created so many pieces of so many different genres in his show life was inspiring.
Overall, I was glad for the experience but this show neither represents a poetry slam nor something I would like to sit through again. Respectfully, of course.
I really liked Dave M’s performance at MHC. I had never been to a performance like this, so Meet the Artist was new for me. In addition, I was not so familiar with Langston Hughes’ work (although I did recognize some of the poems during the performance) and I liked most of the texts Dave M presented to us. First, I must say that Dave is a very good actor, and what caught my attention the most (besides his excessive sweating…) was how easily he changed between characters, which included changing his voice, accent, and body language. Next, I need to say that the piece of Hughes work that I found most interesting was the one in which the boy tries to steal a lady’s purse and she takes him to her house. The outcome for that story was unexpected and Dave’s acting made it even more interesting.
When hearing that we were required to see this performance, I thought it was a waste of time. However as I sat and watched David M perform I quickly became impressed by his skilled performance. I thought it was useless seeing some random guy read poems, but David M brought these poems to life, he integrated them, and acted them in a way which made the poem come alive in front of your eyes. I was especially impressed by how he memorized those poems, and acted them out without any cues, or such. It showed his expertise, and overall I thought it was a superb demonstration of how acting should be carried out, and it was a wonderful portrayal of the work of Langston Hughes
I have never seen poetry recited by someone before, so I did not know what to expect. I was so impressed that David M. recited works by Langston Hughes for over an hour, without even taking a break! He was a terrific performer, bringing to life scenes from poems and short stories. I loved how he was able to differentiate each character for his audience, through his voice and body language. It was obvious that he loves what he does. I found myself chuckling a few times at his impersonation of females. David M.’s performance really heightened my appreciation for poetry and other forms of literature, especially by Langston Hughes.
This was my first time at something like this. Since it was a new experience, I kept my mind open to the experience. By the end of the night,I was left quite impressed. This one man show was spectacular. I have to give the artist props for being able to stay up there on stage and go through a bunch of poems and short stories, while depicting every scenario in impeccable fashion to us. I was tremendously astounded with the show and it brought a new light to Hughe’s poems. I would definitely go to one of these again.
Poetry- ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! This is the expression that is marked throughout my inner sentiments, thoughts, and expressions- when thinking about poetry. Whether it’s the complexity, the allusions to what’s often not seen, or the many imaginary words that are often included within a poem- something about it is simply not my cup of tea. To be honest, in many occasions a sense of uncomfortableness takes place before I read a poem. It is usually because of my fear of the unknown- of not having a direct answer, an easy solution. While poetry is a beautiful art, it often presents itself as a challenge to me. Because of this, I truly did not know what to expect at the Meet the Artist event of Langston Hughes. I didn’t know whether people were going to be reciting poems, whether we were going to be analyzing them- I went inside without any expectations, and came out with a good surprise!
When the lights were turned off- there was only one dimming on the stage. Mr. Mill began his tasks- with a strong voice he began a piece of Langston Hughes as he slowly paced towards the stage. With only small desk, a chair, and a newspaper, somehow I found it fascinating that Mr. Mill was able to create a variety if characters, by using every physical characteristics he could- body posture, voice, attitude. Although it was a one-man show, it was as though there were various actors on stage. There was no need of props, musical number’s, high tech lights- it was so humble and simple yet, still had the power to entertaining. To distract our minds from what was outside for a few minutes, and truly captivate us by bringing to the stage some of Langston Hughes work. Again, what really amazed me was that Mr. Mill did so with very littler props- our imagination had to do most of the work, and in order to do that- Mr. Mill had to be effective in presenting something that went beyond props and presentation- he had to have natural talent- to the core. Ultimately, I began to enjoy poetry in a new way, perhaps because a theatrical element was thrown in there, but I enjoyed how stories were told, how images were being created. For once, it was not such of a challenge. I give the event 3 out of 5 stars. The performance could have definitely been shorter; the Q&A was good. In the end, when looking back, I can always say that my first meet the artist event was an enjoyable one.
His performance was interesting at some points and bland at others. I was impressed with how well he memorized his lines; I think he stuttered once, and he quickly got back on his eloquent track. I especially liked his character Alberta K. Johnson. I was being honest when I answered his question: “why didn’t anyone laugh?”. I wanted to, but I was reluctant to break the silence and interrupt his flow. His ability to change personalities was noteworthy, including his women characters. His performance was on point overall, and although it did not tickle MY imagination, I still appreciate his talent.
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The heat was determined to ruin my experience, but I was fortunate enough to sit right in the direction of the fan. Not entirely helpful, but it was enough. At least I wasn’t sweating like he was.
I think an hour and twenty minutes is too long a time for one person to speak; I think Michael Tal put it best: a mix of the bland and the interesting. Also, many of the voices, while effective in setting the mood, ruined the listening experience in another way: I couldn’t hear every word he said.
The tales of the crooked preacher and the woman who forced herself into a surrogate mother position on her would-be thief both stood out most to me; I kept my attention firm on him throughout both portions, never looking away. And hearing my personal favorite (Mother to Son) was a special treat for me, especially since his character for that poem was so interesting.
I enjoyed a good amount of it, although I must admit my attention strayed in some of his performances. Glad I got to see it.
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t very happy about that night. It probably had more to do with the fact that we were in a hot basement with uncomfortable chairs and a very loud fan(?), so basically I couldn’t hear a single word during the performance.
Just from the beginning I had 1 problem with the performance; that it was a single person doing everything. I’ve seen entire plays where you only have 1-2 actors, performing everything, and constantly taking on the roles of different characters, and I have to say, I have never enjoyed them.
Now combining darkness, heat, no idea of what is going on and not hearing the lines made it very hard for me to stay focused, and quite honestly awake.
After the performance, the Q&A session was O.K. I definitely enjoyed it more then the performance itself (at least I could hear something). It was more laid back, the lights were on, and it involved asking questions, which meant that it wasn’t just 1 person doing all the talking now.
The first time I heard poetry being recited was during the outward bound orientation. I thought then that it was going to be lame- whats so great about reciting poetry? However by the end of it, I was clapping and cheering as hard as everyone else. The poet’s emotion, prose, stance, presentation-everything was absolutely perfect and mesmerizing.
Needless to say I was very excited to see the Langston Hughes performance. And my excitement was well deserved- the show was great.
I love how David M. used various voices and small props to keep the audience interested. I found myself leaning in when he whispered, giggling when he made funny impressions, and clapping at the end of every poem.
Although at times it dragged on, I thought David M was very talented in what he did. My personnel favorite was actually one of his own poems- the one about the roller coaster. I thought it was whimsical and fun though not full history as one of Hughes poem’s.
I really enjoyed Meeting the Artist and I hope to see future artists that are just as exciting.
I thought Dave M. was an excellent actor. He had a wide array of voices and he had separate body language for every character he portrayed. It was never an issue to distinguish which character was speaking. However, I think perhaps Langston Hughes’ poetry does not suit my tastes. I found it difficult to understand what was going on sometimes, and was often confused by transitions from story to story.
I think that had I been more familiar with Langston Hughes’ work, I could have understood what was going on more and perhaps enjoyed it more. If I were to offer Dave M. any criticism, I wish he had projected his voice a little louder. I was sitting in the back, and I sometimes found it difficult to understand what he was saying. Regardless, it is always a worthwhile experience to be exposed to unfamiliar forms of art, and I am glad I had the opportunity to watch a Langston Hughes performance.
At first I didn’t believe David Mill’s acting to be very attention grabbing. I thought it was going to be a soliloquy as an introduction to something else. Once he changed character though, it had taken me in a new direction, a myriad of poetry and short stories, all by Langston Hughes. The unquestionable amount of hours it must have taken Mr. Mill to not only memorize, but embrace the characters he was portraying really shook me to my core; I started to ignore the ever-present heat and humidity of the room and found myself picking out phrases and lines I have remembered from years past. Other than his excessive sweating, and the length of time it ran altogether, I would say David M. had done an outstanding job that night. Breaking from one character to the next instantaneously, and with such emphasis on the different accents and styles was really captivating, a trait I wish I could mimic. I hope we can meet another artist in the future!
Honestly, when I first heard of the “Meet the Artist” event, I thought we would literally be meeting Langston Hughes. I knew who he was and read some of his poetry but I did not know when he was born. I assumed he would just be really old by this time, maybe eighty or so. However, thanks to my trusty friend Google, I saw that he would be over a hundred years old. Then I realized we would be meeting the work and in turn, meeting the artist. But this realization made me almost dread going. I could read his biography on line as well as his work. I thought it would just be a plain reading, almost like a lecture, but fortunately, I was wrong.
I did not expect to meet all the characters of Langston’s work. My favorite encounter was with the Madame. I was lost in the piece and forgot that it was a man playing the role. I also loved the piece with the man being placed on the cross. These pieces captivated me and time moved so fast. I nearly begged to have those characters to come back. However, not all of the the stories/poems interested me as much. There was one with a sheriff that was sitting down most of the time. While the many accents were funny and impressive, I couldn’t hear this particular character which made me daze out and lose interest because I did not know what was going on.
When it was all done, I enjoyed meeting the actor. He knew how to make us laugh and made the experience one I am glad I did not miss. I even enjoyed his poem very much about the amusement park. If I had the money, I would have definitely brought his book. I am so thankful that Macaulay is giving me all these opportunities, some that I may never had the chance to before or never had my mind open to. Really makes me look forward to all that is yet to come.
I thought that the performance was really good. Like Peter, I couldn’t hear him too much, it was hot, and the chairs were not comfy. But, I strained my ears and I got to hear enough to know that David M. is one talented dude. His command over the voices was a joy, especially when he played Madam because you could just tell how much fun he was having with her. It was also why I asked which character he had the most fun playing because I thought I knew the answer, which was true.
I didn’t mind the 1-man act aspect of all. Doing it in that way is the best type of challenge to give yourself. It’s so much easier to just focus perfecting one role, to make sure you are in that mindset the whole night. But he switched mindsets, postures, tones, personalities in less than a second, a single line, and that’s a talent few people can do, let alone master. The best part about it though was, after it was all said and done, you knew he had fun with it. He enjoyed performing the pieces as much as he was hoping that we were enjoying watching him. The heat toned down the happy-level for me but suffice to say, I thought it was really good.
Dave Mill’s performance was quite interesting. I was mostly fascinated by the way he expressed such different characters without the use of costume or any visual aid, using only language. In my Language and Culture class, taught by Professor Blot, we’ve talked a lot about the elements of language a part from the basic syntax and vocabulary use. There are many features of spoken language that are connected to the culture that it comes from. Mr. Mill’s performance manifested this in his use of accents and gestures to give personality and cultural background to the varying characters. The young boy had very jovial body language; the old woman had a southern accent…
I wish I had read the specific pieces that he performed just before the show. I would have liked to have the stories and characters fresh in my mind. I think I would have gotten more from the performance, but I still enjoyed it thoroughly.