Review Fix chats with playwright Ran Xia who discusses her new production, “De Profundis,†set for a run at this year’s Midtown International Theater Festival.
About the Production:
DE PROFUNDIS by Ran Xia. This is the story for the mermaid who longed for sound, an inventor who loved a costume designer, a mysterious seashell collector, and a pair of young lovers in front of an enchanted mirror, looking at things they’re not ready to let go. (Drama)
Performance Schedule:Â Wed 11/16, 6:00pm; Fri 11/18, 8:30pm; Sat 11/19, 3:45pm; Sun 11/20, 1:30pm
Running Time: 70 minutes
Venue: Jewel Box Theater, 312 W. 36th Street
Review Fix: What was the inspiration for this project?
Ran Xia: I first encountered Antonio Meucci’s story during Guggenheim Museum’s Stillspotting NYC projects. We did a walking tour along the esplanade of Staten Island and learned about Meucci’s inventions as well as the legend of his mermaid wife. Other inspirations for the play include Lord Alfred Tennyson’s poem De Profundis, Miguelanxo Prado’s animated film of the same title, Psalm 130 (129), as well as several poems by Federico Garcia Lorca. Mostly the story streamed from the fascinating sound of you would hear on an island and the whispers you can sort of hear when you’re on a ship going from one shore to another.


Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?
Xia: I was part of Exquisite Corpse Company’s Spring 2016 Writer’s Lab. There were 6 of us. We would meet twice a week, bring prompts for everyone, and bring 10 pages each week. It was a rather regimented process which ensured each one of us to meet the deadline. I’ve been thinking about the story for some years when we started, and then the first prompt we got was a strange sea creature washed ashore. The rest just sort of formed itself.
Review Fix: What makes this different or special?
Xia: This story has historical as well as surrealistic elements but at its core, it’s still extremely personal. It’s about the love story between Antonio Meucci and his wife Esterre. However, the love story is merely a scope. The story is told from the point of view of a mermaid, who represents each of the female characters in the play, all of whom in one way or another had to go through an excruciating process to define her identity.
Review Fix: What did you learn about yourself through this process?
Xia: I learned about embracing the unknown, and making bold choices as an artist as well as a human. I discovered more courage within me from this process.
Review Fix: How does it feel to be a part of something like this?
Xia: Truly alive.


Review Fix: What are your ultimate goals for this production and for the future?
Xia: To have a proper run at an off-broadway space with a legit set.

Review Fix: What do you think your audiences will enjoy the most?
Xia: They would really enjoy how they have much more magic within them than they’d ever realize. Of course, there’s also the whimsical and straightforward mermaid you rarely see portrayed.


Review Fix: What’s next?
Xia: My theatre collective The Arctic Group is producing monthly showcases of new works we experiment on, as well as a reality TV-themed new imagination of Woyzeck. I also have something brewing with the amazing organization the Tank.
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