THEATRE

• Official Website
• Buy Tickets
• Add to My Favorites

Souvenir

Presented by Theatre Memphis at Theatre Memphis

December 3-December 20, 2009

Add Review/Comment | Read Reviews/Comments

Written by Stephen Temperley Directed by Bennett Wood For more than a half century the name Florence Foster Jenkins has produced explosions of derisive laughter in that this wealthy eccentric was incapable of producing two consecutive notes in tune. As news of her terrible singing spread, so did her celebrity. Hilarious and poignant, her story is told through her accompanist, Cosme McMoon. A talented musician, he regards her at first as a little more than an easy way to pay the rent but his initial contempt gives way to reluctant admiration, then friendship and affection. A musical odd-couple for the ages.

• At-a-
  Glance

  • Venue Info

    Theatre Memphis

    630 Perkins Ext
    Memphis, TN 38117

    Full map and directions

  • Admission Info

    Tickets: $28 adult $15 student with valid ID

    Info Phone: 901.682.8323

    Buy Tickets

  • Dates & Times

    Dates:
    December 3-December 20, 2009

    Times:
    7:30pm weeknights, 8pm Fri and Sat, 3pm Sun

  • Accessibility Info

    Currently, no accessibility information is available for this event.

  • Video & Image Gallery

    Currently, additional images/videos have not been submitted for this event.

  • Member Reviews

    Add review/comment

    • Event Name: Souvenir
      "Comment by Dorothy Kirsch - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver"
      Comment posted by: Dorothy Kirsch - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver from Memphis, TN, Dec 21, 2009
      

      WENT TO SOUVENIR LAST NIGHT WITH AGNES STARK AND IT WAS FANTASTIC. ONE OF THE BEST SHOWS HAVE SEEN ANYWHERE. SO FUNNY. DON'T KNOW HOW JUDE KNIGHT DOES IT. AND IN SECOND ACT LOTS OF VERY FAST COSTUME... Expand

      WENT TO SOUVENIR LAST NIGHT WITH AGNES STARK AND IT WAS FANTASTIC. ONE OF THE BEST SHOWS HAVE SEEN ANYWHERE. SO FUNNY. DON'T KNOW HOW JUDE KNIGHT DOES IT. AND IN SECOND ACT LOTS OF VERY FAST COSTUME CHANGES. THE YOUNG MAN PLAYING COSME MCMOON WAS ALSO TERRIFIC. BENNETT'S DIRECTION WAS RIGHT ON. THE HOUSE WAS ALMOST FULL AND EVERYONE WAS ROARING. Collapse

    • Event Name: Souvenir
      "Review by Bob Arnold - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver"
      Comment posted by: Bob Arnold - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver from Memphis, TN, Dec 05, 2009
      

      There's bad and then there's BAD. Whether it's Ed Wood, William Hung, or the cult film "The Room," there's something awe-inspiring about awfulness. This intimate, hilarious production of Stephen... Expand

      There's bad and then there's BAD. Whether it's Ed Wood, William Hung, or the cult film "The Room," there's something awe-inspiring about awfulness. This intimate, hilarious production of Stephen Temperley's "Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins" asks us to consider why we sometimes rally around a spectacular failure. Jenkins, a wealthy socialite whose career peaked in the 1930s and 1940s, was dubbed the "First Lady of the Sliding Scale" for her completely inept singing style. Her performances lacked any sense of melody, rhythm, pitch, and everything else that makes music... well, music. Despite this (or maybe because of it), she developed an enormous following, all the while maintaining an unshakable faith in her own abilities. Temperley is careful to label this story a "fantasia," since no one really knows what motivated Jenkins or her longtime accompanist, Cosme McMoon. As portrayed by Jude Knight, Jenkins is charmingly oblivious and impenetrably upbeat, a sunny diva whose lack of talent is all the more jarring given her pretensions. Her rise to fame is related by McMoon, played by David Shipley. A legitimately talented musician, McMoon reluctantly takes on the responsibility of performing with Ms. Jenkins, gradually moving past shock and frustration into a kind of protectiveness. Their partnership lasted an astounding 12 years and ended only with Jenkins's death. It's an interesting situation. Here we have a true musician who voluntarily signs up for a cursed blessing: All of his great successes, including producing a record and performing at Carnegie Hall, will be overshadowed by - in fact, will only be made possible by - his association with an execrable performer. Unfortunately the play doesn't dig as deeply as it might have into this dilemma, and it suffers from a repetitive structure that asks us to laugh at the same joke a few too many times. But the actors are always a joy to watch, and "Souvenir" is at its best when it goes beyond the eye-rolling and shows us two real people whose best efforts are universally regarded as a joke. Ms. Knight is wonderfully warm and hilariously off-key, displaying razor-sharp comedic timing. Mr. Shipley is acerbic but relatable, and his role affords him the chance to show off his considerable musical chops. Director Bennett Wood is a longtime favorite in Memphis theater, and for a good reason; we are safe in his talented hands as we navigate this unusual, hysterical, and ultimately touching story. Collapse

• Media
  Gallery

  • All Media Gallery

    Currently, additional images/videos have not been submitted for this event.

• Member
  Reviews

  • Member Reviews

    Add review/comment

    • Event Name: Souvenir
      "Comment by Dorothy Kirsch - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver"
      Comment posted by: Dorothy Kirsch - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver from Memphis, TN, Dec 21, 2009
      

      WENT TO SOUVENIR LAST NIGHT WITH AGNES STARK AND IT WAS FANTASTIC. ONE OF THE BEST SHOWS HAVE SEEN ANYWHERE. SO FUNNY. DON'T KNOW HOW JUDE KNIGHT DOES IT. AND IN SECOND ACT LOTS OF VERY FAST COSTUME... Expand

      WENT TO SOUVENIR LAST NIGHT WITH AGNES STARK AND IT WAS FANTASTIC. ONE OF THE BEST SHOWS HAVE SEEN ANYWHERE. SO FUNNY. DON'T KNOW HOW JUDE KNIGHT DOES IT. AND IN SECOND ACT LOTS OF VERY FAST COSTUME CHANGES. THE YOUNG MAN PLAYING COSME MCMOON WAS ALSO TERRIFIC. BENNETT'S DIRECTION WAS RIGHT ON. THE HOUSE WAS ALMOST FULL AND EVERYONE WAS ROARING. Collapse

    • Event Name: Souvenir
      "Review by Bob Arnold - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver"
      Comment posted by: Bob Arnold - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver from Memphis, TN, Dec 05, 2009
      

      There's bad and then there's BAD. Whether it's Ed Wood, William Hung, or the cult film "The Room," there's something awe-inspiring about awfulness. This intimate, hilarious production of Stephen... Expand

      There's bad and then there's BAD. Whether it's Ed Wood, William Hung, or the cult film "The Room," there's something awe-inspiring about awfulness. This intimate, hilarious production of Stephen Temperley's "Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins" asks us to consider why we sometimes rally around a spectacular failure. Jenkins, a wealthy socialite whose career peaked in the 1930s and 1940s, was dubbed the "First Lady of the Sliding Scale" for her completely inept singing style. Her performances lacked any sense of melody, rhythm, pitch, and everything else that makes music... well, music. Despite this (or maybe because of it), she developed an enormous following, all the while maintaining an unshakable faith in her own abilities. Temperley is careful to label this story a "fantasia," since no one really knows what motivated Jenkins or her longtime accompanist, Cosme McMoon. As portrayed by Jude Knight, Jenkins is charmingly oblivious and impenetrably upbeat, a sunny diva whose lack of talent is all the more jarring given her pretensions. Her rise to fame is related by McMoon, played by David Shipley. A legitimately talented musician, McMoon reluctantly takes on the responsibility of performing with Ms. Jenkins, gradually moving past shock and frustration into a kind of protectiveness. Their partnership lasted an astounding 12 years and ended only with Jenkins's death. It's an interesting situation. Here we have a true musician who voluntarily signs up for a cursed blessing: All of his great successes, including producing a record and performing at Carnegie Hall, will be overshadowed by - in fact, will only be made possible by - his association with an execrable performer. Unfortunately the play doesn't dig as deeply as it might have into this dilemma, and it suffers from a repetitive structure that asks us to laugh at the same joke a few too many times. But the actors are always a joy to watch, and "Souvenir" is at its best when it goes beyond the eye-rolling and shows us two real people whose best efforts are universally regarded as a joke. Ms. Knight is wonderfully warm and hilariously off-key, displaying razor-sharp comedic timing. Mr. Shipley is acerbic but relatable, and his role affords him the chance to show off his considerable musical chops. Director Bennett Wood is a longtime favorite in Memphis theater, and for a good reason; we are safe in his talented hands as we navigate this unusual, hysterical, and ultimately touching story. Collapse

• Media
  Reviews

  • Media Reviews

    There are currently no media reviews for this event.

• What's
  Nearby

  • Nearby Galleries

    • David Lusk Gallery - 4540 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38117
      Phone: 901-767-3800
      

  • • Harrington Brown Gallery - 5179 Wheelis, Memphis, TN 38117
      Phone: 901-590-3008
      Email: rbrown@harringtonbrown.com
      

  • • L. Ross Gallery - 5040 Sanderlin, Memphis, TN 38117
      Phone: 901-767-2200
      Email: art@lrossgallery.com
      

  • Nearby Other Businesses

    • DAC Fitness - 426 South Grove Park Road, Memphis, TN 38117
      Email: info@daclife.com
      

  • • Whole Foods - 5022 Poplar Ave , Memphis, TN 38117
      Phone: 901-685-2293
      Email: liza.burke@wholefoods.com
      

  • Nearby Restaurants/Dining

    • Fratelli's - 750 Cherry Road, Memphis, TN 38117
      Phone: 901.650.9161
      

  • • Napa Cafe - 5101 Sanderlin Ave # 122, Memphis, Tn 38117
      Phone: (901) 683-0441
      

  • Nearby Shops

    • Mednikow - 474 Perkins Extd. #100, Memphis, TN 38117
      Phone: (901)-767-2100
      Email: sales@mednikow.com