Which of the characters you’re playing is your favorite? Tell us a little bit about that character.
I open the show as Herbert, a kindhearted hunchback whose savvy has led him to use his deformity for a very useful purpose... He's just one example of the downtrodden people that John Law's ideas empowered in a way that was unprecedented.
What are you most excited for the audience to experience when they come to The Improbable Fall, Rise & Fall of John Law?
As much work as we the actors are doing, the design for the show will be doing a lot of heavy lifting; it's smart, transformative, complex, and will constantly surprise.
If you became a millionaire overnight what would you do with your newfound wealth (besides donating generously to your favorite non-profit theatre company, of course)?
Yes, I would pay my bills, student loans, etc. but then... the fun begins. I would build a little astronomical observatory on a remote hill somewhere and just glue my eye to the telescope for hours at a time. Ooh, and STEAK; I would consume a disgusting amount of expensive steak. So for me, becoming a millionaire leads to becoming a gout-crippled recluse. I'm ok with that.
What’s the most surprising thing about John Law or the history of money that you’ve learned working on this play?
I'm certain this is not uncommon, but I had never seriously considered what money was before the transition to paper money; this sounds preposterous, but we are now so used to the fact that the bills we carry around represent different quantities that we don't appreciate how, at one point, value meant actual weight. Could you imagine having to lug around 50 pounds of silver to pay for something? I'll stick to PayPal, thank you very much.
What’s your take on John Law (or at least Matt’s version of John Law) – hero, villain, or somewhere in between?
I'm going to be bold here and say straight-up hero; it's no small feat to face an enormous institution as deeply entrenched in society's power structure as the financial system and say, "I know a way to make this better for all people, not just those in charge." That kind of radical thinking threatens and unnerves all sorts of forces that push back and John, tragically, fell victim to these forces in a few ways. So, a perfect man with perfect intentions? No. But a man that suffered for the greater good? That's a hero. |
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