THE OBSCURE BIRD is about a corrupt and self-interested ruling family that abuses its power and seeks its private ends through sexual extortion, deception, and tyranny. In a fictional feudal duchy, the perverse Duke Arnaud, with the connivance of his daughter, the beautiful, incestuous, influential Contessa, and by intimidating a weak judge, abuses his authority and coerces, tyrannizes, and punishes Lady Martine, the widow of the duke’s deceased son, because she spurns his demands for sex. Unable to seduce her, Arnaud tries to force her by withholding her rightful inheritance of her late husband’s property and lands. When she refuses to yield, he exerts further pressure by formally charging her with treason for her disobedience and accusations of impropriety. Her brother, Duplass, encourages her to challenge the charges, and he calls for the assistance of a lawyer, Lacoste. At the urging of Contessa, Arnaud holds a sham hearing and trial in which he exploits his position and authority and subverts the law to punish Martine by condemning her to death. Despite Lacoste’s counseling, Martine’s temperament confounds her defense. Contessa’s relationship with Arnaud grants her near-complete influence over him. She professes a friendship with Martine and pledges to help in the dispute with the duke, but she blames her sister-in-law for severing her bother (Pascal) from the family. Contessa is also trying to salvage an affair with Martine’s brother, Duplass, first asking for Martine’s help in mending their break-up, then later pressuring the disaffected Duplass to resume their affair in exchange for influencing the proceedings against Martine. Balthus, the elderly judge or chief justice, is easily-cowed, and Arnaud’s dominance challenges his ability to maintain his integrity. The entire text of THE OBSCURE BIRD is composed of lines from Shakespeare’s works. The plays and poems are sampled and re-purposed in order to render his language in a different context and provide a new way to experience, enjoy, and celebrate its richness and vivacity. The poetic language necessarily stylizes the action and conflict and heightens the expression of emotions. While limited in their expression by the lines that can be found in Shakespeare, the characters are originals, living and interacting dynamically within the drama. The resulting dialogue serves, and perhaps even enhances, a new story and characters in a drama that stands on its own.
