In honor of Cor Stedelinck 1933-2017.
Recently found in some old files:
MAY 17, 1990
The Bulletin, Brussels, Belgium.
A REVELATION by John Boyle
Revelation, this remarkable one man-show at the British School two weeks ago, was aptly named. Here is a challenge for all would-be actors and directors. Take the book of Revelation (the Jerusamem Bible version). Now take one actor, minimal props, the adequate but unlavish ressources of the Arts Center Theater. You have two hours (with a thee-minute break for sweeping the stage) in which to perform complete text without cuts, improvements or changes of any kind, and hold a small but fortunate audience spell bound most of the time. Revelation indeed... What was so impressive about the work of Stephen Shank directed by Cor Stedelinck, was that you felt they could have done almost as spectacular a job on a few pages taken at random from the Brussels telephone directory... It was like watching by turns a tumbler, a mime, a clown, a dancer , a singer... Cor Stedelinck's inspired direction was a small masterpiece of conjuring magical effects from the simplest of ressources; the props literaly came from the bin, the lighting surpassed anything I would have thought possible in ths theater and the soundtrack was sensitivity scored. If I had to pick a word that might sum up my reactions to all this, humbling would have been the closest. Anybody who presumes to perform in the theater, on, off or backstage, for any motive less cosy than the fun of it should be compelled to see work of this quality at least once a year. And
they that have ears to hear, let them listen to what the spirit is saying. Amen.
