Valhalla

by Paul Rudnick

parts for 4 men and 2 women. VALHALLA intertwines two the life of Ludwig of Bavaria, the 1880s Mad King responsible for building a series of storybook castles inspired by Wagnerian operas, and the fictional adventures of James Avery, a wild Texas teenager of the 1940s. These two iconoclasts are tracked from childhood through their deaths, and while they embody separate eras, they are ultimately revealed as time-traveling soul mates. The play explores questions of beauty and madness, as both Ludwig and James pursue lives of operatic passion, bringing them in contact with such diverse figures as a high-school quarterback, the prettiest girl in Dainsville, Texas, most of the characters of Lohengrin and princess Sophie, who declares herself "the loneliest humpback in Europe." VALHALLA is a comic epic, confronting the price to be paid for wanting, and getting, everything you dream of.

Genres: Plays, LGBT

76 pages, Paperback

First published October 29, 2004

Reviews

[Kaethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one took me a while to read. It's about the Mad King who loved beauty and had built Neuschwanstein Castle, among other, beautiful palaces. I know how Ludwig's story ends, so it's sad.

But Rudnick doesn't write tragedies, so its is also quite funny. And it is also the story of a boy who loves beauty, and who finally escapes from his small town in Texas.

So sad, and funny, and artful, some of the things that make us human.

Library copy

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very Paul Rudnick in every sense - good but trapped in a different time. Feels more dated than it actually is. Broad humor undercuts nearly every line and eventually begins to undermine the piece as a whole. But I have no doubt most of the jokes would land with an audience. With all the doubling up of characters and campy exchanges it began to seem like an extended drag sketch. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but does require a certain mood for silliness and double entendres.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wonderful mess.

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the concept, funny dialogue.