Mark Twain Turns Back the Clock
by Birdie Jaworski
The year 1905. Planet earth twisted through its annual elliptical path, the sun one sure comfort in a tumultuous existence. The Russian Revolution began with the slaughter of unarmed demonstrators in St. Petersburg. Albert Einstein revealed his theory of special relativity and explained the photoelectric effect by quantization. The Wright Brothers pilot the first successful half-hour aeroplane trip. 1905 was a strange year for Mark Twain, too. Just five years before his demise, his ground-breaking American works, Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, were banned from the Brooklyn Public Library for setting a "bad example."
Performer James Doores will impersonate Mark Twain as he was in the year 1905 in a monologue entitled "Man's Foolish Ideas." Twain will share his opinions on religion, science, politics, and other controversial topics. The 50-minute event will take place in the Kluge Auditorium at United World college in Montezuma at the unusual time of 11:20 a.m. on November 2.
Born Sam Clemens, Twain was the quintessential American humorist, satirist, lecturer and writer. He enjoyed immense popularity both in the States and abroad, and was known not only for his great American novels, but also for his "bon mots." In a 1905 entry in his personal notebook, Twain mused, "Never refuse to do a kindness unless the act would work great injury to yourself, and never refuse to take a drink - under any circumstances."
Twain watched the United States evolve from a nation torn apart by internal conflicts to one of international power. He experienced the country's vast growth and change - from the manifest destiny of westward expansion, to the growth of big industrial business, the end of slavery, advancements in technology, increasing government involvement, and foreign wars. And along the way, he often had something to say about the changes happening in America.
James Doores, an Amarillo attorney, is known throughout the Midwest for his Twain impersonation. In the 2006 Unitarian Universalist General Assembly in St. Louis, the room was so packed, his performance had to be moved outside to accommodate the audience.
Tim Crofton, theatre arts instructor at UWC, explained why he invited Doores to present.
"It was by sheer chance, really. James attended the Amnesty International Conference here at UWC as a delegate, and told me about his impersonation act. To be honest, I was a bit doubtful because there are a lot of people who think they can do a turn on stage. But James sent me his act on DVD and it was great. Very understated. I have no doubt it will be a laugh a minute."
Crofton continued in his British accent, "One of the things that is particularly exciting for me is that at the college here we focus on so many things that are not American, but at the same time, we're the host community and nation. It's essential that the students get a real American experience, and this fits that niche. This year we're really trying to reach out to the community as well, and encourage them to come out to the castle and see our shows and concerts. It's always free and everyone is always welcome and invited to attend."
Doores will take talk-back questions in character after his presentation. As Twain once said, "Humor is the great thing, the saving thing. The minute it crops up, all our irritations and resentments slip away and a sunny spirit takes their place." Wise words, even now, in 2007.
