- May 1, 2025
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People may know the Gothic Library at Bookstore1Sarasota for its darker fare.
Yet its next performance is taking a fuzzier turn by focusing on a beloved "silly old bear."
Director Ren Pearson says it surprised everyone that his next choice in the series of radio-style live shows was "The House on Pooh Corner."
The performance, produced in association with Theatre Odyssey, will be performed April 17 and again on April 18.
The series, which features actors offering live narration and line readings, along with sound design, originated from an idea by Pearson, an employee of the store.
It comes after the original "Winnie-the-Pooh" book by A.A. Milne (1926) entered the public domain in 2022, followed by its sequel, "The House at Pooh Corner" (1928), in 2024.
"The public domain, I think, just kind of gave me the kick in the pants to realize, wait a minute, we could do this, and we could do it with all these characters that everyone loves," he said.
Pearson said it wasn't difficult to find a uniting theme in adapting the book and its many individual stories.
He found this thread in the plot line of Tigger's arrival in the Hundred Acre Wood; although Tigger's exuberant personality does cause some annoyance, especially for Rabbit, they ultimately welcome him into the Wood.
"I figured, I think the world could do with some kindness right now, because it's not a kind time for anybody right now..." Pearson said. "The sort of idea that we should be helping others, just because others deserve it, I kind of used that thread and chose the stories that related to that thread."
He said one aspect of the production that still posed a challenge was staying out of the shadow of Disney's version, a subject that arose during the first table reading.
He notes that differentiating the production was difficult for him, since as a child he would watch the Disney films, as well as the "New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" TV series.
The Disney films and their versions of the story elements are still under copyright.
Nonetheless, Pearson says he thinks the actors he's chosen fit their roles perfectly.
"The characters were already there with the people I picked, and upon hearing them read these characters, I saw them instantly in my brain, so I think the audience will too," he said.
One example is his friend Tom Horton, who is playing Winnie-the-Pooh.
"He just has one of the sweetest English voices," he said. "He could read you anything, and he could just fall asleep, and it just fit Pooh."
Meanwhile, his brother Vincent Pearson, whom he says is fittingly lively and energetic, is playing Tigger.
"I did encourage him to just take a little bit from Disney, but still make it your own, because people will be coming in with an expectation," he said.
Pearson said as much as he loves Gothic literature, to his surprise, he isn't a particular fan of what he describes as a trend where "as soon as a beloved character enters the public domain, someone makes a cheap horror film out of it."
"Children's literature has just as much value as spooky Gothic literature, I feel, and I'm hoping that if anyone does choose to adapt these stories, just take a second before you decide to go nuts with them," he said. You may find just enough to give you a good product."
