• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • NEWS+OPINIONS
    • NEWS TO US
    • COLUMNS
      • APPARENT HORIZON
      • DEAR READER
      • Close
    • LONGFORM FEATURES
    • OPINIONS
    • EDITORIAL
    • Close
  • ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
    • FILM
    • MUSIC
    • COMEDY
    • PERFORMING ARTS
    • VISUAL ARTS
    • Close
  • DINING+DRINKING
    • EATS
    • SIPS
    • Close
  • LIFESTYLE
    • CANNABIS
      • TALKING JOINTS MEMO
      • Close
    • WELLNESS
    • GTFO
    • Close
  • STUFF TO DO
  • TICKETS
  • ABOUT US
    • ABOUT
    • MASTHEAD
    • ADVERTISE
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • Close
  • BECOME A MEMBER

Dig Bos

The Dig - Boston's Only Newspaper

CURRENT STREET EDITION

DIG 23.05 – 4/8/21

RE-ANIMATING POE: AN INTERVIEW WITH JEFFREY COMBS

Written by KRISTOFER JENSON Posted October 29, 2014 Filed Under: A+E, Books, Performing Arts

Photo By Ward Boult
Photo By Ward Boult

Though his most recognizable role is no doubt that of mad scientist Herbert West in the Re-Animator films, Jeffrey Combs has had a long and varied career: from stage, to screen, to television, to cult icon. We chatted with Combs in the Microcinema of the Somerville Theatre—where he will bring his one-man show, “Nevermore: An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe,” in which he embodies the famed writer—in celebration of the unveiling of one of the two statues dedicated to the author in Boston. This man has a professional’s insight and an artist’s way with words, and no opportunity to hear him speak should be missed.

 

On the film that made him famous …
I didn’t even know who H.P. Lovecraft was when I auditioned for Re-Animator. No idea. No frame of reference. It’s ironic because I didn’t grow up reading him. I’m an actor; I didn’t say ‘I want to be actor’ so I can do Lovecraft movies. That was the farthest thing from my mind, so it’s funny how things come together that way.

 

On film versus theater …
I heard a long time ago something that I think is quite right: People that have come from the theater can do film, but people that do film can’t necessarily do theater. I think that’s probably pretty true. It’s all one, but they require adjustments and different skill sets. With film you can kind of get away with what a lot of people have, just being very natural and just being a persona of themselves, but if you threw them into a play, where they had to convey their persona to the back row, they might fail miserably. I think someone that comes from the theater, since they have the skill set to emote outward, they can also calibrate it down. It’s a matter of dialing down, but if you’ve never dialed up, how do you dial down? How do you trust it? Recently, I’ve been getting into voice acting, like animated characters, so that’s a whole other skill set where you would think, “Oh, well it’s just talking.” But let me tell you, it’s a completely different avenue of ability. It’s like another tool in the chest.

 

On what he hopes people will see in his Poe …
Right when he died there was an awful, scathing obituary that perpetuated really bad myths about Poe. He was many things, and he had many interests. He was prolific, an acute intellect, and he was tortured, and he was soaring creativity, and he’s … there’s not a word. It’s uncategorized. You can’t categorize him. It does him a disservice if you think he’s just The Man of the Crow, because he did soaring, beautiful poetry, he was a Renaissance man. He wrote a play, not a very good one. He wrote a novel. He saw himself as a poet, first and foremost. He is just far more complex than people might think of him and I hope, if they come to my play, they’ll see those colors.

 

On Poe’s boozy disposition …
There were stories of Poe being in the gutter, literally. But he always pulled himself up and tried to not do that again, but he had a lot on his plate … There’s a famous quote of Poe’s that says, “What no one understands and what no one will understand is that the drink does not make me insane. It’s the insanity that I suffer that makes me drink.” And I suspect that Poe might have been a bit of a bipolar or a manic-depressive. A lot of people who have incredible gifts have these incredible swings.

 

On the Somerville Theatre …
It’s the best period-feeling venue that I’ve ever done my show in.

 

NEVERMORE: AN EVENING WITH EDGAR ALLAN POE. SOMERVILLE THEATRE, 55 DAVIS SQ., SOMERVILLE. 8PM/ALL AGES/$35.


FURTHER READING

POE POE: THE FACTS IN THE CASE OF THE TWO POES

GEORGE R.R. MARTIN BACKS EDGAR ALLAN POE BRONZE BUST PROJECT

SOMERVILLE THEATRE CENTENNIAL: 100 YEARS AND GOING STRONG


 

KRISTOFER JENSON
More from author
  • KRISTOFER JENSON
    https://digboston.com/author/kristofer-jenson/
    FESTIVAL REPORT: ON "MOPE", "TONE-DEAF", AND MORE FROM BUFF '19
  • KRISTOFER JENSON
    https://digboston.com/author/kristofer-jenson/
    ROPEFUL ROMANTIC: 'THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY' IS THE BDSM LOVE STORY AUDIENCES DESERVE
  • KRISTOFER JENSON
    https://digboston.com/author/kristofer-jenson/
    KEEP 35MM ALIVE!: AN INTERVIEW WITH "OUT OF PRINT" DIRECTOR JULIA MARCHESE
  • KRISTOFER JENSON
    https://digboston.com/author/kristofer-jenson/
    STATE OF PLAY: MFA SHOWCASES THE DIVERSITY OF IRANIAN FILM

Filed Under: A+E, Books, Performing Arts Tagged With: Boston, Combs, H.P. Lovecraft, Jeffrey Combs, Microcinema, Nevermore, Nevermore: An Evening With Edgar Allan Poe, Re-Animator

WHAT’S NEW

PICS & RECAP: JUSTICE 4 DUANTE WRIGHT JUSTICE 4 ALL EMERGENCY RALLY 

PICS & RECAP: JUSTICE 4 DUANTE WRIGHT JUSTICE 4 ALL EMERGENCY RALLY 

A SHORT DOC ABOUT HOW DIGBOSTON WEATHERED A PANDEMIC YEAR

A SHORT DOC ABOUT HOW DIGBOSTON WEATHERED A PANDEMIC YEAR

FULL PARKING ENFORCEMENT RETURNS TO BOSTON, BLUEBIKES STILL AVAIL FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS

FULL PARKING ENFORCEMENT RETURNS TO BOSTON, BLUEBIKES STILL AVAIL FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS

EMERGENCY PRESS CONFERENCE AND RALLY FOR DAUNTE WRIGHT

EMERGENCY PRESS CONFERENCE AND RALLY FOR DAUNTE WRIGHT

POLITICIANS GET IN LINE TO CALL FOR BOSTON POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY

POLITICIANS GET IN LINE TO CALL FOR BOSTON POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY

PARENTS RELEASE AN ANALYSIS OF BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDRAISING INEQUITIES

PARENTS RELEASE AN ANALYSIS OF BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDRAISING INEQUITIES

Primary Sidebar

HEMPIRE FREEDOM PACK 25% OFF

FEATURED EVENT

Most Popular

  • VACCINE EQUITY NOW! COALITION ASKS BAKER TO ALLOCATE 20% OF NEW DOSES TO HARD HIT COMMUNITIES by SHIRA LAUCHAROEN
  • IF YOU’RE SURPRISED THE BPD CODDLED AN ACCUSED MOLESTER COP, YOU’RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION by CHRIS FARAONE
  • rally to protest discrimination and crimes against Asian and Pacific islanders during Stop Asian Hate rally on Boston Common in Boston PICS & RECAP: “STOP ASIAN HATE BOSTON” RALLY ON THE COMMON by KEIKO HIROMI
  • A FAREWELL TRIBUTE (OF SORTS) TO MARTY WALSH by DIG STAFF
  • THE MYSTERY OF CHEZ TORTONI by CHRISTOPHER EHLERS

READ CURRENT MEMBER EDITION

DIG Member 2.1 – March 2021

READ CURRENT STREET ISSUE

DIG 23.05 – 4/8/21

Footer

digbos

digbos
“My administration is doubling down on our work “My administration is doubling down on our work to stand up the #Boston Office of #Police Accountability and Transparency.” https://digboston.com/politicians-get-in-line-to-call-for-boston-police-accountability/ #politics #Massachusetts
This week is your last chance to hit up Mooby’s This week is your last chance to hit up Mooby’s in #Boston … https://digboston.com/moobys-boston-how-kevin-smith-has-brought-his-pick-up-experience-to-10-cities-during-the-pandemic/ #fan #popup #fun #restaurant #movie #Massachusetts #snoochieboochies
The group is asking that polices address the dispa The group is asking that polices address the disparities the #data has revealed. https://digboston.com/parents-release-an-analysis-of-boston-public-school-fundraising-inequities/ #education #school #public #study #fundraising #racism #Boston #Massachusetts
“We’re not going to survive for 20 more years “We’re not going to survive for 20 more years if we don’t do this [move to a bigger space].” https://digboston.com/how-juliet-hit-a-100k-kickstarter-goal-in-4-days/ #restaurant #business #food #crowdfund #SomervilleMA #coronavirus #COVID19
EDITORIAL: DIGBOSTON SEEKS CLIMATE IDEAS FOR MAYOR EDITORIAL: DIGBOSTON SEEKS CLIMATE IDEAS FOR MAYOR KIM JANEY. Environmental organizations and individual activists invited to submit opinion articles for publication. https://digboston.com/editorial-digboston-seeks-climate-ideas-for-mayor-kim-janey/ #politics @boston_mayor #environment #globalwarming #climate #activist #callforsubmissions #policy #Boston #Massachusetts
“Most are some of my favorite bars or local clas “Most are some of my favorite bars or local classics that I’ve learned to love in my time living in the city. Others just have a great facade that I know would make a great drawing.” https://digboston.com/drawn-but-not-forgotten-local-artist-sketches-beloved-boston-restaurants/ #art #artist #sketch #drawing #Boston #Massachusetts #bar #restaurant
Despite #pandemic hurdles, Mass #music instructors Despite #pandemic hurdles, Mass #music instructors hit new high notes. “My #teaching has gone to another level.” https://digboston.com/the-medium-is-the-maestro/ #education #Massachusetts #coronavirus #COVID19
From the podcast to the book, Wayne Federman chron From the podcast to the book, Wayne Federman chronicles the business of joke-telling. https://digboston.com/the-history-of-stand-up-from-mark-twain-to-dave-chappelle/ #comedy #history #book #interview #Boston #Massachusetts
“I’m calling on some of you to drop by a local “I’m calling on some of you to drop by a local field office and hear what people have to say.” https://digboston.com/dear-reader-the-political-season-is-upon-us-embrace-it/ #politics #commentary #election #Massachusetts
“I think most people agree that we want our publ “I think most people agree that we want our public dollars to go to those companies that are not cutting corners.” https://digboston.com/bill-seeks-to-penalize-contractors-for-unsafe-conditions/ #politics #legislation #construction #safety #labor #Massachusetts
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Social Buttons

DigBoston facebook DigBoston Twitter DigBoston Instagram

Masthead

About

Submissions

Advertise

Privacy Policy

Customer Service

Distribution

About Us

DigBoston is a one-stop nexus for everything worth doing or knowing in the Boston area. It's an alt-weekly, it's a website, it's an e-mail blast, it's a twitter account, it's that cool party that you were at last night ... hey, you're reading it, so it's gotta be good. For advertising inquiries: [email protected] To reach Editorial: [email protected] For internship opportunities: [email protected]