Meet Charon, ferryman on the river Styx of Greek mythology. Here's what PSYCHOPOMP’s charming Nick Dickson had to say of the man that's a boat and the boat that's a man.
1. What is something that delights you about your corner of McLaren Park?
I love that the approach to Charon is up a hill, out of the forest, where the audience encounters the road again. It fits well with what Charon has to say. The audience are removed from the park for a moment, going uphill, and after they encounter Charon, they descend again into the park. I think the time they spend with Charon builds anticipation. It makes me think of my corner of McLaren as the mid-rollercoaster reset. You've gone through some loops and corkscrews, and now you're gathering potential energy again, getting ready for the last few events.
2. What is something that surprises you about your corner of McLaren?
It's busy. I thought that my part of the park-- a minute's walk away from the neighborhood near the Blue Water Tower-- would be less frequented. Not only are there tons of passerby, but we were stalked by a people-acclimated coyote in a late April rehearsal. I think that, even though my part of McLaren is more 'city' than other parts, it has the potential of being more on the threshold of 'urban' and 'wild' than other places. Imagine a world where the coyotes of McLaren and the toddlers of Excelsior roam the park together in harmony. Just kidding: we guides are there to manage that kind of daydream.
3. What is something that you admire about your Psychopomp?
I may have missed something in the mythos of Charon that debunks this, BUT, what I like about the Boatman is that he is a reversal in Greek mythology. He is the most clown-like, regarding resilience. With the more famous Greek gods, times change and heroes change. The gods keep their qualities. They have temples built and are 'patron' gods of . . . 'x'. Charon is in a place where nothing changes. Souls keep coming, and he keeps ferrying. But the character of Charon changes a lot. Virgil to Seneca, to Dante, with various paintings sourced from each poet, Charon goes from a robust young Attic sailor to a skeleton in a cowl, like the Grim Reaper. But his job never changes. I like to think that Charon reinvents himself every time he ferries the souls across the rivers.
4. What is something that makes your Psychopomp joyful?
Attention. Charon has no lasting friends. To have the total attention of whomever is 'next': that is his only (doomed) chance to make friends. He is constantly meeting, loving, and letting go of each person he encounters. For millennia. So he is most joyful a) when he meets YOU, dear traveler. And b) when he lets you go, and he gets to go meet the next person. Waiting becomes anticipation. Anticipation becomes joy at its fulfillment. Charon will always enjoy the current person, and he'll always look forward to the next person, and there will always be a next person. He's got it made, poor guy.
Photos by Lauren Matley Costume by Brooke Jennings
