Program Note

The text featured in this work is from Edgar Allan Poe’s essay, The Philosophy of Furniture — a humorous and absurd commentary on materialism through the eyes of what is deemed to be a “well-furnished apartment.” I embrace the rant-like nature and questionable sanity that is typical of some of Poe’s characters, taking inspiration from the narrators’ roles in his more well-known works “The Black Cat” and “The Tell-Tale Heart.”

My piece de- and reconstructs the narrative from the perspective of one individual in their struggle to convince the audience of their point of view. This struggle is perhaps clouded by the sheer emotion and frustration that comes from not being believed, which I emphasize through the awkward nature of the physical movements and narration. As this escalates throughout the piece, the audience is left to decide for themselves if there is any truth in what’s being said.