Mark Twain was resurrected on a high school performing arts stage last week.
Hal Holbrook performed his Tony Award-winning show, "Mark Twain Tonight," at Opelika High School Sept. 15. Holbrook has been performing this specific show since 1954 and received his first of 10 Emmy nominations for it.
The show features only Holbrook, a book-laden table, a chair and a lectern, all positioned atop an old carpet, setting the 1800s atmosphere.
For the show, Holbrook dresses in old-fashioned attire: a classic off-white suit with a red bowtie and a chained gold pocketwatch pinned to the front.
Holbrook embodies Twain, sporting white hair and a moustache, as well as puffing on a cigar for the show's duration.
Holbrook becomes Twain during the performance, reciting the author's jokes on politics, the media, religion and life.
"If we want to know what the human race is truly like, observe us at election time," Holbrook said. "Common sense is out of place at election time."
Holbrook, as Twain, said when it comes to political elections, we are simply watching a parade of half-truths, and there is not one brain among politicians that is superior to the rest.
"We have freedom of conscience, freedom of speech and the prudence not to exercise either," Holbrook said. "Washington is the stockpot for every jackass in the country."
Holbrook also satirized the religious aspects of America and the number of Christians in the nation's demographics, again channeling Twain.
"If this is a Christian country, so is Hell," Holbrook said. "Sometimes it does seem a shame that Noah and his party did not miss the boat ... It is inscrutable to me that God should endure all this, with lightening so cheap."
Wealth and money was another topic that drew a lot of noise from the crowd.
Holbrook quoted Twain, saying the lack of money is the root of all evil.
"Wealth is more respectable than virtue," he said. "People learned to fall down and worship wealth."
Amongst the packed auditorium was Donna Kelley and her daughter Keri, a senior at Opelika High School. Donna said it was amazing that Twain's writings are still relevant.
"These are 100-year-old jokes," she said. "So many people turned out because they still apply today."
Another member of the audience was Gus Ryles, a junior at Auburn High School.
"I think I'm one of the only ones here who still has a full head of hair," Ryles said. "But it's really cool. The same things that were important then are important now."
In addition to the humorous quips, Holbrook also performed a scene from Twain's novel "Huckleberry Finn."
In the excerpt, Huck drifts downriver on a raft and must lie to some passersby to protect his friend, the runaway slave named Jim, who had a bounty on his head.
Holbrook played the parts of all the characters, shifting his position and changing his voice.
The common thread throughout the performance, whether the scene concerned politics, religion or money, was humanity in all its imperfections and prejudices.
"Man came in a little lower than the angels and has been getting lower since," Holbrook said, quoting Twain. "To place him properly, humans are between the angels and the French."
Despite the strings of jokes, however, some of Holbrook's statements were more serious, pensive and focused on living life to the fullest.
"The dreams of our youth," Holbrook said. "How beautiful they are, and how perishable."
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