Small Parts
Solo Collective Theatre’s “Small Parts,” which just closed at Performance Works, has attracted a number of comments. Almost all have centred on the back story to the creation of the play. The playwright’s mother, diagnosed with terminal cancer, writes (for reasons never made clear) a very bad play, its various characters being body parts. The playwright lends his professional theatre skills to bringing “The Ovarian Dialogues” to life on stage.
Small Parts attempts to replicate the real-life events as a separate theatrical experience. As touching as the back story may be, sad to say as a stand-alone play it simply does not work.
It is ironic that the seeds of what might make it work are already in the play but the playwright failed to let them germinate and take root. I refer to Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” as a template for the play. The opening is promising by utilizing the opening scene with the storm. But then the idea is dropped. After that we see only passing references that invoke Shakespeare – a character named Ariel who is ultimately “freed” and the phrase “brave new world.”
Much more could have been done to map Small Parts on to The Tempest starting with the characters, their names and their relationships. One character in particular illustrates the possibilities – Andrew McNee playing “Dan” is already there as a Caliban figure. Just call him “Cal”. Let Prospero, Ferdinand, and Miranda become Proserpine, Fred and Mandy mapped on to Irene (the mother), Nathan (the playwright) and Nory (a performer).
Defining new relationships between the characters and making them work would be a challenge and require a major departure from the back story – with no guarantee of success – but the result would have the potential to be a much stronger and engaging work.
Monday, November 24, 2014
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Subway Stations of the Cross
Pacific Theatre’s website describes this offering in the following terms:
"A homeless man on a cardboard platform brings his own peculiar message from God. An unpredictable, mashed up meditation on the sacred and the everyday, told through the songs, stories, and poetry of a nameless vagabond."
This production can only be described as self-indulgent garbage – the kind of thing that gives the one-man-show a bad name. Its only redeeming feature is that it was mercifully short.
It is sad that after their previous show – the excellent “The Rainmaker” – Pacific Theatre should deliver this kind of production to its subscribers and followers.
Pacific Theatre’s website describes this offering in the following terms:
"A homeless man on a cardboard platform brings his own peculiar message from God. An unpredictable, mashed up meditation on the sacred and the everyday, told through the songs, stories, and poetry of a nameless vagabond."
This production can only be described as self-indulgent garbage – the kind of thing that gives the one-man-show a bad name. Its only redeeming feature is that it was mercifully short.
It is sad that after their previous show – the excellent “The Rainmaker” – Pacific Theatre should deliver this kind of production to its subscribers and followers.
Broken Sex Doll
I am happy to be challenged; I am prepared to be offended; I do not, however, welcome being bored. But this is exactly "Broken Sex Doll" managed to do.
It has been revived at the York theatre by the Cultch from a previous run in 2012. Why it was thought fit to be revived is a mystery. It takes a premise, worth perhaps 10 minutes as a comic sketch, and with the addition of a number of tuneless songs, stretches it out into almost two hours.
Who thought sex could be made so tedious? One has only to think of "Vixens of Wonderland," mounted in August at Performance Works, to see how material like this can be made raunchy and titillating and be a lot of fun in the process.
Very disappointing.
I am happy to be challenged; I am prepared to be offended; I do not, however, welcome being bored. But this is exactly "Broken Sex Doll" managed to do.
It has been revived at the York theatre by the Cultch from a previous run in 2012. Why it was thought fit to be revived is a mystery. It takes a premise, worth perhaps 10 minutes as a comic sketch, and with the addition of a number of tuneless songs, stretches it out into almost two hours.
Who thought sex could be made so tedious? One has only to think of "Vixens of Wonderland," mounted in August at Performance Works, to see how material like this can be made raunchy and titillating and be a lot of fun in the process.
Very disappointing.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Slaughterhouse Five
Just closed after a short run at Studio 1398 is Little Mountain Lion Productions’ presentation of “Slaughterhouse Five” – a stage adaptation of the Kurt Vonnegut novel of the same name.
Having never read the novel or knowing much about it I came with no preconceptions as to what I was about to see. The play would have to stand or fall on its own as a work for the theatre. Unfortunately it fell with a resounding thud.
What was presented was an incoherent and self-indulgent mish mash that went from nowhere to nowhere leaving a trail of boredom in its wake.
The performances were lackluster with only one actor, Steve James, occasionally rising above the material to provide a characterization one could relate to.
A particular irritant was the failure to provide a program or at least a cast list. All it would have taken was $5 worth of photocopying. But having seen the show I can well understand the reluctance of those involved in it to leave behind any documentary evidence of their participation.
Just closed after a short run at Studio 1398 is Little Mountain Lion Productions’ presentation of “Slaughterhouse Five” – a stage adaptation of the Kurt Vonnegut novel of the same name.
Having never read the novel or knowing much about it I came with no preconceptions as to what I was about to see. The play would have to stand or fall on its own as a work for the theatre. Unfortunately it fell with a resounding thud.
What was presented was an incoherent and self-indulgent mish mash that went from nowhere to nowhere leaving a trail of boredom in its wake.
The performances were lackluster with only one actor, Steve James, occasionally rising above the material to provide a characterization one could relate to.
A particular irritant was the failure to provide a program or at least a cast list. All it would have taken was $5 worth of photocopying. But having seen the show I can well understand the reluctance of those involved in it to leave behind any documentary evidence of their participation.
Facts at Jericho
Playing at the Jericho Arts Centre is the United Players production of “Facts”. Set in an interrogation room, the principal characters are an Israeli police detective and a Palestinian police inspector working together to solve a murder that occurred in the West Bank.
Despite the context having a somewhat dated feel about it, the production is definitely worth seeing. What makes it really worthwhile is the dynamic performance of Jerry Wasserman as the Israeli detective. It was truly a joy to watch.
Unfortunately this was not matched by his Palestinian counterpart who came across as too young and lacking the authority and gravitas his position called for. It would have worked much better if the pair had been more closely matched in terms of age and apparent experience.
A bouquet to the sound designer who managed to get the sound of the security apparatus just right.
Playing at the Jericho Arts Centre is the United Players production of “Facts”. Set in an interrogation room, the principal characters are an Israeli police detective and a Palestinian police inspector working together to solve a murder that occurred in the West Bank.
Despite the context having a somewhat dated feel about it, the production is definitely worth seeing. What makes it really worthwhile is the dynamic performance of Jerry Wasserman as the Israeli detective. It was truly a joy to watch.
Unfortunately this was not matched by his Palestinian counterpart who came across as too young and lacking the authority and gravitas his position called for. It would have worked much better if the pair had been more closely matched in terms of age and apparent experience.
A bouquet to the sound designer who managed to get the sound of the security apparatus just right.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Two Postscripts
Additional thoughts on previous postings.
Snapshots
Was my depreciation of the music of Stephen Schwartz shared by the producers of Snapshots? I note with interest that the music used to frame the audience’s arrival and played during the intermission (there must be a term for it) was the show music of Leonard Bernstein. Schwartz’s tunes did not fare well by comparison.
Subsequent Conversations (Neil Labute at Douglas College)
I was left puzzled by the choices made in relation to the set design for this evening of playlets. All of them involved a cast of two or three actors (usually two) playing in a physically intimate environment (two of them set in the front seat of a car).
But the set itself was huge in relation to the needs of the material. A large performing area – largely unused – with a number of levels which suggested no particular time or place. It was the kind of general purpose set one might expect to find for an epic drama or Wagner opera. Only a fraction of the available performing area was used for the playlets.
That said, the set would have been a great design for a different offering and was well-executed. Since the main justification of the production itself was to provide the students with a showcase for their work this was simply to give the stagecraft students, as well as the actors, a chance to show their stuff, whatever the demands of the playlets might have been.
Additional thoughts on previous postings.
Snapshots
Was my depreciation of the music of Stephen Schwartz shared by the producers of Snapshots? I note with interest that the music used to frame the audience’s arrival and played during the intermission (there must be a term for it) was the show music of Leonard Bernstein. Schwartz’s tunes did not fare well by comparison.
Subsequent Conversations (Neil Labute at Douglas College)
I was left puzzled by the choices made in relation to the set design for this evening of playlets. All of them involved a cast of two or three actors (usually two) playing in a physically intimate environment (two of them set in the front seat of a car).
But the set itself was huge in relation to the needs of the material. A large performing area – largely unused – with a number of levels which suggested no particular time or place. It was the kind of general purpose set one might expect to find for an epic drama or Wagner opera. Only a fraction of the available performing area was used for the playlets.
That said, the set would have been a great design for a different offering and was well-executed. Since the main justification of the production itself was to provide the students with a showcase for their work this was simply to give the stagecraft students, as well as the actors, a chance to show their stuff, whatever the demands of the playlets might have been.
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Two Evenings with Neil LaBute
Neil LaBute is described as “ an American film director, screenwriter and playwright” (Wikipedia). His stage works are seldom seen in Vancouver so it is surprising to see two productions running simultaneously that feature his plays.
The first is “Fat Pig” just finishing a short run at Studio 16. Colin Thomas’ review says most of what has to be said about the production:
http://www.straight.com/arts/765146/emmelia-gordon-radiant-fat-pig
The second is “Subsequent Conversations” presented by the students of Douglas College “Departments of Theatre and Stagecraft & Event Technology” (quite a mouthful) at its Studio venue in New Westminster.
The latter is a collection of one act plays and playlets drawn from longer works. Based on what I have seen, it seems to be characteristic of LaBute’s plays that he frequently gives us a series of relatively self-contained vignettes rather than a flow. This explains why a collection like Subsequent Conversations is possible. And the opening scene of Fat Pig is quite capable of standing on its own (as might some of the other scenes with a bit of adaptation).
Although it was written only ten years ago, Fat Pig felt somehow dated. In many ways it seemed to reflect a social environment that is now fading fast. If it is about the characters living in that environment, only Helen, who is central, is memorable and worth caring about.
LaBute has a good ear for language (although he is no Mamet) but it is not always used to best effect. It can take a painfully long time for many of his scenes to get to the point as he plays with the dialogue. Pace and economy were often lacking.
The student performances in Subsequent Conversations were up to the job but unhappily suffer by comparison with the more polished work done by Studio 58. An exception were the performances in the first playlet “Bench Seat” by Thomas Halkes and Jessica Kabesh. Jessica in particular is a performer to watch.
Neil LaBute is described as “ an American film director, screenwriter and playwright” (Wikipedia). His stage works are seldom seen in Vancouver so it is surprising to see two productions running simultaneously that feature his plays.
The first is “Fat Pig” just finishing a short run at Studio 16. Colin Thomas’ review says most of what has to be said about the production:
http://www.straight.com/arts/765146/emmelia-gordon-radiant-fat-pig
The second is “Subsequent Conversations” presented by the students of Douglas College “Departments of Theatre and Stagecraft & Event Technology” (quite a mouthful) at its Studio venue in New Westminster.
The latter is a collection of one act plays and playlets drawn from longer works. Based on what I have seen, it seems to be characteristic of LaBute’s plays that he frequently gives us a series of relatively self-contained vignettes rather than a flow. This explains why a collection like Subsequent Conversations is possible. And the opening scene of Fat Pig is quite capable of standing on its own (as might some of the other scenes with a bit of adaptation).
Although it was written only ten years ago, Fat Pig felt somehow dated. In many ways it seemed to reflect a social environment that is now fading fast. If it is about the characters living in that environment, only Helen, who is central, is memorable and worth caring about.
LaBute has a good ear for language (although he is no Mamet) but it is not always used to best effect. It can take a painfully long time for many of his scenes to get to the point as he plays with the dialogue. Pace and economy were often lacking.
The student performances in Subsequent Conversations were up to the job but unhappily suffer by comparison with the more polished work done by Studio 58. An exception were the performances in the first playlet “Bench Seat” by Thomas Halkes and Jessica Kabesh. Jessica in particular is a performer to watch.
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Snapshots – A musical Scrapbook
Playing until November 8 at Studio 1398 on Granville Island is Snapshots – a Musical Scrapbook. This is an original musical theatre piece that draws on the work a single composer/lyricist. The dramatic framework involves a husband and wife on the verge of separating. They are in their attic looking over a variety of objects and photographs that trigger memories of the events that shaped their relationship over the years.
In the process the couple Dan and Sue meet with and interact with themselves at earlier stages of their lives. We see their relationship form as children and young adults – Danny and Susie. Then we meet Daniel and Susan who eventually marry. In all, we have six actors who portray the couple as the action moves forward in time (as well as a handful of other characters who move in and out of their story).
This framing device works very well. The songs are made to fit the progress of the show and impressive performances by every member of the cast made it a production worth seeing – but one that is ultimately unsatisfying.
The composer/lyricist in question is Stephen Schwartz and I would not place him in the first rank of composers for the musical theatre. He does have to his credit a few memorable and beautiful songs, but his repertoire is simply not extensive and diverse enough to support this kind of show. Too many of the songs presented sounded just like the previous one.
This excellent framing device is ultimately wasted on Schwartz’s work. But it could easily be adapted, with very little change, to the body of work of a number theatrical composers. One hopes that the book may one day find itself showcasing the music of a more worthy creator.
Playing until November 8 at Studio 1398 on Granville Island is Snapshots – a Musical Scrapbook. This is an original musical theatre piece that draws on the work a single composer/lyricist. The dramatic framework involves a husband and wife on the verge of separating. They are in their attic looking over a variety of objects and photographs that trigger memories of the events that shaped their relationship over the years.
In the process the couple Dan and Sue meet with and interact with themselves at earlier stages of their lives. We see their relationship form as children and young adults – Danny and Susie. Then we meet Daniel and Susan who eventually marry. In all, we have six actors who portray the couple as the action moves forward in time (as well as a handful of other characters who move in and out of their story).
This framing device works very well. The songs are made to fit the progress of the show and impressive performances by every member of the cast made it a production worth seeing – but one that is ultimately unsatisfying.
The composer/lyricist in question is Stephen Schwartz and I would not place him in the first rank of composers for the musical theatre. He does have to his credit a few memorable and beautiful songs, but his repertoire is simply not extensive and diverse enough to support this kind of show. Too many of the songs presented sounded just like the previous one.
This excellent framing device is ultimately wasted on Schwartz’s work. But it could easily be adapted, with very little change, to the body of work of a number theatrical composers. One hopes that the book may one day find itself showcasing the music of a more worthy creator.
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