The Play's The Thing
Yesterday afternoon I went to see a performance of Richard III with an acquaintance from work, and it was a lot of fun.
The director used projection -- both video and computer powerpoint and email -- to provide background and have some actors appear only in digital form. It might not have worked, but turned out to be an interesting, effective choice. The play opened with a "Previously on --" powerpoint, which helped to orient the audience. King Edward appeared only on video, as if from a camera set up in his hospital room. Ditto the two princes in the tower, using what looked like a phone in the interview room of a jail. I wasn't sure if they were actually performing backstage, and being projected live during the performance, or if it was all filmed earlier, and everyone had the timing of the performances utterly mastered.
Richard used anonymous email to spread the rumors referred to in the script, and announced the execution of Hastings as ". . . has gone on to pursue other projects. We wish him all the best in his new endeavors," which made my friend and I both laugh hard, because we've seen more than a few of those at work lately.
Because there were only seven people in the cast, the director did not try to do a battle scene. Instead, there was a debate, with a map of England, Scotland and Wales projected on the screen, with the counties marked in red or white for which side (York or Lancaster -- or Lancaster and York) were winning there. That too was surprisingly effective. At the end of the debate, however, as Richmond won, Richard exclaimed rapidly, "A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!" into the microphone before running off -- because, of course, you must have that line if you're doing Richard III.
My companion for the afternoon was Carl, who also works in my department at work. As I noted a few days ago, he is married, and his wife lives in Dallas -- and we both like to see plays but don't like to see them alone. We both enjoyed the afternoon, and the conversation, and agreed that we should do this again.
This company's next production is Cyrano. He's going to take his wife, and I'm going to ask my dad to go, since it's one of his favorite plays. Carl suggested we all go together -- which would be a hoot.
The director used projection -- both video and computer powerpoint and email -- to provide background and have some actors appear only in digital form. It might not have worked, but turned out to be an interesting, effective choice. The play opened with a "Previously on --" powerpoint, which helped to orient the audience. King Edward appeared only on video, as if from a camera set up in his hospital room. Ditto the two princes in the tower, using what looked like a phone in the interview room of a jail. I wasn't sure if they were actually performing backstage, and being projected live during the performance, or if it was all filmed earlier, and everyone had the timing of the performances utterly mastered.
Richard used anonymous email to spread the rumors referred to in the script, and announced the execution of Hastings as ". . . has gone on to pursue other projects. We wish him all the best in his new endeavors," which made my friend and I both laugh hard, because we've seen more than a few of those at work lately.
Because there were only seven people in the cast, the director did not try to do a battle scene. Instead, there was a debate, with a map of England, Scotland and Wales projected on the screen, with the counties marked in red or white for which side (York or Lancaster -- or Lancaster and York) were winning there. That too was surprisingly effective. At the end of the debate, however, as Richmond won, Richard exclaimed rapidly, "A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!" into the microphone before running off -- because, of course, you must have that line if you're doing Richard III.
My companion for the afternoon was Carl, who also works in my department at work. As I noted a few days ago, he is married, and his wife lives in Dallas -- and we both like to see plays but don't like to see them alone. We both enjoyed the afternoon, and the conversation, and agreed that we should do this again.
This company's next production is Cyrano. He's going to take his wife, and I'm going to ask my dad to go, since it's one of his favorite plays. Carl suggested we all go together -- which would be a hoot.