In honor of Canada Day this Wednesday, I decided that this week would be geared to Canadian playwrights.
7 Stories is one of those plays that being from Vancouver, everyone has seen, talks about, etc. I have never seen it and had never read it before now. But I certainly went into it knowing the basic plot: A man stands on a seventh storey building ledge, preparing to jump to his death but is constantly interrupted by the building's residents.
What I didn't know (but should have suspected) was how wonderfully quirky the 12 building resident characters are. Played by only 4 actors, the 12 characters are a great mix of comical and tragic with a lovely hint of neuroses.
I would love to see a production of this show. There is a lot of potential for interesting design choices as well as the variety of ways the shows ending could be perceived by various directors.
Showing posts with label Summer Play Reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Summer Play Reading. Show all posts
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Reading Plays 1: Hamlet & Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
I know that it's cheating to talk about reading plays that I'm doing, but this past week has been entirely filled by reading, re-reading, scheduling, listing, re-reading, and all of the other "first week of rehearsal" things that go with stage managing two shows in rep [point of clarification: I am SMing R&G and ASMing Hamlet].
I don't know about you, but I read Hamlet in high school and studied it until I no longer cared about any of it. I also did a production of it when I was in university where it was cut down to 60 minutes and again, didn't really care. All of this makes it far more interesting to read now and enjoy in a whole new way. The version we are using for the show is cut by our director using the First Folio as well as the quartos...It's not your traditional Hamlet. There are scenes in different orders what what you'd find in most modern publications of the play and as such the character relationships are different. And I like it. I sat at the first read today, finally hearing aloud the play I have been reading all week and the characters came alive for me.
I've always been an auditory learner. I learned that fact in grade 3 and have been forever grateful for it. When I hear something I remember it and if I don't hear it (but rather see it) I am far less likely to remember it. For me this means that plays I have read are not nearly as alive for me as plays that are read aloud.
On the other hand, I had never read R&G before going into this process. Sure, I knew of it, but I didn't know anything about how it fit together, and my god is it brilliant. Every time I re-read it (by which I mean every day this week) I am amazed at some new detail. Today as we read Hamlet aloud, I was amazed by pieces of R&G where words and phrases were turned on their heads that I had not previously noticed.
Both plays are a lesson in solid playwrighting, though from completely different schools. Shakespeare is considered a master playwright for a reason. His words evoke images so beautiful and detailed while still furthering story. Stoppard's post-modern look at the fall of the meta-narrative and the dissapearance of the hero is similarly evokative, but in its simplicity and absurdity rather.
And I'll never look at a coin toss the same way again.
I don't know about you, but I read Hamlet in high school and studied it until I no longer cared about any of it. I also did a production of it when I was in university where it was cut down to 60 minutes and again, didn't really care. All of this makes it far more interesting to read now and enjoy in a whole new way. The version we are using for the show is cut by our director using the First Folio as well as the quartos...It's not your traditional Hamlet. There are scenes in different orders what what you'd find in most modern publications of the play and as such the character relationships are different. And I like it. I sat at the first read today, finally hearing aloud the play I have been reading all week and the characters came alive for me.
I've always been an auditory learner. I learned that fact in grade 3 and have been forever grateful for it. When I hear something I remember it and if I don't hear it (but rather see it) I am far less likely to remember it. For me this means that plays I have read are not nearly as alive for me as plays that are read aloud.
On the other hand, I had never read R&G before going into this process. Sure, I knew of it, but I didn't know anything about how it fit together, and my god is it brilliant. Every time I re-read it (by which I mean every day this week) I am amazed at some new detail. Today as we read Hamlet aloud, I was amazed by pieces of R&G where words and phrases were turned on their heads that I had not previously noticed.
Both plays are a lesson in solid playwrighting, though from completely different schools. Shakespeare is considered a master playwright for a reason. His words evoke images so beautiful and detailed while still furthering story. Stoppard's post-modern look at the fall of the meta-narrative and the dissapearance of the hero is similarly evokative, but in its simplicity and absurdity rather.
And I'll never look at a coin toss the same way again.
Monday, June 22, 2009
New Season's Resolution: The Summer Play Reading Plan
My new year's resolution was to see more theatre; to be specific, 3 or more shows a month. This summer, there isn't that much theatre to see in Kamloops and my lack of vehicle makes going elsewhere to see theatre problematic. With that in mind I have set myself a new resolution. For the next 7 weeks (until August 6th) I will read 2 plays a week and discuss them on my blog. You'll find the first post on Thursday of this week and then every Monday & Thursday after that.
Reading plays is hard for me. I'm not a visual person. I don't dream in pictures. When I read a play I can't picture it staged. It's much easier for me to spend my time watching TV or even reading novels where things are much more clearly written out for you. But connecting with theatre and the larger theatrical community doesn't happen solely by going to see plays. Reading plays, both new and old, is a vital part of our development as theatre artists (regardless of what role we play within the theatre world). It sharpens our theatrical senses and makes us aware of the plays that are out there - both good and bad.
I have a lot of friends and aquaintences who are playwrights. I go and support the work my actor/director/designer friends are doing. Why am I not supporting the work of my playwright friends?
As a first step to finding plays I made a call on Twitter on Saturday & Sunday. I said, "I am starting to blog about reading plays. Mostly because I need to read more plays. What should I read first? Suggestions please!? #theatre" And the responses came roaring in. Here's just a small sample of the plays people are suggesting:
The house where I'm staying here in Kamloops belongs to the former AD of a theatre company, so there are scripts throughout the house. Some I've heard of or read before, but others have no name recognition. Some are on the recommended lists that people have sent to me. I plan to read some from all categories. I will try to read some Canadian plays, some international plays, some modern plays, some classics & some that defy categorization. If you have suggestions of plays I should read, please leave them in the comments section!
Reading plays is hard for me. I'm not a visual person. I don't dream in pictures. When I read a play I can't picture it staged. It's much easier for me to spend my time watching TV or even reading novels where things are much more clearly written out for you. But connecting with theatre and the larger theatrical community doesn't happen solely by going to see plays. Reading plays, both new and old, is a vital part of our development as theatre artists (regardless of what role we play within the theatre world). It sharpens our theatrical senses and makes us aware of the plays that are out there - both good and bad.
I have a lot of friends and aquaintences who are playwrights. I go and support the work my actor/director/designer friends are doing. Why am I not supporting the work of my playwright friends?
As a first step to finding plays I made a call on Twitter on Saturday & Sunday. I said, "I am starting to blog about reading plays. Mostly because I need to read more plays. What should I read first? Suggestions please!? #theatre" And the responses came roaring in. Here's just a small sample of the plays people are suggesting:
- runismymantra I am assuming you have read top girls, anything by Ibsen, my beautiful laundrette- more of a screenplay though, Walsh by S Pollock
- getrealtheatre Killer Joe by T Letts, all of David Lindsay-Abaire, As Bees in Honey Drown by D Carter Beane LOTS more
- RyanInVancouveraugust Osage county is a great play I'd look into!!!
- atomicfezThe list is massive. I'd recommend 'anything you can get your hands on', or start with names like Orton, Pinter, Churchill #theatre
- lekogirlAmy Freed is a completely brilliant contemp playwright with the best intelligent sense of humor. "You, Nero" is PHENOMENAL.
- MareBiddleRabbit Hole, How I Learned to Drive, Homecoming, and The Goat.
- helenemontagnaOne of my favorite plays ever is Sam Shepard's "Fool for Love". Also, anything by O'Neill, esp Long Day's Journey Into Night.
The house where I'm staying here in Kamloops belongs to the former AD of a theatre company, so there are scripts throughout the house. Some I've heard of or read before, but others have no name recognition. Some are on the recommended lists that people have sent to me. I plan to read some from all categories. I will try to read some Canadian plays, some international plays, some modern plays, some classics & some that defy categorization. If you have suggestions of plays I should read, please leave them in the comments section!
tags:
Summer Play Reading,
theatre
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