Sardines and doors
Dec. 17th, 2004 12:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
magidLast night I went to the BU production of Noises Off, which remains one of my favorite comedies. It's about a touring company putting on a farce, Nothing On, as the tensions among the actors intensify. Much hilarity ensues. Hijinks, even, some having to do with the interminable plates of sardines brought on stage (to both plays).
On the technical side, everything was well thought out. There was a light on the curtain1 with a logo for Nothing On, and a program for that play inside the program for Noises Off. The theater space2, the main floor seating about 250) worked well for the director of Nothing On to be sitting in the audience for much of the first act; there weren't any issues with people projecting. The set, which turns around between acts, worked out well (with all eight doors needed for proper farcical play). I was excited that they decided to show the twirling of the set before the third act, moving outlying stairs and other props into a more compact configuration before the countdown to rotation. The audience clapped for this performance as well.
The actors did a great job with all of their roles, on-on stage and off-on stage. Act 2, with all its miming lest the 'audience' hear, is always particularly funny.
What couldn't've been predicted was the excellent entertainment between the acts: we were sitting in front of a row of young teenagers from a Jewish high school who are going to be putting the play on themselves, and they were very interesting to eavesdrop on in their enthusiasm, discussing how they'll have to change things for their production, and so on.
The show is running through the 19th, if anyone wants to go.
1 This is the first show I've seen in ages with an actual curtain. I love how they scallop at the bottom.
2 The Wimberley Theatre, in the new Calderwood Theatre Pavilion. It's really pretty, with light woods, lots of lights, and well-marked comfortable seats.
On the technical side, everything was well thought out. There was a light on the curtain1 with a logo for Nothing On, and a program for that play inside the program for Noises Off. The theater space2, the main floor seating about 250) worked well for the director of Nothing On to be sitting in the audience for much of the first act; there weren't any issues with people projecting. The set, which turns around between acts, worked out well (with all eight doors needed for proper farcical play). I was excited that they decided to show the twirling of the set before the third act, moving outlying stairs and other props into a more compact configuration before the countdown to rotation. The audience clapped for this performance as well.
The actors did a great job with all of their roles, on-on stage and off-on stage. Act 2, with all its miming lest the 'audience' hear, is always particularly funny.
What couldn't've been predicted was the excellent entertainment between the acts: we were sitting in front of a row of young teenagers from a Jewish high school who are going to be putting the play on themselves, and they were very interesting to eavesdrop on in their enthusiasm, discussing how they'll have to change things for their production, and so on.
The show is running through the 19th, if anyone wants to go.
1 This is the first show I've seen in ages with an actual curtain. I love how they scallop at the bottom.
2 The Wimberley Theatre, in the new Calderwood Theatre Pavilion. It's really pretty, with light woods, lots of lights, and well-marked comfortable seats.