I loved the show….hissable villains, kissable ingenues and good triumphant” This project began with the seemingly simple question, 'can I create a contemporary production of a Victorian-era melodrama without all the excesses traditionally associated with the genre?' I found and trimmed an unexceptional but compelling text and cast 5 adventurous and versatile actors in the (remaining) 17 roles. Each actor played at least 3 characters – one was the pro- and antagonist, another both the male and female “best friends.” This actress had one of the few props we allowed ourselves: a dowel. It was the gentleman’s walking stick one moment, the lady’s parasol the next – Oh, their conversations! Clearly, my challenge was to ensure crystal-clear characterizations and unambiguous story telling.
“inventive…funny… |
Seth Carpenter & Melissa Yanchak (background), Susaan Jamschidi (foreground)
This, unfortunately, is the only picture I have from the project; it is the play’s final moment. In the background the ingenue and protagonist share their long-awaited (& inevitable) kiss, while in the foreground their best friends – who have spent much of the play “exchanging glances” – revel in a triumphant kiss of the hand.
The cast’s knock-about improvisational spirit … seems to increase as the evening progresses." |
