What happened to the elephants?!?!
Svoboda’s incorporation of several different theatrical techniques into one performance is quite unsusual but, when done correctly, very cool! I thought the use of projection and black light along with the stage acting was well integrated and, as Cari mentioned, very well balanced. I kept expecting the actors to go behind the curtains too early/late, but everything was so well rehearsed that I found myself drawn into the performance, not critisizing it. Even the prop and costume changes were for the most part seemless and percise. Suprisingly, all of the elemets worked wonderfully together in an attempt to tell the story of the two clowns. Svoboda mentioned that, “This is the big issue….Scenography must draw inspiration from the play, its author, all the theatre.” In this case, I believe it did. Even the audiences’ experiences were taken into accout and utilized. For example, pretty much everyone knows (or has an idea) of what it is like to be in a circus tent. The projections and the stage props took full advantage of this common experience and made it easier for the audience to feel as though they were the other half of the crowd in the circus tent.
Granted, I wasn’t too thrilled with the story in some parts (namely, the part with the murderous hand puppets on a rampage), but it didn’t hinder me from being able to follow along with the story and what it was attempting to convey. In all, I thought it was a really good example of Svoboda’s imagination and creativness come to life.
I really enjoyed how the projections took the audience to that “common experience”! Anyway I think we all could’ve lived without the “murderous” puppets too! But thank goodness that they were not throughout the entire production!
I do agree with the imagination part. It takes a lot to come up with something like that and I’m sure rehearsals were fun. I too was expecting for someone to mess up the timing of the entrances and exits. I don’t think that’s good, that we were both waiting for failure. Interesting?!
Perhaps you guys were looking for failure because you were aware of what a challenge it is to do something like that. Imagine the rehearsal time to get it all just right. Of course, this is also with a new cast every so often!
I liked the so-called “murderous” puppets. It was one of my favorite parts actually. Different strokes. . .