Stage Directions: No light doesn’t mean no design in Odyssey Theatre Ensemble’s presentation of Theatre in the Dark
The Los Angeles, Cailf.-based Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, never a company to shy away from a challenge in its four decades of well-received work, is offering audiences a true sensory experience with their premiere of Theatre in the Dark. The production is a collection of pieces that are presented almost exclusively in the dark.
16 comments:
This is such a novel idea. First of all, a lot of design goes into theatre like this, much more than one'd think. The set, in this case, as I imagine it, would be the blacking out of the room, and this concept of using lights to punctuate a scene is amazing because the audience would be completely blinded by it. I would love to go see Dark or More Dark, or even put on something on my own. Also: a field day for sound designers!
This is so cool! I have never heard of other productions doing something like this. I would love to see (or rather hear) this. It seems like it would be a pretty uncomfortable experience as an audience member, but also it sounds really captivating. I would be so curious to attend and see all of their tactics for storytelling and keeping the audience interested (and awake). It would be awesome to hear from the designers about their process as well. I would like to know in what ways it differed from what we think of as a "typical" process and how the darkness influenced and informed their work.
Ahhh this rules! The Tell-Tale Heart seems like it would adapt beautifully to being performed in the dark. The intensity of the sound in that could be completely unbearable if that's the only sensory information you're getting, and you're unable to distract yourself by observing the visual elements. I'm interested, though, that they thought it would not be effective for the actors to enter the audience's space at all. I think that the startling effect that would have could be very useful to evoking a powerful response that the company would want. This is a highly intimate project that I would love to be a part of. But I bet putting on something like that here would be nearly impossible due to regulations/certain lights legally needing to be on at all times. It makes me wonder how this company got around the legality/safety issues.
This is truly a bizarre idea. I know theater is always trying to be new and different but usually it skews on the skews on the side of media and lights heavy. I've never thought that the exact opposite would be true, a complete deprivation of light. I'm curious to see how they incorporate sound cues into the show to further illustrate the plot. The challenges to the actors is intense. Without visual stage marks and only a grid overhead to work on, I'm sure it could be easy to get lost on the stage. With out any light how will the actors be able to tell which direction is upstage and which is down?
This is a very interesting experiment in what almost seems like sensory-deprivation. What is quite interesting to me is the heightened sense of their aural environment the audience must have had, which means that the sound design of the shows would be much more noticed than it may normally be. It was interesting to read the sound designer's take on the way he approached designing a show in the dark, without relying on visual cues from the actors. I like the concept of darkness, because it reminds me that to do something new and different you don't necessarily have to add things, rather removing things can have the same effect.
I love the concept of this idea and this article makes me believe that it will b a great production. I think that although the production will be eye opening for the audience members that this production has brought more to the production team instead. With the challenges that the lighting designer and sound designer were facing, this show has make them rethink they way they create. When they go out after this production they will be able to have a whole new perspective on how to work in their profession. I think it is because of productions like theses that designers can push their minds to concepts that are harder and harder to grasp and then go out and create amazing things.
From an audience point of view, this would be such an intriguing show to attend; I imagine that the whole experience would be uncomfortable to a certain extent, being forced to sit in the dark and rely on sounds. From a production point of view, this show would be so challenging and interesting to put on. I'd love to hear from the stage manager what it was like to work in the dark in matters of safety and functionality.
I think this is very bizarre and rare idea in Theatrical area to try. It sounds very challenging because it can be either very successful or bad. I really agree with what the article states: "How do we create theatre without our eyes, using only imagination?" I want to know how the dark in the theater will create different imaginations individually. I also think the idea of underscoring few of the scenes by lighting up is very clever because it will definitely punctuate the moment. It sounds like very had work for the lighting designers because that one moment is very significant that will impact the audience. I think this production will be definitely interesting and the audience will definitely create his or her own set and story through imagination while listening to this play.
While I agree with what everyone has said about this production being a challenge for the production and design team as well as the actors, I'm surprised no one picked up on the fact that there is no costume designer. Sure, designing a show that takes place in the dark will mean added challenges for the lighting and sound designers, and a unique opportunity for the scenic designer, I am amazed that there was no costume designer for the show. The actors are not in costume, but are in "street clothes" for every performance. While most of the show is in the dark, the article lends the reader to think that the actors will be seen. The lighting designer described prop effects such as a glowing fire or television screen. Any actor close to these objects would be able to be seen by the audience. The actors are also seen at the top of the show. Why wouldn't they be in costume? More importantly, different clothes and shoes will affect the play differently each night. If an actor wears soft-soled shoes that are practically silent one night, and high-heeled shoes that make noise the next the two audiences are getting different experiences. Cotton sounds differently than chiffon as an actor moves on stage. If the production team is focusing so much energy on the sound scape in the room and the sound effects in the play, wouldn't they also care about the extra noise in the space as well? I would be interested to know if these things came up as issues during rehearsals, techs, or performances, and I am curious as to whether the actors have any guidelines as to their wardrobe for the performances.
This would be such an experience! It reminds me very much of the article from last week about children's theatre using light up puppets. This is the adult version!
The comment about it seeming like a radio broadcast was very appealing to me, as we live in a time when radio dramas do not exactly exist. I've recently realized that sound is over looked daily in my life, yet it is one of our senses that we would not know how to function without. That being said, I would be extremely interested in having most of my other senses removed in order to elevate the sounds around me. When I listen to the TV from my kitchen I find myself missing a great deal of the story that is being communicated visually. How will this translate to theatre?
This idea seems very interesting. I have never considered theatre in the darkness...Although, I have found that some of the most beautiful moments in theatre are those that are in darkness. The most captivating thing about this to me is the ability for the audience to imagine what they are seeing when they are only surrounded by sounds, dialogue, and darkness. I feel as though this would be a very interesting production to see. No...to experience rather. I would love to hear and engulf what was happening around me during this production if I had the chance!
Ever since I learned of restaurants providing dark dinners for patrons I have been fascinated with heightened sensations when we are deprived of light. It really is fascinating how much more we are able to hear, smell, and feel when denied sight, and even crazier is that weird night-vision mode that our eyes go into when they are in the dark. I wonder if this bio-chemical effect is at all hampered by the occasional use of lighting in the production. Obviously it is something they have taken into consideration as seen by their decision to not have an intermission and not have the audience have to readjust to the darkness.
One of my 1st shows that I worked on was in the dark. I had a director who just loved theatre in the dark with sudden accents of light. It is great for an SM as you have to really know the piece, especially if there isn't much dialogue. I agree with Jess, I wonder how come there is no costumes designer. Maybe they just decided that it would be better without one or maybe they will just source the costumes. Also if the majority of your show is in the dark, you don't want to pay a costumes designer and costume staff tons of money to design something that won't be seen or touched by audiences. The set is different to costumes, because it aids the actors and sets the mood. Also it will be seen by the audience during the light cues and silhouette moments and in my opinion be more effective than the costumes. I still wonder why costumes weren't used.
I LOVE this idea! Sossi is extremely correct in saying that these shows are not like radio plays. In radio plays, the audience is amazed at how sounds are created. Perhaps, the audience is more interested in how sound is created than the story itself. Here, Sossi has eliminated all forms of distraction. I like how he has taken the idea of losing a sense, and gaining strength in other senses. The choice in plays are very smart picks. The Tell-Tale heart and certain Shakespeare plays work perfectly in the dark atmosphere. The darkness also gives an element of surprise, in that the audience has no idea what to expect or experience. I think it would interesting if the company would incorporate smells and perhaps physical props that audiences can examine.
Wow, this seems pretty cool! Such an inventive and creative way to make a show. It was also very interesting to hear about the rope grid and battery driven LEDs that will help the actors navigate safely across the stage, but not be visible to the audience. I think it would also be very cool to use scents or bursts of air pointed at the audience somehow throughout the show! I wonder how easily the audience will adjust back to the light, after leaving the show. If only I could go and test that out for myself!
This sounds really cool. The article systematically answered the questions that came to mind to. using a grid to get around is a really interesting idea, although I wonder how much the actors get tripped up if they lose the rope for a moment. I didn't quite understand how the LEDs worked for this but I guess thats the answer. I was also wondering as I was reading if there was a lighting designer at all. The article said that her job was actually really hard. I feel like thats not really true. Sure there were some technical challenges but she also didn't have to do any of the work involved with a normal hang and focus, I feel like relatively this was probably pretty easy.
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