Pittsburgh Arts, Regional Theatre, New Work, Producing, Copyright, Labor Unions,
New Products, Coping Skills, J-O-Bs...
Theatre industry news, University & School of Drama Announcements, plus occasional course support for
Carnegie Mellon School of Drama Faculty, Staff, Students, and Alumni.
CMU School of Drama
Tuesday, October 03, 2017
Stage preview: Cancer, love and laughter make strange bedfellows at City Theatre
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Unleash “Seinfeld” on a no-holds-barred cable network, where jokes about rape and vibrators set the tone in a cancer ward, and you have some idea of where the new play at City Theatre is headed.
2 comments:
Sarah C.
said...
This play seems like something really interesting and contrastive, not just with the two very opposing character personalities and they way the characters are shown dealing with grief and struggle, but also in the choice of genre and setting, and the way even the title gives both a reference to a comedic musical and a cancer hospital. The play seems full of these contrasts and dualities, playing off every single one for maximum effect as a way to show how two extremes can still mean someone's hurting, or someone's close to their parent, or someone's bonding with another person. It shows how everything isn't always one way, and reveals how even these differences can be transcended when people allow themselves to see the world thinking about how another is feeling or dealing with the same issues. I definitely want to see this at some point in the future, if not to read more into these themes then at least to enjoy the juxtapositions of tone and setting that clearly define this play.
I really want to go see this play. The darkly comedic setting really fits in with my sense of humor. I'm always glad to see a humorous play set in a traditionally sad setting, particularly hospitals, because it removes a certain type of stigma from the space. I’m glad that the lighting designer chose to light the play more truthfully to the location rather than the themes and feel of the play. I think it will add a good contrast between the characters and events, and the space itself. The dynamic between the two main characters also seems like it would lend itself to a really funny space on stage. I’m very interested to see what the author when she says that Don’s mother’s “presence is felt throughout the play” even though she is “seemingly comatose.” I also find the writer’s connections to Seinfeld to be interesting, because from what is told, the play certainly doesn’t sound like it’s a play about nothing.
2 comments:
This play seems like something really interesting and contrastive, not just with the two very opposing character personalities and they way the characters are shown dealing with grief and struggle, but also in the choice of genre and setting, and the way even the title gives both a reference to a comedic musical and a cancer hospital. The play seems full of these contrasts and dualities, playing off every single one for maximum effect as a way to show how two extremes can still mean someone's hurting, or someone's close to their parent, or someone's bonding with another person. It shows how everything isn't always one way, and reveals how even these differences can be transcended when people allow themselves to see the world thinking about how another is feeling or dealing with the same issues. I definitely want to see this at some point in the future, if not to read more into these themes then at least to enjoy the juxtapositions of tone and setting that clearly define this play.
I really want to go see this play. The darkly comedic setting really fits in with my sense of humor. I'm always glad to see a humorous play set in a traditionally sad setting, particularly hospitals, because it removes a certain type of stigma from the space. I’m glad that the lighting designer chose to light the play more truthfully to the location rather than the themes and feel of the play. I think it will add a good contrast between the characters and events, and the space itself. The dynamic between the two main characters also seems like it would lend itself to a really funny space on stage. I’m very interested to see what the author when she says that Don’s mother’s “presence is felt throughout the play” even though she is “seemingly comatose.” I also find the writer’s connections to Seinfeld to be interesting, because from what is told, the play certainly doesn’t sound like it’s a play about nothing.
Post a Comment