Full Circle.
I didn't know what to expect from this event really so first thing was first, buy a programme.
After being told that the programme was for the whole week (I politely said I knew) I took to investigating what was on offer.
The first thing I didn't realise was that this festival was some sort of completion or feedback event. The programme has a page in the back where you can score the plays and each night an independent adjudicator sits and makes notes which he feeds back to the performers after the show.
But enough of the nuts and bolts for now, on with the show!
Night one offered us an original play performed by the theatre group Jaba. The story centres around the two grandmothers of a young woman who is about to be married. Despite being best friends when they were younger, something happened in their past which has left them bitter and spiteful and unable to remain in a room together without disending into trading abusive insults. Evidently they had been avoiding each other as much as possible, but that this family event had forced them together and the feud was beginning to effect the rest of the family as well. As the story unfolds we watch as the mystery begins to unravel and finally find out what had actually happened... Or not happened as the case may be.
Combine this with the parents struggling with their own relationship faced with their daughter getting married and the differences they have in what they think makes for a good life and throw in a very camp next door neighbour and there is plenty going on to hold the viewers' interest. Plot lines were nicely woven together and although some twists were obvious well ahead of the reveal, the show offered plenty of good jokes and enough suspense to avoid boredom.
The actors themselves were very good, some better than others but all had their moments and it very much depended on which characters they were up against in my opinion as to how well they performed.
We did choose to hang around for the feedback as it isn't something you ever experience as a non-actor or drama student. The last time inexperienced something like that was back in high school so the educational element was an interesting addition. I am not sure it is something I will stay back for every night, apart from anything it makes bedtime later and I have to get up for work! However, it would be interesting for students and I would recommend this event as something drama students to attend.
Overall, a positive start to the run which has reassured me going forward. Let's see what happens on night two!
Pip pip,
Charlotte.
No comments:
Post a Comment