These are some of the happy faces I saw at Friday night's performance of "Noises Off." A picture of my face would have been...cranky. Where was everyone? While the house was respectable, I recall times when the main floor was filled, along with one or both balconies. What is happening? I know, I know...the economy....too tightly scheduled....too much to choose from....an occasional disappointing show...but really, when times get tough we all need to escape, and what better way to escape than through an evening with the arts.
"Noises Off" was a fine production - tough show for director, cast and support technicians, but they pulled it off with confidence. What impressed me most was that everyone on stage appeared to be having fun. As a theatre director, that is something of which I am acutely aware. When a cast is well rehearsed, and confident, the audience is more comfortable and more ready to suspend disbelief. A stronger energy exists when a cast if well rehearsed, and I suspect that this particular director did not buy into two of my most despised theatre myths: we don't want to peak too soon, and a bad dress rehearsal makes for a good opening night. To me, those are excuses, and...oh well, now I'm on my soapbox pretending to know what I'm talking about...so I will step down.
Suffice it to say I was disappointed in the number of empty seats. They should have been filled as we all celebrated and ushered in the Masquers' 80th season of working their behinds off to make us laugh, cry, think, and tap our toes. Hey, why not make it a point to take in at least two arts offering in the next year? Challenge your friends to do the same. Let's all work together to spread the word about the myriad of talent we have in our own backyard.
***My cranky face would also be an appropriate illustration of the book our book group as chosen for November - A Reliable Wife. The 58 pages I have read so far are chilly, and the main character's attitude toward women and relationships is beyond bothersome. Even though there have been enough hints dropped indicating that I am to keep my eye on the evil female character, I will be surprised if I find her as distasteful as the main male. You can see that I haven't warmed up to either enough to even recall their names right now. The book is an easy read; I expect I will be finished by tomorrow. For some reason, I find myself looking at the author's picture in the back of the book and wondering what anger in his past of led to the creation of these characters and situation.s I'll let you know if I am swayed differently after getting the whole story.
I better go before any more angst escapes. Have a wonderful week....I will make it a point to gush with happiness next week!
