Picasso at the Lapin Agile
Sun, 19 Nov 2000, 04:42 pmjassep2 posts in thread
Picasso at the Lapin Agile
Sun, 19 Nov 2000, 04:42 pmWritten by: Steve Martin (yes, the comedian!)
Presented by: KADS
Directed by: Tim Edwards
Dates of Production: Closes on the 9th December. No other info available.
Bookings: 9293 2621
Date of Viewing: Opening Night, 17 Nov, 2000
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THE NIMBLE RABBIT NEEDS A NIMBLE MIND
--------------------------------------------------
Not being a big fan of Steve Martin's comic work was, I thought, going to be a hinderance to my enjoyment of this production. I have often found his film work to be a little too over-the-top and one-note for my taste.
However, from the opening moments, I was utterly entranced by a style of writing that was a breathtaking mixture of absurdism, surrealism, science and passion mixed in with a healthy dose of comedy.
A great deal of credit must go to Tim Edwards passion for this play...he has lovingly crafted a production that is an appropriate conduit for this powerhouse of a play. The text has so many facets that, as a director, it would have been very easy to lose track of the threads. However, my impression was of a well-researched play whose themes, complexities and ideas were communicated to and by the cast to a high level of understanding.
Tim also achieved the remarkable feat (especially for a new director) of having an opening night go technically 'glitch free'. There were no late lighting cues, line problems or sound problems that I could detect. Kudos to all involved in the technical side of things.
Small concerns in terms of the direction for me were:
a) There seemed to be a too-long opening sequence playing the opening music. As the production started with the curtain open, we did not need the time to become acquainted with the set or quite that much help in entering the world of the play.
b) A couple of actors were a little quiet (and given that I was sitting in the second row of KADS) that hopefully is something that will adjust itself over the course of the run once confidence is found.
c) There were some hiatus bits where the action (both physical and verbal) could have cut in a bit quicker.
d) There were some small areas of the production, when virtually all the characters were on stage, where I felt there needed to be clarity in who was controlling the conversation and who was directing asides to whom.
e) The set is very functional and attractive (and suprisingly spacious for KADS) but unfortunately Gaston's table (Gary Barnes) is situated at the extreme of downstage left and required him the deliver a significant component of his dialogue upstage. I feel that Gary should have been directed to indicate his focus and deliver the dialogue out front - it's not the easiest thing in the world to get the hang of, but with practice it can look quite natural.
I would certainly put this play very near the class of that other absurdist masterpiece, Stoppard's 'Rozencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead'. And that is something I have not been able to say about a very modern (post 1980) play before.
Oh, and I haven't laughed so much during a night at the theatre in ages...
Special mention must go to Ben Sorgiovanni...what an extraordinary find this 20 year old actor is! If I am not mistaken, we are just shy of his very first anniversary of stage appearances (beginning with NUTS last November). Ben played Picasso with an intensity and a maturity which I was thoroughly impressed by. The delicacy of his physical instrument to communicate both the passion and introspection of his character was breathtaking and humbling. He was, quite simply, living and being on stage. And this is the rarest of talents, to my mind. I look forward to seeing more of Ben's work - I will go out of my way to find it.
If you can get a ticket, I urge you to go...this is easily one of the most interesting productions in Perth this year and I think the very first opportunity Perth audiences have had to see this remarkable play.
Thank you Tim, KADS and cast for taking the time and care to do the play justice. It really is a triumph.
Regards
Jason
Presented by: KADS
Directed by: Tim Edwards
Dates of Production: Closes on the 9th December. No other info available.
Bookings: 9293 2621
Date of Viewing: Opening Night, 17 Nov, 2000
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THE NIMBLE RABBIT NEEDS A NIMBLE MIND
--------------------------------------------------
Not being a big fan of Steve Martin's comic work was, I thought, going to be a hinderance to my enjoyment of this production. I have often found his film work to be a little too over-the-top and one-note for my taste.
However, from the opening moments, I was utterly entranced by a style of writing that was a breathtaking mixture of absurdism, surrealism, science and passion mixed in with a healthy dose of comedy.
A great deal of credit must go to Tim Edwards passion for this play...he has lovingly crafted a production that is an appropriate conduit for this powerhouse of a play. The text has so many facets that, as a director, it would have been very easy to lose track of the threads. However, my impression was of a well-researched play whose themes, complexities and ideas were communicated to and by the cast to a high level of understanding.
Tim also achieved the remarkable feat (especially for a new director) of having an opening night go technically 'glitch free'. There were no late lighting cues, line problems or sound problems that I could detect. Kudos to all involved in the technical side of things.
Small concerns in terms of the direction for me were:
a) There seemed to be a too-long opening sequence playing the opening music. As the production started with the curtain open, we did not need the time to become acquainted with the set or quite that much help in entering the world of the play.
b) A couple of actors were a little quiet (and given that I was sitting in the second row of KADS) that hopefully is something that will adjust itself over the course of the run once confidence is found.
c) There were some hiatus bits where the action (both physical and verbal) could have cut in a bit quicker.
d) There were some small areas of the production, when virtually all the characters were on stage, where I felt there needed to be clarity in who was controlling the conversation and who was directing asides to whom.
e) The set is very functional and attractive (and suprisingly spacious for KADS) but unfortunately Gaston's table (Gary Barnes) is situated at the extreme of downstage left and required him the deliver a significant component of his dialogue upstage. I feel that Gary should have been directed to indicate his focus and deliver the dialogue out front - it's not the easiest thing in the world to get the hang of, but with practice it can look quite natural.
I would certainly put this play very near the class of that other absurdist masterpiece, Stoppard's 'Rozencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead'. And that is something I have not been able to say about a very modern (post 1980) play before.
Oh, and I haven't laughed so much during a night at the theatre in ages...
Special mention must go to Ben Sorgiovanni...what an extraordinary find this 20 year old actor is! If I am not mistaken, we are just shy of his very first anniversary of stage appearances (beginning with NUTS last November). Ben played Picasso with an intensity and a maturity which I was thoroughly impressed by. The delicacy of his physical instrument to communicate both the passion and introspection of his character was breathtaking and humbling. He was, quite simply, living and being on stage. And this is the rarest of talents, to my mind. I look forward to seeing more of Ben's work - I will go out of my way to find it.
If you can get a ticket, I urge you to go...this is easily one of the most interesting productions in Perth this year and I think the very first opportunity Perth audiences have had to see this remarkable play.
Thank you Tim, KADS and cast for taking the time and care to do the play justice. It really is a triumph.
Regards
Jason
jassepSun, 19 Nov 2000, 04:42 pm
Written by: Steve Martin (yes, the comedian!)
Presented by: KADS
Directed by: Tim Edwards
Dates of Production: Closes on the 9th December. No other info available.
Bookings: 9293 2621
Date of Viewing: Opening Night, 17 Nov, 2000
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THE NIMBLE RABBIT NEEDS A NIMBLE MIND
--------------------------------------------------
Not being a big fan of Steve Martin's comic work was, I thought, going to be a hinderance to my enjoyment of this production. I have often found his film work to be a little too over-the-top and one-note for my taste.
However, from the opening moments, I was utterly entranced by a style of writing that was a breathtaking mixture of absurdism, surrealism, science and passion mixed in with a healthy dose of comedy.
A great deal of credit must go to Tim Edwards passion for this play...he has lovingly crafted a production that is an appropriate conduit for this powerhouse of a play. The text has so many facets that, as a director, it would have been very easy to lose track of the threads. However, my impression was of a well-researched play whose themes, complexities and ideas were communicated to and by the cast to a high level of understanding.
Tim also achieved the remarkable feat (especially for a new director) of having an opening night go technically 'glitch free'. There were no late lighting cues, line problems or sound problems that I could detect. Kudos to all involved in the technical side of things.
Small concerns in terms of the direction for me were:
a) There seemed to be a too-long opening sequence playing the opening music. As the production started with the curtain open, we did not need the time to become acquainted with the set or quite that much help in entering the world of the play.
b) A couple of actors were a little quiet (and given that I was sitting in the second row of KADS) that hopefully is something that will adjust itself over the course of the run once confidence is found.
c) There were some hiatus bits where the action (both physical and verbal) could have cut in a bit quicker.
d) There were some small areas of the production, when virtually all the characters were on stage, where I felt there needed to be clarity in who was controlling the conversation and who was directing asides to whom.
e) The set is very functional and attractive (and suprisingly spacious for KADS) but unfortunately Gaston's table (Gary Barnes) is situated at the extreme of downstage left and required him the deliver a significant component of his dialogue upstage. I feel that Gary should have been directed to indicate his focus and deliver the dialogue out front - it's not the easiest thing in the world to get the hang of, but with practice it can look quite natural.
I would certainly put this play very near the class of that other absurdist masterpiece, Stoppard's 'Rozencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead'. And that is something I have not been able to say about a very modern (post 1980) play before.
Oh, and I haven't laughed so much during a night at the theatre in ages...
Special mention must go to Ben Sorgiovanni...what an extraordinary find this 20 year old actor is! If I am not mistaken, we are just shy of his very first anniversary of stage appearances (beginning with NUTS last November). Ben played Picasso with an intensity and a maturity which I was thoroughly impressed by. The delicacy of his physical instrument to communicate both the passion and introspection of his character was breathtaking and humbling. He was, quite simply, living and being on stage. And this is the rarest of talents, to my mind. I look forward to seeing more of Ben's work - I will go out of my way to find it.
If you can get a ticket, I urge you to go...this is easily one of the most interesting productions in Perth this year and I think the very first opportunity Perth audiences have had to see this remarkable play.
Thank you Tim, KADS and cast for taking the time and care to do the play justice. It really is a triumph.
Regards
Jason
Presented by: KADS
Directed by: Tim Edwards
Dates of Production: Closes on the 9th December. No other info available.
Bookings: 9293 2621
Date of Viewing: Opening Night, 17 Nov, 2000
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THE NIMBLE RABBIT NEEDS A NIMBLE MIND
--------------------------------------------------
Not being a big fan of Steve Martin's comic work was, I thought, going to be a hinderance to my enjoyment of this production. I have often found his film work to be a little too over-the-top and one-note for my taste.
However, from the opening moments, I was utterly entranced by a style of writing that was a breathtaking mixture of absurdism, surrealism, science and passion mixed in with a healthy dose of comedy.
A great deal of credit must go to Tim Edwards passion for this play...he has lovingly crafted a production that is an appropriate conduit for this powerhouse of a play. The text has so many facets that, as a director, it would have been very easy to lose track of the threads. However, my impression was of a well-researched play whose themes, complexities and ideas were communicated to and by the cast to a high level of understanding.
Tim also achieved the remarkable feat (especially for a new director) of having an opening night go technically 'glitch free'. There were no late lighting cues, line problems or sound problems that I could detect. Kudos to all involved in the technical side of things.
Small concerns in terms of the direction for me were:
a) There seemed to be a too-long opening sequence playing the opening music. As the production started with the curtain open, we did not need the time to become acquainted with the set or quite that much help in entering the world of the play.
b) A couple of actors were a little quiet (and given that I was sitting in the second row of KADS) that hopefully is something that will adjust itself over the course of the run once confidence is found.
c) There were some hiatus bits where the action (both physical and verbal) could have cut in a bit quicker.
d) There were some small areas of the production, when virtually all the characters were on stage, where I felt there needed to be clarity in who was controlling the conversation and who was directing asides to whom.
e) The set is very functional and attractive (and suprisingly spacious for KADS) but unfortunately Gaston's table (Gary Barnes) is situated at the extreme of downstage left and required him the deliver a significant component of his dialogue upstage. I feel that Gary should have been directed to indicate his focus and deliver the dialogue out front - it's not the easiest thing in the world to get the hang of, but with practice it can look quite natural.
I would certainly put this play very near the class of that other absurdist masterpiece, Stoppard's 'Rozencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead'. And that is something I have not been able to say about a very modern (post 1980) play before.
Oh, and I haven't laughed so much during a night at the theatre in ages...
Special mention must go to Ben Sorgiovanni...what an extraordinary find this 20 year old actor is! If I am not mistaken, we are just shy of his very first anniversary of stage appearances (beginning with NUTS last November). Ben played Picasso with an intensity and a maturity which I was thoroughly impressed by. The delicacy of his physical instrument to communicate both the passion and introspection of his character was breathtaking and humbling. He was, quite simply, living and being on stage. And this is the rarest of talents, to my mind. I look forward to seeing more of Ben's work - I will go out of my way to find it.
If you can get a ticket, I urge you to go...this is easily one of the most interesting productions in Perth this year and I think the very first opportunity Perth audiences have had to see this remarkable play.
Thank you Tim, KADS and cast for taking the time and care to do the play justice. It really is a triumph.
Regards
Jason
Walter PlingeMon, 20 Nov 2000, 06:49 pm
RE: Picasso at the Lapin Agile
Sorry, nothing to say about the production.
Just wanted to say it's great to read a well constructed review which highlights the strengths of a production and gives constructive criticism for the cast and crew. Very similar to the last review I read of Jason's (the Last Supper I believe).
Thanks Jason.
Incidentally I have nothing to do with the play and don't particularily know Jason. Its always good to know peoples biases.
Just wanted to say it's great to read a well constructed review which highlights the strengths of a production and gives constructive criticism for the cast and crew. Very similar to the last review I read of Jason's (the Last Supper I believe).
Thanks Jason.
Incidentally I have nothing to do with the play and don't particularily know Jason. Its always good to know peoples biases.