The Power of Imagination

It was a clever tactic to use imagination as a common theme to draw together two otherwise unrelated short plays into an evening’s entertainment.  One-act plays are a worthwhile method for companies to increase their stable of directors, by giving those with aspirations, but with little or no experience or training for the task, a first chance to test their abilities.  HTC has given rein to, and provided a black-draped area with a raised stage, for two of these newbies, who have chosen two separate casts covering 15 roles.  

The Perfectly Timed Death of an Imaginary Friend by Kieran Lynn  Director: Alex Ould

Despite being aimed at a youth audience, all ages can relate to this play.  Its unusual style, juxtaposing exposition with character portrayal to tell the narrative, demands close attention to when each voice is dominant, and concentration by the actors to make the switches apparent.   The three cast members bounded onto the stage with evident energy and caught us up in their eagerness to tell their story.  They quickly established the contrivance of talking to us by using a slightly underplayed tongue-in-cheek delivery, and then to each other in character.  The contrast gradually became less pronounced as the momentum of the tale progressed and their ‘asides’ were delivered more in character - whether deliberate or otherwise, we could accept the change.  Words were secure, and they all appeared comfortable both moving about the stage and moving the furniture.  The various scenes were given a clear geography for us to understand, and the furniture was used imaginatively for economy of resources and space.  The combination of real props with mimed ones worked superficially.  Certainly, the flow was facilitated by not having to bring on stage cereal bowls, newspaper and bananas, so why give Lee a real book? But using a single loose cushion to represent a fruit bowl and a dog, as well as, more obviously, a pillow, cleverly played on our imaginations and supplied comic accents to great effect.  

Generally, the cast seemed to have been directed to speak out front with good engagement with the audience, though occasionally lines were lost as they spoke directly across the stage, either to each other or to the imaginary Ernie.  Well done for plotting their eyelines to indicate a shared common positioning of Ernie when all were talking to him together.  Pleasingly, some understanding of characterisation was evident, which resulted in the comedy coming through, and the denouement was staged to draw the poignancy from the moment of truth when they all accepted that a particular stage of childhood is gone forever.  This was a promising debut for the director who selected a strong cast for his maiden choice of play and exhibited, for the most part, secure control over all aspects of his role.   

Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations by Alan Ayckbourn. Director: Adam Ford

In this play about the power of imagination, illusions and hallucinations combine to create the writer’s portmanteau invention, illucinations.   Until you know that, it looks like a misprint!  In this, we saw a much larger cast, with four ‘real’ characters and a support team of players who brought the several episodes to life; this made it very much an ensemble piece with its many challenges.  There is a recurring scene of the Doctor’s surgery, vital to the plot as the vehicle by which we are introduced to Ernie’s various dramas.  This was split between the two sides of a platform, and it became clear that DSR was the waiting room, with six chairs on which sat the Ensemble members as ‘patients’ waiting to see the Doctor, while his office was positioned DSL.  The lighting in the DL corner was such that the consulting room faces were, for most of the time, in half-shadow cast by a very bright and direct lamp.  This was surprising, and raises the question, was it deliberate design or had something gone wrong?  Otherwise, the chapters of Ernie’s handiwork on the raised stage were well-lit, with the waiting room of adaptable ‘patients’ and Ernie presenting his commentary on the floor, in semi-darkness.  Timely blackouts on stage threw the focus back onto the Doctor’s office.  As the first scene played out, it was distracting to have stage crew setting furniture on the platform, and I wondered why the domestic scenario of television ‘sitting room’ hadn’t been placed in readiness behind the tabs before they opened.  Subsequently, the set changes were mostly made by the Ensemble. 

This endearing storyline, another play written with children in mind, and almost 60 years old, has stood the test of time quite well.  Written by a Yorkshireman, the language of the script gives clear indications that guide the characterisations of these fanciful roles, and with a cast of mixed ability and experience, the director’s guidance on that is needed.  There is also much physical theatre within the action that requires practised choreography and conscientious attendance at rehearsals by all, e.g. for me, both the ‘marching’ and the boxing would have benefitted from closer attention.  Vocal projection was consistently good, though at times the lines from some sounded recited rather than with any sense of character generated by the expressive dialogue of the well-written script.  It was satisfying to see the energy and enthusiasm of the cast, and all appeared confident with their words and given moves.  The casting created a believable balance between the members of the troubled Fraser family, who related well to each other, and the Doctor, who patiently listened to the incredible stories before finally being hooked in.  These four had the greatest responsibility for delivering the fantastic plot with sincerity, so that the illucinations made sense to us and the Ensemble members who stepped out to take part in the various escapades added to the overall entertainment value.  This was a challenging play to take on, and the Director, his production team, and the cast are all to be thanked for their efforts.  

The evening set out to offer two new directors the opportunity to find out what is involved in putting on a production, and to test their wings.  They will have discovered that it includes being co-ordinator and supervisor over a long list of departments and taking responsibility for having the final word.  The audience appreciated the work presented, the casts enjoyed taking part, and it is to be hoped that the society found the exercise profitable.

I had a great night out, being introduced to two delightfully whimsical plays and receiving generous hospitality from the wonderful front-of-house team.  Thank you for inviting NODA, and for asking for this report. 

 

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.