|
||
|
|
What Happened Was… Venue 1 – MTC
Backstage at the Mainstage
This
play tells the story of Michael (Ross McMillan) and Jackie's (Jane
Walker) first date. From the outset when Michael takes more than a minute to cross
the threshold of Jackie's apartment door, one gets the sense that this date
is not going to run too smoothly. As the date proceeds, the mutual
awkwardness continues, and by the end of the play there is real doubt as to
whether there will be a second date. This comedy works very well thanks to an
intelligently written script and good performances by the actors.
Much of the humour is
derived from the constant assessment by both characters of how each
of their cautiously revealed eccentricities are being received by the
other, and their hasty backtracking at the slightest sign of
disapproval. Body language speaks volumes in this play, and both
characters are very adept at projecting their discomfort through it.
The scene where Jackie reads her so called children's story, and Michael's
expression as he listens is alone worth the price of admission. Although
this play works well as a quirky comedy, there is a deeper level to
it. This is also a play about alienation and loneliness. Throughout
the play, one gets the sense that these characters are aching for acceptance
and love, but are unable to let their guard down enough to get there.
This other dimension to the play is also well realized and added a lot to my
enjoyment of the show. - Terry Moor UMFM |
|
