New Plays - Night A

Bishop's University New Plays Festival: a festival of 9 plays over 6 days that are student written, student directed, and student performed.

The festival opened last night with Night A. I quite like the theme that the co-ordinators have thought of: acting is a trip. They also interpret it as "road trip" , so they had road signs all around the lobby and tons of maps. The co-ordinators introduced the plays with a small skit, talking about going through Audition-town and Rehearsal-ville (where everyone seemed to stay up late!) before getting to Performance-city. It was something like that. The co-ordinators looked like they were having fun with it, and it was entertaining.

The first play was Barrett's Privateers based all around the song, "Barrett's Privateers". The costumes were good, the singing was even better, but the plot line was weak. The actors and chorus members looked like they were having fun on stage, and they were quite good too, but I didn't feel much for the characters. The play definitely had potential, but it was one of those plays that just didn't quite make it there. I think Ryan, as Barrett, was one of the best ones in the play.

After intermission, it was time for some good ol' girl problems with The Lament of Edina Kiraly. It was directed by a male, Niall, to be exact. He is creepy looking, but there is something about him that is also friendly. We talked about pizza and piano the other evening, though I have noticed that he is distracted easily. Anyway, I digress.
There are three girls in the play, all of them were played exceptionally well. Really, the acting was superb. There was Neve, the nerdy peace-maker; Mila, the sarcastic mean one, and Ginger, the bubbly and emotional third roommate. The play was rough around the edges, but the characters were extremely well-defined and definitely well-played. Congrats to Rachel, Eva, and Rebecca.

It Happened in the Other Room wrapped up the evening. This comedic play, written by an all-around funny guy, Chris Brodie, was a huge hit with the audience. The humour is quite slapstick; there is even a slip on a banana peal. Before you all begin thinking that it is beyond cheesy humour, don't even go there, homies. It is very funny, and the best part about it is that Andrea got to play a total slut. She had a blast with that role.
I liked the fact that there were three guys, three girls, and they all had a pair: business associates, married couple, and two young people having sex. And yes, before you ask, one of the two young people was Andrea.
The business associates were harried; the married couple always had petty fights; and the two young people couldn't keep their hands off of each other.
It was a hilarious play, well-written, with a lot of classic comedy tricks. I must say, Brent did a pretty good job as director.

The night ended with a lovely wine and cheese, in honour of opening night. I ate some pineapple, grapes, and some cheese of course, before Paula left to buy toothpaste.

People were trickling out, heading to the Opening Night party at Brent's place, which is above the Butcher's shop. Andrea and I wanted to be fashionably late, so we drank an Iced Cappuccino, whilst sitting on the curb by the Esso. It is our favourite spot to sit and talk.
We finished our drink, and we both said simultaneously, "Party, here we come!"

So, we went.