Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Difficult Plays

Author

Message

brct
Walk-On
Walk-On

Joined: 1/24/10
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Topic: Difficult Plays
Posted: 1/24/10 at 9:34am

What plays do everyone consider to be the most difficult plays to direct. Not so much staging, but conceptualizing from a director's standpoint? I'd love to hear opinions from directors.
THANKS! Big%20smile

Come Out and Play!

IP Logged

tristanrobin
Celebrity

Joined: 4/25/05
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 704

Posted: 1/24/10 at 3:33pm

Anything by Genet or Ionesco.

http://tristanrobin.blogspot.com

IP Logged

Amos Hart
Lead
Lead

Joined: 12/15/06
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 36

Posted: 1/26/10 at 4:13pm

"Social Security" by Andrew Bergman. Funny play. I love it. And as a director I'd never touch it. It's almost a radio play, 97% talk. All interesting movement has to come from the director with NO help from the playwright.

IP Logged

bernster74
Star
Star

Joined: 10/20/05
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 51

Posted: 1/29/10 at 4:32pm

Noises Off, besides being technically difficult, has to be done at a break-neck speed and kept interesting for over two hours......it's wonderful whhen done right, but difficult to pull off.

IP Logged

Gaafa
Celebrity

Joined: 3/21/04
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1181

Posted: 1/30/10 at 9:12pm

Sorry this is mainly about stagging & mise en sceneorgaphy.

When I directed Man of La Mancha I visualised the dungeon staircase, which was about 20 odd foot in length on an incline side on the to the audiance being flown in/out in a venue & disapearing above the pro arch. with no fly loft & a gable tin roof peak of about 15" above the stage, then having the actors enter & exit as though they were doing so above & outside the roof.

Yet it was the simplest in the end!

It was interesting to see the amount of punters after the show, walking around the venue wondering how it was done. When asked I replied 'We just remove the galvinised roof sheeting during the show & pop it back after the Finarle!' - & they actualy believed me?

There is a pic of the venue under 'Theatre Lovers Club' which may give some idea of it's limited staging;- http://splc.org.au/news.html

{Scroll down it's on the bottom of the page}

Edited by Gaafa - 1/30/10 at 10:25pm

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

IP Logged

Topper
Celebrity

Joined: 1/27/05
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 543

Posted: 2/02/10 at 1:22am

I agree with tristanrobin, and I would add: anything by Tom Stoppard.

"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone

IP Logged

Play Suggestions
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Play Suggestions

Author	Message
brct Walk-On Joined: 1/24/10 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: Difficult Plays Posted: 1/24/10 at 9:34am
	What plays do everyone consider to be the most difficult plays to direct. Not so much staging, but conceptualizing from a director's standpoint? I'd love to hear opinions from directors. THANKS!
	Come Out and Play!

	IP Logged

tristanrobin Celebrity Joined: 4/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 704	Posted: 1/24/10 at 3:33pm
	Anything by Genet or Ionesco.
	http://tristanrobin.blogspot.com
	IP Logged

Amos Hart Lead Joined: 12/15/06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36	Posted: 1/26/10 at 4:13pm
	"Social Security" by Andrew Bergman. Funny play. I love it. And as a director I'd never touch it. It's almost a radio play, 97% talk. All interesting movement has to come from the director with NO help from the playwright.
	IP Logged

bernster74 Star Joined: 10/20/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 51	Posted: 1/29/10 at 4:32pm
	Noises Off, besides being technically difficult, has to be done at a break-neck speed and kept interesting for over two hours......it's wonderful whhen done right, but difficult to pull off.
	IP Logged

Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 1/30/10 at 9:12pm
	Sorry this is mainly about stagging & mise en sceneorgaphy. When I directed Man of La Mancha I visualised the dungeon staircase, which was about 20 odd foot in length on an incline side on the to the audiance being flown in/out in a venue & disapearing above the pro arch. with no fly loft & a gable tin roof peak of about 15" above the stage, then having the actors enter & exit as though they were doing so above & outside the roof. Yet it was the simplest in the end! It was interesting to see the amount of punters after the show, walking around the venue wondering how it was done. When asked I replied 'We just remove the galvinised roof sheeting during the show & pop it back after the Finarle!' - & they actualy believed me? There is a pic of the venue under 'Theatre Lovers Club' which may give some idea of it's limited staging;- http://splc.org.au/news.html {Scroll down it's on the bottom of the page} Edited by Gaafa - 1/30/10 at 10:25pm
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
	IP Logged

Topper Celebrity Joined: 1/27/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 543	Posted: 2/02/10 at 1:22am
	I agree with tristanrobin, and I would add: anything by Tom Stoppard.
	"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone
	IP Logged

Topic: Difficult Plays( Topic Closed)