After seeing uncredited guest appearances by Jon Stewart, ragin' Cajun evangelist Jesse Duplantis and Papa Smurf on the Off-Broadway stage, I must declare enough!
The first time I saw a working television as a part of a play was "Hurlyburly" a few years ago. It was an interesting convention, seeing the Smurfs or Go-Bots or whatever other "Hey, it's the 80s" statement they wanted to hammer in. And I suppose closing out with Johnny Carson had a plot purpose.
Then, a few weeks ago, I caught "Stone Cold Dead Serious," which treated us to a pre-show QVC extravaganza of sports memorabilia as barely lucid Dad napped on the couch. OK, the QVC appearance figured into the plot, too, although the later appearance of Duplantis was just bizarre. And it was a show about media -- largely video games, but television, too -- so it gets a pass. Barely.
Then, Wednesday, I caught "Dying City," during which an episode of "Law & Order" played on the sparse set as the audience wandered in. Yes, again, "Law & Order" figured into the dialogue, but later on, when the television started playing "The Daily Show" -- which also had been a part of the dialogue -- it was the most distracting moment of all. Some in the audience were actually chuckling at Jon Stewart's quips rather than pay attention to the acting on stage. Hear that, directors? Your props are upstaging your actors!
Listen, guys and gals. We might be an over-stimulated generation, but we still have the capability for a slight suspension of disbelief. Just like we know that there's not a big transparent wall in someone's apartment that's letting the audience peer in, we also could probably accept that a blank television set is not actually playing "Law & Order," "The Tonight Show," "Jerry Falwell's Old Time Gospel Hour" or whatever.
Because you know what the extra media element brings me back to? That dreadful tour of "Starlight Express" with the 3-D movies in lieu of races. And trust me: That's one theatrical memory you do not want me to dredge up while watching your show.
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4 comments:
I don't know if you caught FRAN'S BED a few years ago at Playwrights, but that one featured a TV screen coming down from the ceiling that proceeded to play a 5 minute mock soap opera featuring the show's stars (Mia Farrow, Julia Stiles and Heather Burns). I believe it was meant to show the workings of Farrow's character's mind (she was in a coma, and had been for quite some time), but it earned as much unintentional laughter as I've ever seen in a theatre.
Oh my goodness, that sounds bizarre.
I forgot Dame Edna, who previewed her show with some of her clips over the years. Or course, she can do no wrong in my book!
Seriously? Duplantis? eep.
Well, considering the dad in the show was heavily medicated for most of the show and had the brain activity of an eggplant, it made pretty good sense that he would be watching old Jess.
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