For
the last few weeks, I’ve been rehearsing for a 10-minute play. It was a cute
play. I played a nurse. Her name? Nurse. It was the story of man, Tom, a young
woman, named Young Woman, and me. Nurse. It takes place in a hospital room, and
there is comedy, drama, laughter, tenderness, me in pediatrician office scrubs,
armed with a bedpan. Oh yes.
My
fellow actors had to look up what a bedpan is. That’s how much older I am than
they are.
The
rehearsal process was hard. Isn’t it always? But we were ready on opening
night. I was only slightly nervous. Then I found out it was a competition. A
what? I have to like, be great in this play – greater than the other actors in
the other plays? Ig. And then I found out the playwright of the piece is James
Arrington, who may be one of the biggest names in Utah theater. Ig times
infinity.
Added
to that, I was reviewing the first half of the show – the half I wasn’t in. My
son, Caden, reviewed the second half. Consequently, our little playlet never
got a review at all. The sacrifices I make (back of hand on forehead) for my
art!
The
shows I saw were all interesting. It is amazing to see what can be packed into
ten minutes. It’s like taking a perfect piece of cheesecake and savoring every
bite. You don’t need any more than that one piece. Usually…
The
performances went well, but we didn’t win, and I didn’t expect to. Our play was
cute but some of them were either poignant, thought-provoking, creepy, sweet
and sad, or hilarious. Ours was in the middle. We did have a kiss, though. Just
not with the Nurse.
I
reviewed a show the next night. I went by myself, which was my first mistake. I
don’t really like watching things, and especially reviewing shows, by myself. I
like to be able to discuss stuff afterwards.
So
I go, and I know the theater because I've done a show there, but I got there a half-hour early and I’m
thinking, now what do I do for a half-hour? So I go get a drink and play on my
Android phone until it’s time. Except that it opens 15 minutes late. And there
are about eight of us in the theater. I hate small crowds. I feel like I have
to be the laughter cheerleader.
The
show was okay but I gave it a better review as it was closing the next night. It’s
not like anything I said would impact the players and challenge them to do
better.
Things
I learned:
- · Don’t go to shows alone.
- · Check the time you need to be there.
- · Don’t go tired.
- · Don’t go if at all possible when you’ve reviewed something the night before that is amazingly, terrifically awesome.
- · If any or all of those can’t be helped, eat chocolate before I review.
Being
a theater reviewer is fun. But I could easily burn out. I need to realize that
I have a life and need to take this one show, or one chocolate bar, at a time.
Reviewing
life, one scene at a time…. Jennifer
Mustoe, actress and reviewer – not always in that order.
