Show and Tell Post 1!

The musical (yes, musical) I have chosen to do my Show and Tell on is The Last Five Years by Jason Robert Brown (2002). It premiered Off-Broadway in 2002 starring Norbert Leo Butz and Sherie Rene Scott, and was just recently revived this year. Here is the link to Jason Robert Browns website where he has information on how to read/listen to/perform his shows. 

http://jasonrobertbrown.com/projects/the-last-5-years/

This musical tells the story of a young man and woman and their relationship. However, the story does not completely take place chronologically. In the beginning of the show, the girlfriend Cathy is telling her point of view on the end of their relationship. The boyfriend, Jamie, starts at the beginning of their relationship. The plot covers their entire story, from their first date until the end, which you know from the start is ultimately coming. 

I had seen a production of this show before and wanted to read the lyrics and listen to the score again to fully re experience this play. What I find most interesting about this production is the choice to have the story being told from backwards to forwards, while simultaneously being told from the beginning. You get all sides of the story this way. Even more interesting, is this choice from Jason Robert Brown allows the play to not be a cryfest the whole time. Even though this relationship does not work out, there are happy moments from both characters up until the end of the show. This show is also written to be performed simply: not requiring in depth work from all tech elements of performance.    

Hornby- Motifs!

Constantly throughout How I Learned to Drive, there is a motif of compromise. This compromise mirrors Lil Bit and Peck's relationship and how it is not black or white. Their relationship is 3 dimensional with both characteristics of a healthy relationship, as well as characteristics of a dangerous one. The little compromises they share throughout the story matches this nicely. For example, in the first scene, Lil Bit gives Peck hard limits for how he should touch her and he must obey. Also, later in the play Lil Bit promises to spend time with Peck if he agrees to stop drinking. Both of these examples nicely reflect the give and take of the two characters' relationship.  

There is a motif of location in zombie and post apocalyptic films. These type of films usually take place in or near large busy areas. For example, in Dawn of the Dead (both the original and remake), the story primarily takes place in a shopping mall. This location and the zombies in the film combine to reflect the dangers of consumerism.  I believe motifs are stronger in full productions because all of the elements can be utilized to outline the motif more fully.

How I Learned to Drive

When I first read this play a long time ago, I did not read the stage directions and honestly payed no attention to the Greek chorus. I imagined each character as a different person and imagined everything that was said was being done. However, as I reread this play for this class I payed more attention to little details and enjoyed it even more than the first time I read it. 
I believe that the chorus is an important and effective choice for this script. The chorus playing every other character but Lil Bit and Peck allows Lil Bit to talk about other relevant stories in her life. However, it also forces the story to always return to Lil Bit's relationship with Peck. It makes the statement that Peck is the main influence in this story very clear. It prevents any minor characters, such as the mother or grandmother, to overshadow Lil Bit and Pecks conversations. 

I really enjoyed the choice of Vogel to pantomime ALMOST every action in the play. Throughout the play, Lil Bit and Peck pantomime all inappropriate gestures. Even Lil Bit entering the shower is pantomimed and she remains clothed. I did not understand at first why Vogel did this. This lack of interaction with them separated the audience, in a way, from the horror of pedophilia that was taking place. Then, as the plot is continuing, I almost began to develop a little bit of empathy for Peck. He stopped drinking, seemed to take care of her, etc. However, at the end of the play, Vogel chose for Lil Bit and Pecks first interaction to be truly staged. As Peck takes advantage of the 11 year old girl, no pantomiming involved, the audience gets shocked into remembering that nothing about this relationship is normal. It leaves a bad feeling in the pit of your stomach and justifies every part of Lil Bit's reaction to Peck in their last meeting and then his inevitable death. I think Vogel chose to do this to emphasize this first meeting and make it the most important.