I’ve tried working in a news setting. I’ve been through the production of a documentary. I felt what it was like to work with a television production team. And one of the other things I wanted to try to get into also was theater. Not that I’ve had much theater-watching experience, but any chance to see a Broadway show or play, I would love. Growing up, Annie was my all time favorite musical.
My perspective on theater has completely changed in the course of the last two performances. Many times you don’t even really need all that fancy schmancy stuff on stage to make it outstanding. Last week, I saw that all it took was three actors on one set to blow my mind away. But tonight, not only were there no fully constructed set, but there were also no words. Two actors on stage, thorough music and movement, played out such a beautiful story.
I went to see a mime show tonight, which is basically like the circus acts with the men with the painted white face pretending to have a glass in front of them, or pretending to be pulling a rope. Well imagine that but without painted face and maybe a little more elegant. All they had was a mask, and very basic/minimal props. And one woman in the background took part as the music production by humming and playing her accordion. The story line was basically like the first ten minutes of Up. (And we all know they first ten minutes of Up was the best part.)
The story starts off with an old man. Shortly after, his wife passes away. And throughout the performance, his wife (assuming she is ghost) is by his side trying to help him let go. But through it, the old man reminisces memories of their past, far away from his grief. And he relives the moments from when they first met till the day they had to part. “The defining device of the piece is that the man and his wife’s older selves are played using handheld masks that are simply removed when they play the younger versions of themselves. The effect is extraordinarily poignant, creating a conduit between past and present, joy and loss.” (Lyn Gardner)
I really liked the whole concept of it. I don’t even have anything to relate it to because I’ve never watched anything like it before. Not only was it simple, in terms of it being a three-man show. But even simple things like dimming the lights or closing the curtains to transition between scenes, they didn’t have to do. The woman on stage playing the accordion and serving as the background music also moved around with actors on stage, serving as sort of a prop. While she moved table and chairs around, handed props over to actors, the audience watches as if she wasn’t there. At some parts when the actor needed both his/her hands, she even held their mask on for them while they performed (Because the masks arent attached to their faces. They’re handheld the entire time. Imagine how tiring that is.)
There’s really no way to describe tonight’s performance. It’s really one of those things you need to see it to feel it. But here’s a “trailer” I found on youtube. It’s not exactly the best depiction of it, because it mainly shows dancing moments of the couple’s young self (plus that is not the type of music the production used), but it’s a glimpse of what I saw tonight 
I mean I guess the clip can’t really can’t give everythinggg away.
