We’re giving you a little preview! These are the Director’s notes for Black Comedy (beginning previews September 10 at the Stanley), which are inserted into the show programme you receive when you sit down at the theatre. It’s a great introduction to the short “curtain-warmer”, which will precede the show. A curtain-warmer, or “curtain-raiser”, is “a short play, usually of one scene, that is presented before the main full-length drama.” (Merriam-Webster) But we’ll let DPG fill you in. |
The curtain-warmer play that was written with Black Comedy wasn’t as interesting or exciting as we wanted, and Bill Millerd came up with the grand idea of coupling it with Chekhov’s A Marriage Proposal. Chekhov is primarily known as one of theatre’s great dramatic writers of the 19th century. Like Peter Shaffer, he decided to try his hand at comedy. With the success of A Marriage Proposal, The Bear, and The Anniversary, he was afforded the time and comfort to work on some of his more serious plays, including The Seagull, Three Sisters, and Uncle Vanya.
This “curtain warmer” is not unlike Shaffer’s Black Comedy, inasmuch as it demands broad and physical commitment to the comedy for it to be really successful. The actors assembled for these shows are among the country’s best and brightest and promise to inhabit the wildly eccentric characters imagined by Mr. Chekhov and Mr. Shaffer. It is indeed a refreshing departure for both these playwrights to explore the more humorous situations that life has to offer, and our pleasure to play.
As it happens, thematically Black Comedy fits nicely with ‘Proposal. Both involve a marriage proposal, and getting approval from the Father, creating high stakes for our protagonists. Also, I’ve let Black Comedy, with its mid-century modern aesthetic, influence the design for A Marriage Proposal. Using the Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky’s painting as a jumping off point to tie these worlds together and define our playing space, we have endeavoured to be just as playful as our esteemed playwrights. And, with the help of the beautiful period costumes (see below), evocative sound design, and illuminating lights, this production is sure to entertain.
