Coast Of Illyria Play Analysis
On Thursday, 14 April, my wife and I attended the opening night of Coast of Illyria, presented by the Theatre Department, in Drake Union at The Ohio State University. We arrived early and were seated center stage, front row. We had already read this play in class and I hoped it wouldn't spoil the story-telling that was about to unfold. Early in the play, we were introduced to some main characters, like Charles and Mary Lamb. Being familiar with the script, I knew the characters and what was about to take place. However, when discussing with my wife, who had no prior knowledge of the show, she pointed out a given circumstance that was made confusing by the casting choice. When Fanny, played by Khala Tisdale, was presented, my wife had asked me if the play was about an inter-racial couple. This simply confused the opening message about their relationship. However, kudos goes to the director, Shilarna Stokes, who accentuated the “character”
…show more content…
The tableaux before each scene was useless to me. After discussions it was apparent they were trying to portray significant scenes from the play. Not only was this effect lost on me, but it also distracted me. I was more concerned with the movement and synchronous stopping as well as the music being played. I paid no attention to scene representation of the tableaux itself. The mood was frantically paced with a humorous beginning. As the play moved along, there was a sense of a dark overtone setting in. By the final act, it was apparent that the happiness and lighthearted moments were over. The show ended with Mary being controlled in a makeshift straight-jacket. There were scenes where Mary lost control. Sarah Lawler did an excellent job of capturing those moments, turning the lights and displaying a disorienting barrage of colored lights. I thought these accentuated Mary's state, which didn't come across as clearly in the
The tableaux before each scene was useless to me. After discussions it was apparent they were trying to portray significant scenes from the play. Not only was this effect lost on me, but it also distracted me. I was more concerned with the movement and synchronous stopping as well as the music being played. I paid no attention to scene representation of the tableaux itself. The mood was frantically paced with a humorous beginning. As the play moved along, there was a sense of a dark overtone setting in. By the final act, it was apparent that the happiness and lighthearted moments were over. The show ended with Mary being controlled in a makeshift straight-jacket. There were scenes where Mary lost control. Sarah Lawler did an excellent job of capturing those moments, turning the lights and displaying a disorienting barrage of colored lights. I thought these accentuated Mary's state, which didn't come across as clearly in the