hdunderconstruction

“Under Construction”

The play “Under Construction,” written by Charles Mees, is nothing short of experimental theatre. Both the script and the performance steer clear of traditional approaches and viewpoints. Not only is this approach evident in the construction of the play, but it is also a theme throughout. The play addresses moral issues and topics that may cause audience members to feel uncomfortable, challenged, or understood. This experimental approach stretches the borders of what many know as theatre. The play presents a juxtaposition of the American lifestyles of the 1950s and today concerning both ideologies and politics. In order to communicate these messages, many tools, such as symbols, gestures, and comedy are used. A unique attribute was also the interactive relationship between the performers and the audience. Many rudiments formed the foundation for this experimental piece.

One major element to consider when analyzing this play is themes present throughout. A major issue addressed is the idea of openness and the human project. In the play, it is explained, that often people are focused on preserving traditional values and behaviors in society when, however, it should be the opposite. The whole idea of the play is that, in general people should be more open to new ideas, such as homosexuality. Ideas in the modern era are shown in parallel to problems of the past such as discrimination of blacks, immigrants and women. This is a great approach because now that these ideas have been rejected in modern society, it is implied that issues currently around will soon be in the same category. An attitude of progression is displayed. They defined this as the human project. The theme of openness is very prevalent throughout the whole play. The comparison of the past with the presents allows the audience to question societal views in order to better ourselves as a whole. Other prevailing topics are homosexuality, race, feminism, and patriotism. All are important components in the production.

One excellent feature of this play was the acting. Despite the rather controversial characters that the actors played, it would be hard to argue against their skills. Many of the actors put on an admirable, enthusiastic performance to be remembered. The acting overall was very embellished and stylistic. There was a significant amount of interpretive dancing as well as some singing roles. Gestures and movements played a noteworthy role in representing this experimental piece. It was an in-depth exploration of the human body and mind. This apparent component was clear when one of the actresses came out in the box and talked about how we are simply bound by our skin. The cast also represented a wide variety of characters in which each person played their part magnificently.

The set and lighting of the play also contributed to its effectiveness. The set was simple yet efficient. It was primarily black with a plastic tarp creating a border. This tarp also served as a screen at particular points in the play. An American flag was also displayed on this screen. A setup for a band remained at the back of the stage for the musical pieces throughout. The basic structure for the entire set enabled the versatility of the many different scenes. The plastic tarp was also important for certain scenes such as when the actors were behind it and you could only see their shadows. For scenes like this, lighting was very important. The lights were behind the actors which enabled their shadows to be projected on the screen. There shadows allowed the actors to represent many people, and America as a whole, instead of their unique characters. The lighting also contributed to the many effects of the work, such as when one character was in front of the box, detailing her rape and the light over head was hovering and circling. This created a sense of fear and confusion conveyed through the story. The lighting would also change with musical scenes and add to the efficiency of the experience. Overall, both the set and the lighting created the various scenes and moods of the play. The audience was able to quickly transition from one emotional state to another.

An additional key component to the production of “Under Construction” was staging, blocking, and props. The movement of the actors on stage was very important to the play. The idea of being bound by our human body and the constraints of our environment was a major theme and was conveyed through blocking. From the military march to the interpretive dances of many allowed the actors to make transitions across the stage. The detailed movements of the actors juxtaposed the boundaries seen within the 1950s to the progression towards openness and acceptance coming to be in the modern day. The props in the play were quite simple yet effective. There were no extravagant props; only basic structures that conveyed the situation to the audience. This allowed the transitions from one scene to the next to be efficient. They also took the focus away from circumstances and put it on the characters. This was an successful way to draw attention to the relationship among the characters and focus on the human project.

The costumes and makeup were done in a way comparable to the props. All of the characters were in all black. This allowed transitions to be efficient as well as added a sense of versatility to the characters. The costumes were not elaborate or detailed, but instead just enough to convey the overall idea to the audience. Although something as basic as a poodle skirt could have been added, this was enough to indicate the time period and conditions of the characters. Again, the simplicity allowed the focus to remain on the relationship between the characters, rather than the conditions of the characters themselves. This was quite effective. The actors, through their costumes, were able to assume the roles of many different characters, although the personality of the actors remained somewhat consistent, independent of their role.

Overall, I was not a fan of the script and message of the play. However, I felt the performance and directing were excellent. Through the various components, it was an effective way of conveying the idea that our focus should not be on preserving the past, but instead on being open to new ideas and lifestyles. As a true experimental play, this work definitely reached beyond traditional bounds of theatre. For its medium and purpose, I believe it was a well done piece that compared the views of modern society and the past as a transition through America. This country is considered to be “Under Construction” in the interactions between its people in the human project.