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The uncut X-Beacon files December 1999
PaDS In Absurd Colour Controversy! Mystery Inspector May Call!At last! Absurd Person Singular, the singularly sparkling PaDS Christmas production is ready. Indeed, by the time you read this, it will be pretty well all over bar the shouting, Am Dram après-show parties being absurdly loud. And the credit, dear readers is all yours! Such was the response to my appeal in last month’s Beacon, that we were deluged with sufficient sinks, fridges and other kitchenalia to refurbish a small town! Imagine my joy as I gaze upon the completed set for the first time. Three separate kitchens, all sinked (sunk?) and fully fridged. All perfect in every detail. All except that none has been painted. I query this in a directorial sort of way with our technical team (Jacek Wolowiecz, Tony Gibson and Russell Herbert) and enjoy one of those enlightened reasoned discussions which typify the firm way that I have stamped my authority on this production. "We’ve been waiting for you to decide," responds Chief Techie, Jacek Wolowiec. I am momentarily nonplussed, quite taken aback by the novelty of being consulted. He continues: "Come on! It’s your decision: what colour would you like for Act I" "Well… how about something like… Tuscan Sunrise?" I venture with what I hope is an artistic flourish. He rolls his eyes pityingly. The other techies fall about, helpless with laughter. "Ah… well… what colour do you think I’d like?" I counter, more than happy to listen to suggestions before making a decision. "We’ve got magnolia…" he hints broadly. "Magnolia? Fine, magnolia it is then!" "And for Act II?" he continues, the very epitome of reasonableness. "Er… well, to contrast with Act I, maybe something like…" "Magnolia." he says in a godfatherly, I’m-making-you-an-offer-you-can’t-refuse sort of way. "Right. OK. Magnolia makes sense." "Good. And now for Act III?" "It’s got to be magnolia!" I reply, confident that I am at last getting the hang of this directing business. "Magnolia?" He guffaws, incredulously "Magnolia! You can’t have all three sets painted magnolia! Use some imagination: you need contrast… something warm… something like… Tuscan Sunrise… Besides, you’ve used up all the magnolia on the other two sets." "Perhaps I’d better leave it to you?" I respond satisfied that, once again, my quietly reasoned arguments have triumphed. Moving breathlessly on… Scarcely has one PaDS production been producted, than the next starts to roll. Fresh from her Halloween triumph, Gill Cox will be directing the classic J B Priestley mystery An Inspector Calls for May 2000. Set in 1912, the play is a cleverly crafted commentary on the social and political context of the time, with a strong message about the interdependence of every individual in a society. Auditions will be held around mid-January. See next month’s Beacon for details if you would like to be involved. Gill tells me that she is particularly on the lookout for young men. But that’s another story! Finally, if I haven’t seen/don’t see you at Absurd Person Singular, shame on you! But a truly Merry Christmas and a Dramatically Millennial New Year, anyway! Jack Burgess, Painswick Dramatic Society |
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