The Theatre

I love the theatre. Live plays give me joy. This is true even when the play is not something I would otherwise want to watch. Take "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers." It's a silly play with an inane plot and underdeveloped characters. Yet I saw it at Sundance Summer Theatre outdoors this past Monday evening and loved it. Why?

1. The setting. Well, it's hard to beat Sundance outdoors on a summer evening. The large trees surrounding the stage absolutely gave the illusion of the Oregon wilderness. Still, I would have enjoyed it indoors too. So:

2. The intimacy with the actors. I didn't sit particularly close, but would have enjoyed it even more if I had. My favorite theatre is the Hale Center Theatre in Orem, which has all of about 6 rows. Being able to observe even the smallest motions brings stories alive.

3. Knowing the actors are struggling students or amateurs, still learning and perfecting. I'm always a sucker for the underdog. This must be why I love junior high and high school plays. 7 Brides involved BYU and UVU students.

4. The quality of the play. Yes, the plot is silly, but it still manages to offer some great insights into human nature. The lyrics and actions frequently get across complex ideas in relatively simple ways, a real achievement. We cringe at the awkwardness of the boys, in part because we see ourselves in their antics and we're relieved we didn't do quite as badly.

I went to London in Summer 2009 expecting to see spectacular theatre that everyone raves about. I did see some awfully good stuff, but also saw a couple of the most dreadful plays I've ever seen. The most disappointing by far was "A Winter's Tale" put on in Shakespeare's hometown of Avon. Never have I looked forward so much with such great disappointment. The play doesn't seem to be that great, the actors often couldn't be heard, and the director seemed to have a scattershot approach in terms of setting the tone. Simply awful. I'll take my local theatre any time. I suppose one has to take risks in England to stand out, and so the crash and burn is all the more spectacular.