On October 16, 2010, I went to see Anna in the Tropics by Nilo Cruz and directed by Walter Kmiec. The show was performed in the J. M. Goddard Theater on the Daytona campus of Daytona State College. Call me silly, but the moment I walked into the performance space, I noticed the “wood” roll-out mat floors and fell in love with the set. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a show in that theater before. I knew I was going to appreciate the performance when I saw that there was no physically built up stage. It was just a flat floor in front of the stadium staggered audience seats, decorated to fit the time—1930’s, place—cigar factory, and action of the show yet to begin.
Speaking of begin, the show was approximately 10 minutes late in starting. This seemed to go over remotely smoothly with my fellow audience members; however, I did hear a few behind me discussing the time and there was a steady buzz of other chit-chat even after the lights came on which finally started to hush once the actors began speaking.
The beginning music kind of confused me. It was pretty, but I didn’t get at first that the crackling was supposed to be a record player from that time period. I wasn’t the only one with this problem. I heard the folks behind me questioning the theater’s sound system. It wasn’t until one of them asked if it could be the record, that I “got it”.
It was very interesting watching this show that was right in front of me. I felt as if it was even closer to the audience than the Gillespy Theater in the New Journal Center—then again, that could just be me opinion. I liked it though. Because there was not built up stage and the actors were literally same-level right in front of you, it had more of a personal “I’m really there with them” feel.
I was on the second row leading to the right of the “stage”, so for sight lines I think I would have benefited from being a bit higher. For instance, the “Waiting for the Lector in the Boat” scene was sort of blocked out from me because from where I was seated I saw their backs and profiles. Then again, how else could they have staged that? Like I said, it was more in my choice in seating than staging direction.
The audience, in general, was very passive. They reacted only when traditional audience convention allowed—laughing, “oooh”-ing, “awww”-ing, clapping, etc… This was definitely a “watch the people in the fish bowl like a scientist”, “realism” attitude audience. But, that was okay, because it was the type of performance that would have been awkward with an active audience.
My mother had tagged along with me to the performance, and we most definitely discussed it afterward—even days later! My mother, a much more conservative, traditional person, walked away from Anna in the Tropics with the conclusion that it was “all about sex, and fulfilling people’s sexually needs, no matter what.” Mainly, “It was all about sensuality”. I, on the other, saw all that, but I also saw the struggle of the family fighting to survive in a foreign country, failing to conform to modern technology, and doing the best they could to cope with that and everything else going on in their personal lives. The fact is, my mother and I are similar, but different people with different life experiences. So, while we both saw the other’s point of view, it was interesting that we both walked away with different messages.
Ah, live theater; there’s just nothing like being a part of one of its live audiences.
BTW: Earlier I mentioned that overall the audience for the night I went to see Anna in the Tropics was on the passive side. However, like everything else in life, there were a few exceptions. Now, there are certain things that I would think you wouldn’t do at a (theatre) performance out of common sense—yeah, I know; not so common anymore. Well, just a little FYI for anyone who might happen to read this—other than Geoff (Drama Appreciation Teacher), don’t mess with the props! Or, anything else that isn’t yours to mess with, for that matter. You guessed it; during intermission people were actually going up and messing with the props. Luckily for them, by the time I noticed intermission was about over and the lights were signally the show to begin. I’m all for “Lending a Hand” and “Supporting the Arts”…Just keep your hands off the art.
BTW: Earlier I mentioned that overall the audience for the night I went to see Anna in the Tropics was on the passive side. However, like everything else in life, there were a few exceptions. Now, there are certain things that I would think you wouldn’t do at a (theatre) performance out of common sense—yeah, I know; not so common anymore. Well, just a little FYI for anyone who might happen to read this—other than Geoff (Drama Appreciation Teacher), don’t mess with the props! Or, anything else that isn’t yours to mess with, for that matter. You guessed it; during intermission people were actually going up and messing with the props. Luckily for them, by the time I noticed intermission was about over and the lights were signally the show to begin. I’m all for “Lending a Hand” and “Supporting the Arts”…Just keep your hands off the art.
