News

The Game is on!

 

   Playwright Ken Ludwig’s “The Games Afoot” is Vertigo Theater’s way of spicing things up for this season’s entertainment. With director Mark Bellamy’s theatrical tricks and wicked sense of humor leading this performance, you might want to make a quick stop at Vertigo before the performances come to a stop on December seventh.

The first act of “The Games Afoot” is mainly the exposition. It introduces the main plot with a mix of well established characters however, the play has the misfortune of starting off with cheesy jokes and not-so-scary-effects that leave to the beginning of the performance being a little dry. This does not last long though, as they quickly make up for it with the introduction of a murder.

In the opening seen American actor William Gillette (acted by Blair Williams) finishes his performance of a Sherlock Holmes play and is nearly killed when a man from the crowd shoots in his direction. After receiving a shot to the arm, Gillette suspects one of his cast members might have hired an assassin, so he invites them all to his mansion to find out who the culprit may be.The cast plays their cards well when keeping the identity of the killer(s) a secret throughout the performance. They manipulate the audience’s judgment by creating convincing identities, and thus establishing a sense of what each character will introduce to the plot. For example, Daria Chase (Jan Alexandra Smith) is a surprise visitor to Gillette’s mansion, and her obnoxious behavior and constant pestering makes it clear that she will not make it far in the play. Ludwig shows that Daria can be even funnier when she is dead rather than alive by bringing her back to life at unexpected moments. This is arguably the funniest joke throughout the performance. When William Gillette and his best friend Felix Geisel (Kevin Rothery) discover her dead for the first time, they provide genuine reactions, and immediately call the police. Shortly after the call, hilarious Inspector Goring (Karen Johnson Diamond) brings comedy and mystery to the show with her ridiculous laugh and lack of perception.

   Costumes bring out a character’s personality even when that character has little or no lines, and I am happy to say that director Mark Bellamy made no exceptions this time around. Every costume matched the corresponding character’s behavior perfectly, and when this is combined with the set and lighting, an appropriate sense of mystery is established. The music and sound effects created drama at some moments, but were not used often. If there was music kept constant throughout the performance it would definitely improve the audience’s experience. Needless to say there were many dry moments in the play, but it was easily made up for with the outstanding character development and suspense which makes “The Games Afoot” a must see performance.

 

Free Choice

Tainting heat bleeds into everything. The trees, lush and green, cast shadows that bask the land before them in a comforting chill that gives the boy momentary comfort as he passes through, free from the blinding light-heat of sky’s relentless torch. Padding along behind him are his two brothers, older in years but lacking in the knowledge that writhes in the boy’s own consciousness, itching to be used and growing ever restless as he is guided forward by his mother, with no particular destination in mind.

At last they stop, his family gathering about some sort of landmark, his own interest being long since stanched within the gaping wound that is boredom. The need to stop soon becomes the need to walk aimlessly once more as the heat beats ceaselessly against his skin, threatening to turn it a puffy red.

Body and mind alike are relieved as the cooling vapors of a fountain brush against sun scorched skin. The shade of countless leafy trees cast a blanket of darkness across the soft green carpet of the garden, but there is still nothing to do and the boy finds himself growing bored once more.

Standing before a sculpture of stone, he studies its design to keep himself from growing impatient. He looks again to the rocks that line the path, but finds himself looking beyond what his eyes see, and instead to the countless thoughts of others who see that rock, who overlook it because it so ordinary, it blends in perfectly. He lifts up the rock and considers this for a moment, an idea springs into mind and he soon finds himself placing the rock on the sculpture he studied so closely a moment ago. To his satisfaction, it blends in just as it had on the path. One would look at it and give it no more thought than they would a fleck of dust, for it is now, apparently, a part of the sculpture.

About Me

Asking me to write about myself is distasteful, but lucky for me I am rather good at it if I do say so myself. For instance, I read about an hour every day and despite having forgotten about writing this for some time now, I will have you know that it simply adds to the point I would like to make. Let’s face it, I am a forgetful person who often finds himself zoning out in class, and it does not help that few people notice. In that time I would like to tell you that I simply contemplate the philosophies of life, but that is hardly the case in most instances. In reality I actually am drifting off to some far off world within my imagination.

This may sound strange to some, but I find that my imagination often makes more sense that reality, or to put it more simply the whole world gives me the impression that it has developed excessive brain damage. People like to think that a petty thing like “their story” is essential for expressing themselves and maintaining a sense of identity, but I happen to think that is a load of rubbish. It is simply a lie people tell themselves full of the most admirable things they’ve done, deliberately leaving out all of their flaws. I find that in order to truly express yourself one needs to be honest in the image they put out to others. That is why although I may seem entirely sane, I cannot say I am; there is a very fine line between genius and madness. I admit wholeheartedly that I am more on the mad side.

When others put forth their expectations and opinions, it seems easiest to fit in by simply trying to meet those expectations, but that is not how I would seek to gain approval. The key to gaining acceptance from others is by holding nothing back from them, then and only then is it possible to find true friends. Anyone can pretend to be something they’re not, but it takes true strength to be utterly self-conscious and real to who you are. That is why if I am to remain honest, I must again admit that I am a complete madman.

            Throughout the years I have found it exceedingly frustrating to try and explain who I am to others, and I am not about to start now. It has been nice writing complete and utter BS for you. Whether it really is, is up to you though.