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Of all satirical plays with a dystopian streak, The Pain and the Itch is, perhaps, the hardest to adapt into a staged performance.
Even though the work itself was designed to be seen in a theater instead of perceived as a reading material, it is too complicated to pull off – the success of the play hinges not only on the talent of the actors, but also on the atmosphere created with the help of clever use of light and shadow, the design of decorations, the use of props and the costumes, as well on the playwright’s ability to deliver the main idea of the story in a cohesive and convincing manner.
It was only by putting each and every element mentioned above into its place that Norris’s play finally turned out such a huge success as a staged performance.
First, the actors should be credited for their amazing job. Each actor’s delivery of his/her role was pitch perfect; they nailed down the essence of the consumerist attitudes within a typical middle-class American family. Hadid Kelly was, perhaps, one of the best-portrayed characters of all in the play, representing a delightful contrast to the typical American family.
However, the impression would have been incomplete without the decorations and setting. The set clearly exaggerated the traditional American middle-class family, not to the point where it would seem grotesque, but well enough for the audience to have a good laugh at the ridiculous social standards and the tendency for an average American citizen to follow these standards blindly.
The lighting was very bright, with a very clean set representing a typical home-sweet-home environment, where everything is in its place. While the lighting could have been dimmed somewhat do hint at the issues within the family, the overall impression is very good. The elements of the setting contrasted sharply with the chaotic nature of the relationships between the family members and the lack of understanding between them, thereof.
Finally, the play itself has clearly provided some food for thoughts. The clever dialogue between the family members as Norris portrayed it is obviously the key factor in the play’s success.
However, the way in which the actors communicate, the despair that their careless conversations capture, and the unique manner in which the actors put the emphasis on the words and phrases that, quite honestly, would have been passed unnoticed by the public otherwise, is truly fascinating.
For example, the way Clay says, “I just don’t want it to seem like a big deal” (The Pain and the Itch Act One) allows reading a number of innuendoes into his words, including his increasingly deteriorating relationships with his wife.
Although the legitimacy of some of the choices regarding the decorations and the lighting may be questioned, the overall impression made by the staged version of the play is very good. The actors delivered stellar performances, nailing down their roles with impeccable accuracy, the setting creates the appropriate environment, and the script allows for character development, as well as the development of the storyline.
Combined together, these elements leave an unforgettable impression, working for the benefit of the play and getting a range of thought-provoking ideas to the audience. The pain and anguish of the consumerist society and family institution within this society have never been as obvious as they are after Norris’s play has been staged.
Works Cited
The Pain and the Itch. By Bruce Norris. Dir. Dale Albright. The Custom Made Theater Co., San Francisco, CA. 17 January 2014. Performance.
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