Utah State Theatre Welcomes the Holiday Season with a Coupled Comedy

Playwright Alan Ayckbourn’s ‘Absurd Person Singular’ is a staged documentary of three married couples that follows their changing fortunes in three acts. Each act takes place on successive Christmas Eves.

With that holiday as the base, the farcical picture of relationships around the holidays will be presented by Utah State Theatre, the production program in the department of theatre at Utah State University, Dec. 3-8 at the Caine Lyric Theatre (28 West Center St., Logan). Curtain is 7:30 p.m., with tickets available at the door prior to each show or by calling (435) 797-8022. Ticket prices range from $6 to $10, and are available by calling (435) 797-8022. Utah State student admission is free with a valid I.D.

 

Absurd Person Singular is produced by the theatre department’s advanced directing class, which, according to the varied directors, should provide an interesting twist.  Each student directs a section of the play and incorporates diverse perspectives to draw out comedy and angst from characters and the plot. The student directors agree that a close examination of each scene will improve the final piece. The project is lead by theatre arts department head Colin Johnson.

 

Johnson said an unexpected glitch in the 2007/2008 Utah State Theatre season provided the advanced directing class a unique opportunity to produce Absurd Person Singular.

 

“The cancellation of our production of ‘Metamorphoses’ permitted us a unique opportunity when we decided to use the slot for our advanced directing students,” Johnson said. “Customarily, six student directors are permitted to enroll in the class and they produce six one-act plays of their choosing. I decided to give the project support usually reserved for a faculty studio production and promote it as part of the mainstage season, partly because we are four faculty members down this semester due to unfilled positions and sabbatical leaves.”

 

Johnson said “Absurd” is a comedy that centers on three couples who are acquainted through business dealings.

 

“The theme of the play explores, in a darkly comic way, some of the psychological and social tensions associated with the Christmas holidays,” he said. “Each of the three acts takes place in the home of one of the couples at a Christmas party on three successive years. Since each act is self-contained, we assigned two directors to each act and then created an ‘A’ company and a ‘B’ company to give more of our students an opportunity to perform.”

 

The companies will play on alternate evenings for the six performances in December.

 

Characters of “Absurd” include the grasping entrepreneur, the urbane architect and the sedentary banker (and all their better halves) who get together for a few drinks each Christmas Eve. The plot of the play traces the rise of the brash, young, witless entrepreneur, the slow disintegration of the brilliant young architect and his wife and the melancholy decline of the old-money banker and his troubled wife.

 

“Not to worry,” assure the directors. “It’s a comedy, and if you’re looking for a literate, funny night at the theatre to help bring in the Yuletide season, this could be the place for you.”

 

Accompanying Absurd Person Singular is Scene III’s third social event, following the Dec. 8 performance. Scene III is a new social scene for art lovers or anyone interested in an alternative source of conversation, food, drink and location. Scene III is tailored to young, hip 20, 30, and 40 somethings, with the goal of providing unique settings for socializing open after 10 p.m. Features include discount tickets, local musicians, food, drink, local art, and late nights. Events are organized by Utah State Theatre and the Cache Valley Center for the Arts. For more information on Scene III, call (435) 797-1500.

 

Contact and writer: Jeremy Gordon [gordonj@hass.usu.edu] (435) 797-1500