News Archive
Black Comedy
Hilarious farce on stage
The lights are off, and too many people are home.
Dramatic irony and sight gags fill the stage in Shawnigan's production of Black Comedy, running April 23-25 in the Hugh Wilkinson Theatre.
Originally written by Peter Shaffer, the play remains as funny today as it was in 1965, thanks to its non-stop slapstick and physical humour.
Set in the London apartment of Brindsley Miller (Sean B) and his fiancée Carol Melkett (Tai W), the play uses sharp production cues and strong stage direction to develop a system of reverse lighting – When the lights are supposed to be on, the stage is dark; when the lights are off, the stage is illuminated.
What follows quickly becomes farce, as Brindsley's neighbours (Hannah R and Dylan L), would-be father-in-law (Austin P), ex-girlfriend (Cassandra V), repairman (Fanah M), and a wealthy art collector (Hannah R) all arrive on the scene.
Rather than relying on one actor to drive the humour, the entire cast shares in the laughs, with energy that seems to bounce off the walls and throughout the delighted audience.
– Jon Zacks
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful Pacific Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
