Opening this Wednesday at TNC Theatre, the 2011 Directors’ Projects are the result of a staggering amount of preparation, coordination, and dedication. Comprised of 11 separately staged productions, the festival is an excellent example of the advantages of student theatre. Each play runs about one hour in length and has been directed, selected, and researched by a different member of this year’s “Directing for the Theatre” class, which is taught through the department of English.
For those unfamiliar with McGill theatre, the Directors’ Projects are a perfect introduction to this multifarious world—a unique exposition showcasing the variety in the student theatre community. The plays range from family tragedy to absurdist parables. They contain accounts of spiritual exploration and artistic creation, and describe both failing and hopeful relationships. The many themes reflect the disparate personalities of the directors.
One of the few practical theatre courses available at McGill, “Directing for the Theatre” provides an unparalleled opportunity for students to grow and challenge themselves artistically. The class runs a full year in length; the first semester is dedicated to preparing the 11 plays by deconstructing them and researching their background. Casting and rehearsals start up at the beginning of the winter semester. There are few limitations placed on the selection of plays, apart from the obvious problems of having to stage them all within the confines of TNC Theatre. Most directors choose short one acts, though some decide to stage two half-hour plays back-to-back.
Overall, the course aims to give directors the ability to comprehensively stage a theatre production by providing them with a toolbox of techniques and exercises for running rehearsals, helping actors, and structuring their productions. Accordingly, the focus of the festival is on this exploratory element; almost all of the shows lend themselves to experimentation or interpretation.
Rachel Penny, production manager at TNC, said that staging shorter plays also prevents the festival from becoming too cumbersome, and that despite this the performances still “pack a punch.”
Although you may recognize some of the playwrights featured, the plays themselves will be unfamiliar to most students. Each night features at least two different productions. The performances have been matched along rough thematic lines, mostly to avoid overtly jarring combinations. In the mix are a couple of comedies, a pair of pieces from absurdist playwrights Ionesco and Arrabal, and then some more intense selections: a Montreal family drama by Michel Tremblay, an account of a troubled relationship from British Nobel laureate Harold Pinter, and two shorter one acts by Tennessee Williams. Just looking over the schedule, the broad range of selected plays indicates a diversity of interests in both content and approach, brought to the table by the 11 students.
After speaking with various directors about their projects, this diversity could not be more obvious. What remains constant, however, is the way in which each individual has become immersed in the world of their own play, each of which forces you to engage with its own internal logic and narrative. This challenge of engaging the audience is one that has been taken on whole-heartedly by the Directors’ Projects. By presenting a wide array of thorough productions, the festival gives students the opportunity to experience the full scope of theatre at McGill.
The Directors’ Projects run from March 23-April 2. Evening $5, matinees $3. Contact [email protected] for details.
