Black Comedy by Peter Shaffer

2017-2018 Theatre Season Lights Out: A Season of Dark Tales Division of Visual/Performing Arts and Kinesiology Produced by Special Brenham Campus Arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. 2018 Texas Community College Speech and Theatre Association Play Festival Entry Black Comedy By Peter Shaffer This resource guide serves as an educational starting point to understanding and enjoying Peter Shaffer’s play Black Comedy. With this in mind, please note that the interpretations of the theatrical work may differ from the original source content. Public Performances February 22 - 24………………………………………...7 p.m. February 25…………….………………………………………2 p.m. High School Preview Performances February 22 & 23…………………………….……………1 p.m. Dr. W.W. O’Donnell Performing Arts Center Brenham, Texas Tickets can be purchased in advance online at www.blinn.edu/BoxOffice, by calling 979-830-4024, Directed by or by emailing Brad Nies [email protected] Technical Theatre Direction by Kevin Patrick Costume, Makeup, and Hair Design by Jennifer Patrick Synopsis Brindsley Miller, a struggling sculptor, and his fiancée, Carol Melkett, have borrowed some frightfully expensive furniture from a neighbor without his permission in order to impress a millionaire art collector coming to view the young artist’s work. But when a blown fuse plunges the building into darkness, things slide quickly into disaster as Carol's militant father arrives, the neighbor returns early, and Brindsley's ex-girlfriend shows up. Characters Brindsley Miller-A young sculptor with a few secrets. Carol Melkett-Brindsley’s debutante fiancée. Miss Furnival-Brindsley’s religious upstairs neighbor. Colonel Melkett-Carol’s highly militant father. Harold Gorringe-Brindsley’s neighbor and an antique dealer. Schuppanzigh-A German electrician. Clea-A painter and Brinsley’s ex-girlfriend from Finland. George Bamberger-A wealthy prospective art collector. Peter Shaffer Born in Liverpool, England in 1926, Peter Shaffer went to school in Hampstead and London before going to Trinity College in Cambridge, Massachusetts to study history. He took on several jobs in New York before realizing his talent for writing. He made a name for himself in playwriting circles when he received the Evening Standard Drama Award and the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for his 1958 play Five Finger Exercise. When The Royal National Theatre was established in London in 1963, all of his later works premiered there. In 1975, Shaffer won the Tony Award for Best Play with his drama Equus. Success followed with his play Amadeus which won several awards in London, as well as the 1981 Tony Award for Best Play. Several of his plays have been adapted into films including Amadeus which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1984. Shaffer died on June 6, 2016 at the age of 90. Black Comedy and British Farce Farce is a type of theatrical comedy that entertains audiences through the use of exaggerated and improbable situations. Characteristics of farce include physical humor, intended nonsense, and stereotypical characters. British farce dates as far back as the 14th century and includes such plays as William Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors, Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, and Michael Frayn’s Noises Off. Peter Shaffer’s 1965 farce Black Comedy employs the qualities particular to farce and is written to be staged in a reverse lighting scheme. In doing so, the play opens on a darkened stage, which is light to the characters. When a short circuit occurs, the stage is illuminated so that the audience sees what happens during the “blackout.” The play’s title has a dual meaning in that the work is a black comedy and makes light of taboo subjects, while at the same time takes place during a power outage. Black Comedy’s London Production Directed by John Dexter as part of the Chichester Festival Theatre, Black Comedy opened at The Na- tional Theatre in London on July 27, 1965. The play starred Derek Jacobi as Brindsley, Maggie Smith as Clea and Albert Finney as Harold. It moved to The Old Vic Theatre where it received rave reviews. Black Comedy’s New York Production The original Broadway production of Black Comedy opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on February 12, 1967. It starred Michael Crawford at Brindsley, Geraldine Page as Clea, and Lynn Redgrave as Carol. Shaffer’s work was nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Play and Best Direction of a Play. Black Comedy’s Revivals Black Comedy was revived three times in London: At the Lyric Theatre in 1968, at the Shaw Theatre in 1976, and at The Comedy Theatre in 1998. The play was revived on Broadway at the Criterion Center Stage Right and produced by The Roundabout Theatre Company on September 1, 1993 where it starred Peter MacNicol as Brindsley and Kate Mulgrew as Clea. References in Black Comedy South Kensington: A district of west London that, during the 1960s, was one of the city’s hippest and culturally productive neighborhoods. It was home to artist Francis Bacon, comedian Benny Hill, and actor Peter Finch. Faint Heart Never Won Fair Lady: A proverb meaning that timidity will prevent you from achieving your goals. Marching and Murdering with Sousa: A reference to John Phillip Sousa, American composer and conductor known for his military and patriotic marches. The Band of the Coldstream Guards: One of the oldest and well-known bands in the British Army. Although not the oldest Army band, it has the long- est standing tradition of music dating back to the 1700s. Pub: An establishment licensed to sell alcoholic beverages. The term is short for public house. Scarlatti Gardens: A fictitious street in South Kensington, London. Poor as a Church Mouse: A saying meaning extremely poor. It is based on an earlier expression, “Hungry as a church mouse” that refers to European churches in the 1600s that did not store or provide food. Bitter Lemon: A nonalcoholic drink made with tonic water and lemon juice. Sometimes sugar is added, as well as lemon zest, pith, or rind. The Sunday Pic: A reference to The Sunday Pictorial, the Sunday edition of a British tabloid newspaper. It reflected strong cultural views and was re- named The Sunday Mirror in 1963. Ding Dong: A British slang word for a relationship or an altercation. References in Black Comedy Earls Court: A district in central London that borders South Kensington. Lolly: A British slang word for money. Grasper: A British slang word for a woman who marries for money. Ropey: A term for something of poor quality. Kang Tsi: A reference to a type of porcelain popular during the reign of the fourth Emperor of the Qing dynasty who ruled from 1661 to 1722. Pound: Short for the pound sterling. The official currency of the United King- dom. Bouffon Hair-Do: An intentional mispronunciation of bouffant; a type of hairstyle that gained popularity during the 1960s. The word bouffon means fool. Tart: A term for woman who dresses provocatively. The Portobello: A reference to Portobello Road; a street in west London that hosts one of the city’s most notable street markets. Barnsley: A British motorcycle speedway team from Barnsley, England that competed in the English Dirt Track League in 1929. Ta: A British slang word meaning “Thanks.” The Twenty-Fifth Horse: A reference to the 25th Division; an infantry division of the British Army developed shortly after the outbreak of WWI. Needs Must When the Devil Drives: A phrase meaning that some events References in Black Comedy Blowsy: A term that describes a woman as coarse and ruddy in complexion. Bohemian: A term describing someone who is in informal and has unconventional social habits. Usually referring to an artist or writer. Dirndl: A dress based on the clothing of Alps peasants. Peasant Blouse: A woman’s blouse based on traditional European peasant dress. The Bartered Bride: A comic opera composed in the 1860s and is considered a major contribution to the development of Czech music. Lloyds Bank: A British retail and commercial bank founded in 1765. Deb: Short for debutante; a young woman from an aristocratic family who has reached maturity. Tete-a-Tete: A private conversation or meeting between two people. Too Solemn for Day, Too Sweet for Night: A reference to a poem by English Shakespearean critic William Sidney Walker. Vous Etes Tres Gentil: French for “You are very kind.” Ja: German for “Yes.” Guineas: A coin originally worth one pound sterling. Milk and Honey: A reference from The Bible to God’s description of the Promised Land as a land flowing with milk and honey. Lumbago: Pain in the muscles of the lower back. References in Black Comedy Georgian: A set of architectural styles popular with English monarchs between 1714 and 1830. Newgate’s Knocker: A reference to the heavy iron knocker on the gate at Newgate Prison used as a simile to indicate blackness. Saucy: A term meaning sexually suggestive in a humorous way. Sardines: A game equivalent to America’s Hide-and-Seek. Piccadilly: A reference to Piccadilly Circus; a road junction and pubic square in London well-known for its prostitution. Knightsbridge: A residential and international retail district in west London. Candyfloss: British for cotton-candy, and a term meaning something attractive but insubstantial. Prams: Carriers for infants dating back to the Victorian era. Pink and Green Stamps: A British sales promotion scheme introduced in 1958 that rewarded shoppers with pink and green stamps that could be ex- changed for gifts. Television Dinner: A prepackaged frozen dinner that required little prepara- tion and contained all of the elements of a single-serving meal. Torquemada: A Castilian Dominican friar who served as the first Grand Inquis- itor in Spain’s movement to homogenize religious practices those of Catholicism.

Load more