How can you go wrong with three charming older men, (Brian McIvor, Jack Morrissey and Rodney Devitt) dressed in black and white tuxedos with bright red bowties, smiling as if they have known you for years like your very own grandpa? And on top of that, they sing beautifully and with both emotional charge and vaudevillian-like humor! Well, clearly I am a fan of all of the above. Which is why one of my favorite performances during our program has been Jack and Mac. This show consists of three men who are clearly musicians, performers and natural entertainers who have worked together for years. The men performed a cabaret of songs in a bare dance studio at Trinity College, the very same room in which we hold our acting classes. Despite the informal setting and limited theatrics, the performance was a hit. Their show titled “Here and There” displayed a variety of music both from here, Ireland and Europe, and there, America. In between the songs they would provide background information, stories and personal anecdotes which ended up providing a majority of the entertainment. Their calm, natural ability to be in front of an audience, no matter what size, quickly became apparent and allowed for an enjoyable evening. Their songs not only ranged from “here” to “there,” but also ranged in mood and emotion. Some of the songs had our group laughing out loud, some had us sighing with emotion and some had us singing-along in giggles.
 |
| Charlotte introducing the performers. |
 |
| The Audience |
Some “Here” songs were “The Hippopotamus” by Flanders & Swan, “Cousin Bertie” by Brian Maguire, and some “There” songs were “Mr. Cellophane” by John Kander and a few Gilbert & Sullivan classics. There were also some acts not just defined by either “here” or “there,” but still entertaining such as “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park,” and a staged reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses for which Rodney Devitt walked out from behind a curtain head-to-toe dressed as Joyce with both cane and a copy of Ulysses in hand. Just the surprising element of this act had us laughing, but we quickly became attentive as he beautifully articulated the challenging text. The men’s relationships with one another was another valuable asset to their performance as they could simply smile or nod at one another, letting each other know where they are in the song or what they intend to do next or chime in and harmonize.
 |
| Rodney, Jack and Brian in action |
 |
| Brian McIvor (full disclosure: Charlotte's uncle!) |
Although the setting of their show is very different than any others we have seen, it still provided a valuable lesson in performance. Their ability to interact with the audience directly and keep our attention engaged is a challenge all performers face. The men’s choice to present their songs and readings with a direct connection to the audience seems for both entertainment and strategic purposes. Their personalized jokes with us (especially with Charlotte since “Mac” is her very own uncle) and songs from our own country allowed us to relate and enjoy all the more. This attention to detail also helps ensure that we do not lose focus and instead follow along with the trajectory of the songs and fully understand the relationships of the songs with their countries, writers, subjects and time periods. It was as much of a lesson in history as in performance technique. The fact that three charming men in 2011 perform a cabaret of these songs shows the timelessness of theater. Whether singing, dancing, reciting, acting, or playing instruments, the emotional impact of a successful performance is a magical process that is almost impossible to describe. As I study theater and acting at a prestigious university, it is refreshing to feel so moved by three men using only a few props, an empty dance studio and their talents. A handful of us just bought their CD’s today to bring “Here and There” to There.
 |
| The class and cast from "Here to There" |
No comments:
Post a Comment