Caravan Theater

originally posted August 18, 2006

I had the girl, Joy, don the red robes that were altered for the role of Brigella. Six wore the 'Bina' set, the teal robes that were slit from hem to thigh that no one in the audience mistake her, truly, for a free woman. The farce has been condensed considerably as is often done. Unfortunately, the roles of Chino and Lecchio as well as those of the Initiates have been cut. While each added an unmistakable element of humor, I felt the moral of the story could be told with three characters more quickly. In addition, the focus of the play is narrowed on two principals, rather than four or five, which facilitates the delivery. As we rehearsed this condensed version, people from the caravan wandered into our camp to watch. Soon the crowd swelled a bit at our small site and my pouch swelled a bit with copper coins as well. A few took note of the edited material with comments such as
"Is Lecchio not a part of this farce?" and "What of Chino. I recall a scene where he chases the Brigella and then...well, I suppose it works."
In such theater, people are encouraged to participate. It is rather fun, actually, to remove the convention of 'polite silence' from the audience and encourage them to enunciate their opinions and even, from time to time, to add to the dialogue. After a line where the Merchant tells the rather nude Brigella that he is considering calling a praetor to resolve their differences, a fellow piped up from the crowd, "I am a praetor!" It was rather humorous and difficult to remain in character. His timing suggested that he either enjoyed a good deal of street theater in his days or, perhaps, that he had some experience upon the stage. One does not know where such a moment will occur or if it will occur. It is a challenge, then, for the performers not only to remain in character, but to keep such comments and interactions favorable. There have been performers regaled with far less favorable things than a lewd comment or a suggestive remark. It is not unknown for an audience to express their displeasure at a characterization or a turn of phrase with the hurled core of a peach or sometimes the whole fruit. Joy was, for the record, a lovely Brigella. Six, too, performed her role well. The loss of Chino and Lecchio as well as the Initiates from the farce were not groused over so much. More importantly, the beloved characters remaining in the farce were true to expectations. In two days we should be in Lara. Already, the roarof the Vosk River can be heard, if faintly.