Teaching Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay in a second-year History of Early Drama course
Helen Ostovich
Another Classroom Performance: 2004
HO The 2004 production was a lot of fun, as the reviews below indicate. The group had four actors. Two of them played the fathers in beards, fighting each other over Margaret of Fressingfield. The 'perspective glass' television set showed the student-filmed video. The same two actors played the sons without beards, coming to Friar Bacon to see how their fathers are doing at home. And like father, like son: both sons repeat the fathers' actions in anger for revenge, this time live onstage. The whole thing was simple, clever, and memorable. As you can see in the reviews, the video was not the only great spectacular moment: the stabbing sequence and streamers of 'blood' in the killing of the scholars created a sensation. We had talked about this stage trick with ribbons in medieval drama, and the group used it to good effect here. The other great spectacle was Bacon breaking his magic glass at the end, a desperate blow aimed at the television but frozen before it could destroy university property. Unfortunately, performances of scenes from this play in 2007 did not survive my computer crash, nor did the performance essays.
Fall 2004-5
Audience Mark: A+
Interpretation of Concept: Begins with Bacon's arrogance over his perspective glass experiments; and ends with Bacon destroying the glass. Nice balance. Corruption of power and abuse of abilities. Scene is about Bacon's transformation and repentance.
Roles: Bacon projected voice well. She shows lots of feeling, expressive voice tones, passionate performance. Also Dan as scholar: perfect for the role. Many liked the accent. Bungay mumbled. The two scholars put on a great fight scene, on tape and on stage. Scholars seemed casual and arrogant, thinking they know everything (just like men at university). But all the characters were great. It was so good I couldn't tell who was the best. I think they all worked equally well, and that is important. Great job by all. Good timing by everyone. Perfect!
Costuming: Friars in white robes, with large crosses, looked pious. Scholars had sashes. Simple costumes, but the whole thing worked. Chairs, candle enough to create a set.
Props and/or Set: Chairs, candle enough to create a set. Bibles and rosaries of the friars were a nice touch. Video as magic perspective glass showing fathers fight. Even the blue screen adds to the dimension of the illusory world of magic. Red streamers for blood was great! The butter knife was funny. Loved the programs.
Favourite Moment: The fight! The stabbing was well choreographed. The simultaneous stabbing and instant streamers of blood "awesome!" Very professional, and the movie was very creative. Use of the TV was stroke of genius in displaying Bacon's magic. Deaths of the scholars emphasized the problems of using magic.
Overall: Well prepared, funny, exciting. Great performance. Excellent! The best. Awesome! Extremely creative, magical, inventive, exceptional. Extremely entertaining. Fantastic! Brutally violent! Hurrah!! Excellent, excellent, excellent. Amazing. I want to see it again. Mark should be 12 out of 10. Absolutely sensational.