the most mysterious day of the year
monday night at the firehouse was a play called “the most mysterious day of the year” by a troupe called the missoula oblangata. i don’t want to say that it was the best show i’ve ever gone to, as that would be a disservice to a lifetime of wonderful memories, formative moments and transcendent, cathartic, or historical experiences. but it is safe to say that i have never been to a show (in which i was an audience and the performers were strangers to me) at which i was so absolutely and thoroughly delighted. the troupe was three people, but really two people and a narrator / lights & sound engineer. the sets, props, lights, and costumes were all janky in a fun way but totally perfect and never failing. there was a lot of clutter but every piece necessary and utilized. the acting was superb– clownish, huge, and vaudevillian, with both actresses playing a number of roles and swapping out of one character and into another perfectly, with broad gestures, stances, and facial expressions making it seem like they had a cast of twenty. and the writing was totally pitch-perfect with exactly the shade of whimsical farcical old-timey vaudevillian dialogue i cherish, with everything set in that dusty grey-brown indeterminate dawn/dusk of krazy kat dailies, beckett plays, and black and white mystery late nite television. all the characters were down-on-their-luck members of frivolous occupations, total “desolation row”. in short, i absolutely, without a doubt, 100% could not have loved it any more. they are on tour right now and their myspace has dates. please go and hae an amazing time and help them out monetarily. number one, they will be in bloomington on july 5th, please tell them i said hi! i don’t care- call in sick! I LOVE IT.
Jake, you should read this blog:
http://thisisframingham.com/
Its just reviews of things in Framingham, the police log, stories about traffic, and anecdotes. Its pretty amazing. fuck!
jacob i have seen them already and i’m glad you’re as pumped about them as i am. there is this other troupe in chicago called Redmoon Theater that does very similar insanely beautiful work, although on a bit of a grander scale… i don’t know if you’ll ever get a chance but if you’re ever in chicago in the late summer/early fall and they are putting on their yearly “spectacle” you should go.
p.s. i was born in framingham!
did you know that the lavalamp was invented by a nudist?
also, i loved the play too.
i’m in love with the nonaxewielding detective.
but i don’t mean that in a vague distant crushway…
her name is madeline and i’m really in love with her and they are on tour until mid august.
shouldn’t all plays have lots of good jokes in them?
ha! i knew it! i think she bought you presents at the store! small world, this DIY community theatre with flashlights rat tails and lots of good jokes world…
[...] have overt political commentary, which i know some people find boring (and other words). here is a link to my review, which is GLOWING. the play has shady detectives, morose pets, boxers, street lamps, pontificating, [...]