how to make theatre absurd
It’s a familiar question.
Tell us a story when you were going about your own business and something completely ridiculous or inexplicable happened. What did you do?
I walked into a familiar space with a ticket to a secret show. The new fashion across our local theatres is to serve up a play that is a mystery. I had no idea that this show I saw a while ago would be the most absurd experience of my life.
Cue: The Bald Prima Donna by Ionesco
The Bald Prima Donna is a classic piece from the theatre of the absurd. Offering the audience advice such as ‘a haddock in a paddock is better than a crab in a lab’ and ‘I’d rather slaughter a rabbit than whistle in the garden’, Ionesco’s play is surreal and hilarious. The action is set in a suburban London drawing room. Mr & Mrs Smith and Mr & Mrs Martin are presented as middle class benchmarks, with some sturdy lines like, ‘The only respectable thing in England is the Royal Navy’. Meanwhile, the lady of the house obsesses over which shop purveys the best mayonnaise.
However brilliant the cast portray their characters, this is an anti-play where Ionesco’s satire is the real star and try as we might, the audience never gets close to the actors. Truly amazing is the way the Director is able to bring so many themes out in this complex piece of writing. I spotted a few old chestnuts, like how much of our everyday conversation is unthinking and ritualistic. Sections of the play let us fantasise about what it would be like to say what we are thinking out loud as the cast reveal what is going on in their heads. We take a glimpse at what life is like for the two couples brave enough to be on stage when reality is suspended. We hear Mrs Smith firmly argue that ‘when the doorbell rings this means there is nobody there’ as the play examines whether truth is important in our lives. I imagine people who are addicted to the glossy lifestyle of today’s suburban London might miss the irony of whether truth is important.
If all this sounds a little serious, be reassured that the audience laughed loudly and often all the way through the performance. The humour is brought out with imaginative use of movement and excellent timing whilst the satire is always hanging in the balance with lines like “a maid is always a maid…she hasn’t had the necessary education”.
Overall this is an excellent piece of Oxford student drama being intelligent, witty and giving you the opportunity to admire the impressive architecture of St John’s auditorium. The level of production and performance verges on the professional. Should you feel the need to debate the ideas, you’re left with enough time to get a round in at the pub afterwards.
The title of the play was taken from an absurd English phrase book and the play ends with the question on everyone’s lips ‘What about the bald prima donna?’ The reply is, ‘She always wears her hair the same way’. Oh well, ask a stupid question…
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Enjoy posts from other writers on absurdity here or below
From Balderdash To Epiphany. Generous Genie
WITH A FRENCH MAID FETISH WHILST MUSING I FELL FOR HIM
The Ambitious Drifter The Man At The Upstairs Window
terry1954 That’s Absurd/ The Daily Post Challenge
Thoughts of a crooked mind. Would you like to come?
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Tower Of Thoughts That was a close one
MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO Home Close Encounters of the First Kind – Vintage 1956
Rothchild’s Parlor 6.1 The Rhinoceros Catapult
From Hiding to Blogging A Yellow Rose
Mark Anthony Books The Smell of Death
Short…but not always so sweet Lifelong Friends asnappshot
Finale to an Entrance The Ant and the Flea
Anecdotal Tales Too Hot Too Handle (Weekly Writing Challenge)
Takeshi’s Flight The Midnight Leaf
On the Edge of Enlightenment Meeting the Parents
Musings of a Soul Eclectic GreetingZZ EarthlingZZ
Huskey’s Randomness Trapped In The Room With No Doors Or Windows
Chasing Life and Finding Dreams My Unintentional Cruise Down Haifa Street in Baghdad, Iraq
In my world Too good to be true
lucile de godoy A Dating Site Is Not A Playstation Game…
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Midlife Crisis Crossover The Spirit of Health Care Yet to Come (for me)
Homo Volans Hazy Cab Songs Flâneur, a touch of surrealism
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Apoplectic Apostrophes Chattel
Tea, Books & Thoughts An Unlikely Encounter
A Maniac’s Menagerie of Motley Thoughts Bedtime Murder Mystery Thin spiral notebook Last meal
The Uncustomary Housewife Your side of the bed is empty and my reaction is absurd…
Conversations Around the Tree The Magical Loon
Coded Transmissions That’s Absurd: Weekly Writing Challenge
A Word Adventure That’s Absurd ~ Dragon Rider
Courtney on a Quest Short Story Saturday 1
Evolving Ruminations Random acts of kindness
The Silver Leaf Journal Into Silence
Joan T. Warren Dark Chocolate to my Soul Weekly Writing Challenge: That’s Absurd – Long walks and dark chocolate
lita doolan productions 
Thanks for adding me to the list. Hope you read and enjoying it.
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Pleasure!
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I’ve never seen an Ionesco play. Sounds like my cuppa – absurdly thought provoking.
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Agreed! I think you would enjoy. The words were bizarrely funny but also meant so much – it was hard to stop thinking about them!!
Hope life is grand.
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Lita, a very enjoyable post, “how to make theatre absurd”. You’re excellent at capturing the essence of the any event with your words, painting a fantastic visual. Your description “surreal and hilarious”, is right up my alley. I got a good laugh with, “She always wears her hair the same way”! Have a wonderful week.
Warm wishes,
Pepper
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It made me laugh too! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post. It was fun to share the experience of the drama.
Here’s to a great week and looking forward to more of your superb poetry.
All my good wishes
Lita
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What a fun, entertaining yet thoughtful post it was Lita ! Seems like you are lucky enough to attend or know about lot of theaters !
It strangely reminded of this quote “Life is a theater set in which there are but few practicable entrances.”
― Victor Hugo, Les Misérables
Hope you had a good weekend. With love,
Zee ❤
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The Victor Hugo quote is amazing! Thanks for making my day Zee. That is such a wonderful find.
I had a great time checking out your Autumn post.
Here’s to a brilliant week ahead. There was a tiny bit of frost early this morning, (boo!) but a good time to look out for autumnal colours ;-D
Love
Lita 🙂
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Haha, It was my pleasure Lita to share it all with you 🙂
Cheers to brilliant week ahead, Hope the frost doesn’t stop you from enjoying beauty of autumn ! ^.^
Have a good day 🙂
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Thanks for mentioning my humble post! Hope you enjoyed it!
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Pleasure!
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What a lovely piece Lita. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and your captioned duck!
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So great to hear from you! I love the look of your site, it feels like a new design to my last visit. It looks so fresh and the posts have been so uplifting to catch up on this morning. Can’t wait to go to H&M now!!
Thank you for your comment. I know we both share a love of theatre and performance. For sure the duck steals the show today! I was chasing him around the park for a close up!
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Thank you Lita! Your comments always give me a huge lift. I’m recovering from a virus and 4 days in bed so just what I needs to hear on this glorious morning. I’d love to have seen you chasing that Duck!!!
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haha yeah he was SPEEDY!!! I think he wanted to take cover in the daffodils he was running for them fast!
hope you feel fab soon! Great guest blogging you have been doing! More power to you!
We got a bit of sun here today in south London (freaky weather) so hope the Emerald Isle is doing you proud.
Happy days!
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I could experience this for myself … but your words were the next best thing.
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oops … my brain and my fingers weren’t coordinated. “I wish” got lost at the beginning of that sentence!
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Thank you so much Cindi! This show really connected with me so your words are deeply encouraging. I am grateful. I definitely think Absurd Theatre would be a tough style to direct so I am glad to enjoy someone else’s version!!
Your photograph for Wordless Wednesday is the most moving image I have seen on WordPress. It’s so alive with light and has an immediate presence. It reminds me how powerful nature is (and that maybe we should know our place in it!!)
All my very best wishes
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hey lita, you got me interested in reading this play. well done you!
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That’s good news! It’s full of wit and laughter!
I am still thinking on your opening line..
‘How would a tree grow without its roots?’
Thanks for the intrigue in your post.
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Lita, it’s nice to see you post again! Hilarious review. Now I want to buy a ticket and live in London (or Oxford…Cambridge?) as a starving writer. 🙂
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It would be great to hang out in the theatre we could sit and chat for ages!! I loved your Haiku for the girl of the Gobi Desert. I guess WordPress is our virtual neighbourhood.
The show was funny and serious at the same time but mainly hilarious! It’s weird when you laugh at lines that are serious. I’m glad I got it across. 😀
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Lita, you had me at “secret show!” What a great adventure. And the reward: a wonderful, absurd Ionesco! I haven’t read Ionesco since I was a student; maybe I’ll give this one a read. Thanks!
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Linda, watching this ‘secret’ show made me finally ‘get’ Ionesco (I would not have gone if I’d known it was absurd!) – they presented his complex lines in a bold and basic way and it meant something to me. . I hope you enjoy it anew if you have a read!
Your recent review just changed my whole view on films. I love the insight in your posts.
I do envy your recent walk up that steep cliff (what a view!!).
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I saw rhinoceros years ago in berkeley. im still frightened
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His work is powerful!
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