New experience for Leongatha theatre-goers

LEONGATHA Lyric Theatre’s next production is not only an intense, psychological drama, it is also being acted on a traverse stage.
A traverse stage is one where the audience is seated on either side, instead of in front of, a rectangular stage.
“I have known about traverse staging for many years and long had a desire to direct or act in a play on a traverse stage,” said David Tattersall, director of the upcoming Lyric production, Death and the Maiden.
“I have acted in and directed plays and a musical (Godspell) with the audience seated on three sides, so I was confident the traverse layout could work given the audience is able to see and hear all the action, particularly if all the action takes place in one room.
“I had the opportunity to see a production of Death and The Maiden about five years ago and thought it might be a play that could be performed by Lyric Theatre.
“I discovered the author would like the audience to see themselves in a giant mirror which descended on the stage in the final scene of the play so they could all reflect on how they might be capable of the excesses he writes about, and think about how they might judge others who are caught up in the violence of war and repression.
“As a one set play, Death and the Maiden works best with a small, intimate audience. Although Lyric Theatre could not afford the giant mirror, as a play where the author wanted the audience to see themselves to lend weight to his message, I figured this play would be a perfect use of transverse staging.
“Death and The Maiden is a tense psychological drama, so I have used tiered seating to heighten the drama, with the audience looking down on the stage, and deliberately limited the seating to 35 people on either side of the stage so no one is more than seven metres from the action and everyone has an unobstructed view.”
Rehearsals have been quite intense due to the nature of the script so, given their proximity to the stage, audience members can expect to be fully immersed in a drama which not only features strong adult themes and language, but also has subtle twists and turns in the plot which will have them drawing and changing conclusions as the play unfolds.
Death and the Maiden runs from September 28 to October 6 at Leongatha’s Mesley Hall. Bookings through the Lyric website: www.lyrictheatre.net.au

Experienced in theatre: Death and the Maiden director David Tattersall in pensive mood as he watches his actors in rehearsal.

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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on Sep 11 2018. Filed under Arts & Entertainment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry