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s part of the tenth grade drama class’ exploration into theatre practices through performance, we rehearsed and performed four selected comedic performances from David Ives’ All in the Timing. This collection was written between 1987 and 1993, and premiered Off-Broadway. The plays in All in the Timing were short comedic plays, with an emphasis on language and wordplay, existentialist viewpoints on life and meaning, as well as romantic relationships. The four plays that we have performed are: Words, Words, Words, English Made Simple, Sure Thing, and Cairo 1948.
The four performances of All in The Timing were performed alongside I&S’s and the art class’s presentation on the theme of how the past affects the culture and arts of the present day. The main concept that was explored was existentialism and modernism. However, the most entertaining part of the play was its comedic elements which made the audience laugh. There were many inside jokes that referred to historical movements which added more context to the plays holistically. In conclusion, we really enjoyed performing the plays and the audiences also had a great time. Although there were many difficulties and obstacles such as rehearsals, timing, long scripts, and lack of props, we were able to put on an entertaining performance! Nicky and Ang-Ang, G10
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Words, Words, Words follows three monkeys who are tasked with producing Hamlet, but all they do is engage in nonsense chatter. English Made Simple portrays the story of two people who met at a party, although delivered as an English grammar lesson. Sure Thing depicts a man and a woman who meet in a bar and engage in a conversation, with a bell that resets the conversation each time a mistake is made. Finally, Cairo 1948 is a film noir that shows the development of a relationship between a man and a woman over a period of several years in several places.
These plays were not easy to rehearse and perform. Coupled with numerous delays due to technical setbacks, comedic plays also require lots of rehearsals as precise timing and appropriate tone is of the utmost importance to produce a comedic effect for the audience.