BWW Reviews: A TRILOGY OF PARODIES, a Trilogy of Fun

By: Oct. 07, 2013
Get Access To Every Broadway Story

Unlock access to every one of the hundreds of articles published daily on BroadwayWorld by logging in with one click.




Existing user? Just click login.

***DISCLAIMER: I WAS AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR TWO OF THE THREE PARODIES***

The night started at The Watercooler a bit differently from the last time I was there. The entrance was changed so that you entered the playing space directly and not through the offices of the companies housed there (The Watercooler is a business incubator). This gives a different experience from walking down a hallway and being given permission to enter. This was more like a family get-together and the Trilogies of Parodies were the buffet the family was going to gather a around.

The first of the parodies was "Lord of the Rings: the Short, Short version". This parody is all three movies, with a brief (30 seconds) discussion about the hobbit. All three movies total 9.3 hours yet this performance lasted just 35 minutes. I sat in the back and watched the four actors keeping up with each other, their different characters, and props as each scene changed every 2 - 5 minutes or so (some were just a run across the stage). If the laughter coming from the audience was any indication the LOTR parody was a hit!

There was a quick 5 minute break while the prop tables were changed for the next parody; "Harry Potter and the Wee Little Parody". This show was performed for us by four female actors. All eight movies (total running time 19.68 hours) performed in 40 minutes. It is impossible to know how they memorize so many characters and lines and deliver them so quickly. I was beginning to get concerned, would the audience still feel like laughing after over an hour of hilarity? The audience showed me I didn't need to be concerned, they were laughing throughout!
The final parody in the trilogy was a repeat of the year before, and brought back due to popular demand. "Star Wars Abridged". This was the shortest, quickest show of the night. (This is the show I was not directly involved in.) Two actors, 30 minutes. I was concerned about one of the two actors because he was in Lord of the Rings earlier. But he made it with what appeared to be minimal damage. All six movies. All 13.28 hours, in 30 minutes. The laugher was coming just as quickly as the actors were moving around the stage and saying their lines.

Now, don't think that these shows were completely loyal to the scripts, per se. There were nods to other fandoms throughout the night. There were references to Airplane, Hunger Games, Doctor Who, Princess Bride, Monty Python, and so many more. It was such a fun night, the best part for me was enjoying watching the actors and the audience having as much fun as each other throughout each performance.

I look forward to the other offerings of Chaotic Acts of Theatre for the Boise Public to enjoy!

Photo Credit(s): All photos taken by Paul Budge of Budge Photography
Top Photo: (right to left) Cole Niblett, Cynthia Tank, and Ben Hamill (not pictured- Karl C Johnson)
Center Photo: (right to left) Robina Bant, Karen Jeanne, and Erin Edwards (not pictured - Melanie Falls)
Bottom Photo: (right to left) Jon Buffington and Ben Hamill


Add Your Comment

To post a comment, you must register and login.

 

Join Team BroadwayWorld

Are you an avid theatergoer? We're looking for people like you to share your thoughts and insights with our readers. Team BroadwayWorld members get access to shows to review, conduct interviews with artists, and the opportunity to meet and network with fellow theatre lovers and arts workers.

Interested? Learn more here.



Videos