Black Comedy Sparknotes

Brindsley Miller is at odds with everyone in his living room. While all of his guests, intended and accidental, attempt to illuminate their condition both figuratively and literally, Brindsley desperately endeavors to thwart them to increasingly comedic effect. In Peter Shaffer’s one-act farce, Black Comedy, first performed in 1965, he amusingly juxtaposes light and dark in order to underscore the play’s central treatment of lies and deceit.
Simultaneously its most distinctive and challenging feature, the play is performed under a reversed lighting scheme. The first scene unfolds in darkness. Following a short circuit, Brindsley’s modest flat is lit up to expose its inhabitants in the midst of a blackout. Not surprisingly, this provision is quite the obstacle for cast and crew. Shifts in lighting were seamless and virtually unnoticeable thanks to the expertise of a technical team led by Lavin Ge Tran. Faux-blind movement looked to be nothing but authentic, utilizing the entire available space masterfully under the direction of Alasdair Bird. Our full awareness of the chaos transpiring on stage as the actors clumsily stumble from one mishap
For some, misplaced outrageousness distracted from or overpowered the witty and nuanced dialogue. Brindsley, played by Andrews Chalmers, lost the sharpness of his remarks at moments where his persona was lost in panic. Catriona Grew, who embodied a vapid Carol, pulled her face in such cartoonish grimaces that at times it was difficult to focus on what she was saying. However, certain caricatures stole the show, particularly in the camp, next-door neighbor Harold Gorringe, brilliantly played by Cody Dahler. When Harold re-enters the flat holding a taper after discovering Brindsley’s grave betrayal, face contorted in rage, the audience unanimously erupted in laughter. I truly applaud the players for maintaining straight