Theatre Play Analysis

The sound of excitement was what I heard when I walked in. The sound of proud parents praising their children in the play, the sounds of students dreading their drama ISAs, the sounds of rushed footsteps, the sounds of the crowd settling down, the Sound of Music in its beginning. Last Wednesday, January 27th, 2016 I made my way to the City Playhouse to see my first CHAT school play, and I was looking forward to see what was in store for the audience that night! From the opening of the curtains to the final bows and thank yous of the cast, I was hooked on the convincing costumes, incredible acting, and extravagant sets. This made the audience more interested in the play since there was such a variety of costumes, and it created a whole other
visual arts aspect for this show.

I was quite intrigued by the costumes and how authentic looking they were.
From the long, simple and flowing nun costumes to all of the different outfits that the Von Trapp children wore, all of the costumes corresponded to the setting and overall theme of the play. One hint I noticed about the costumes was that you were easily able to tell who characters were in the play through just looking at their costumes. In many plays, all costumes are quite similar looking to extend the theme of the okay, however here there were very different compartments for each character that had different types of costumes. There were the soldiers and their uniforms, the nuns and their gowns, the Von Trapp children and their various outfits suiting different purposes such as marching and playing, and of course the rich people in the play which had a more lavish style including lots of fur, hats and always dressing in layers. I noticed that all costumes fit the characters perfectly and they didn't create any issues when they moved, which made the play run more smoothly overall. The costumes were so similar to the movie of "The Sound of Music" and they captured the audiences attention as well as serving as an aid to guide the audience into that temporary suspense of
disbelief.

Overall, the acting in the play was definitely note-worthy, but one actor's performance and portrayal of their character stood out in particular.
Robbie Dryer who played Captian Von Trapp remained stiff and almost robotic throughout the majority of the play and kept his facial expressions very serious while looking straight into the audience as he spoke in order to portray the military trained, tough and authoritative role of Captain Von Trapp. Robbie Dryer seemed quite serious at all times while interacting with other characters as Cotain Von Trapp, that was his main emotion. He rarely looked characters directly in the eye but rather in the direction they were standing, almost as if he had something to lose by giving eye contact. This changed when Captain Von Trapp acknowledged his love for Maria in the play, and towards the end of the show his actions and words became more human again. The audience was surprised to discover Robbie Dryer's ability and talent for singing in the show, his voice was spectacular and I loved how the way he sang matched his character exactly in the sense that his singing voice didn't seem too enthusiastic and it matched with the seriousness of his character, yet portrayed the emotions of the songs he was singing at the same time. The feature that made this performance stand out as being believable was Robbie Dryer's voice when acting. It captured the audience at all times because it sounded authoritative, stern and strong, yet not
monotone!

All sets of the play were authentic, creative and visually appealing to look at, from the convent's stained windows and candle-lit tables, to the vast and grand pastel foyer of the Von Trapp family! The set that particularly put me in awe was the foyer of the well off, Von Trapp house. It made the stage look so much larger than it actually was and the use of stairs and platforms in addition to the backdrop of the set helped to illustrate the concept of a landing in the main foyer. The backdrop of the set showed an off white marble wall carved in with various pillars and cameos of roses designed on either side and above the six tall windows overlooking what was supposed to be a great view in "Austria." There were also two printed extravagant staircases coming from either side of the backdrop, which lead into two black platforms that blended well with the stage and a small staircase leading to centre stage held in place by two white railings held up by small white bars and pillars. This extension of the backdrop made the set so much more believable looking as an audience member. The sets were made to look as realistic as possible and I appreciated that, because it made them more appropriate for the play which is based on a true story anyways. The characters used the platforms and stairs extended from the back drop of the Von Trapp family's house as a place for dance numbers and singing, as well as making an entrance on stage and for adding levels to scenes. It was as if the sets have the effect of the audience being immersed in the scenes of the play.

The show ended with a standing ovation, and I left the theatre impressed and fascinated with a show that I had never particularly enjoyed before. The energy emitted from the cast all cheering, hugging each other, and excitedly clapping for one another when they took their final bows and left the audience with a positive, warm feeling as they slowly started to clear out of the theatre.