See, we performed before this huge gothic style building facing an immense quad. We were lavalier mic'd within an inch of our lives, so there'd be no problem hearing anything, BUT... the show was scheduled to start at 6:30. They'd scheduled a campus-wide free barbeque at 5:45. Thus, there were about 1,000 people on the quad when the show started who had no interest in the show whatsoever, and had no interest in letting it go on peacefully. Trucks were coming in to load the barbeque equipment. Actually, it wasn't as bad as that all sounds, but it was bad. The first 1/4 to 1/2 of HAMLET, our first performance, became pretty much about us kinda speeding through and totally eliminating any real audience involvement until the roar quieted.
Once the plebes left, however, it was pretty great. I mean, come on, it is a good play that ends with a series of not one, not two, but THREE swordfights after or during which everyone dies? The improv group we worked with was a talented if a touch ADD addled group of kids, while the choir was simply spot on. We weren't entirely in total sync at the end for what we'd all had in mind, but it didn't affect anything even one little bit.
So, while it still feels like a victory, it is a hard won victory at best, with casualties.
Lessons learned.
Actors... check out either
www.cafepress.com/saytheline
or
www.cafepress.com/hamlet2002
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