Captin Planet - UDS
Mon, 2 May 2005, 10:35 pmTony P3 posts in thread
Captin Planet - UDS
Mon, 2 May 2005, 10:35 pmWhat - Captin Planet
Who - UDS (Domin Anderson and Jess Hutchens direct. Dan Debuf, Matt Saraceni and Luke Ryan write)
Where - Dolphin Theatre
When - Saturday 30 April - Show plays this week at 7.30 Wed-Sat (I think - check the "What's on" section)
Why? - There is no why. Only why not.
On Saturday I returned to the Alma Mater, and took in a show by UDS, my formative breeding ground of artistic endeavour. I had a number of friends in the cast and crew, but had heard reasonably little about what was going to go on, on stage.
I was therefore taken aback, by the opening of the show which is mostly done through a multi-media piece projected onto the psych. I've always been trepidatious about multi-media in theatre, and am pleased to say that this is probably the best use of multi-media I've seen in theatre. Some very stylish CGI was used, and it suited the tongue in cheek nature of the show. It also had a cameo by Shaun Micallef. Yes, the real Shaun Micallef, very impressive.
The show itself is a spoof of the early nineties politically-correct envirotoon "Captain Planet". It centres around Gerald (finely played by a guy called Craig - sorry but I don't have a programme. Apparently there is no programme [there is the very real possibility that I was to dumb to find one or Uni students these days are just slack...still]). Gerald is a nerdy Captin Planet tragic, obsessed with his child hood, post-school television fare.
Gerald is instructed by the spirit of Captin Planet to summon the old crew together again to fight the evil Lutin Plunder and Doctor Blight, who now control EnviroCorp, yes EnviroCorp. The evil S&M loving duo have concocted a plan to boost EnviroCorps flagging profits. You see, because the pollution fighting crew were so good at fighting eco-badness, there is no longer any environmental damage to fix. Therefore EnviroCorp is largely without work. Lutin Plunder and his lassy, therefore decide to reincarnate Captain Pollution, to create some work, by trashing the Earth.
The crew has disbanded like an aging rock band and have all sold out in their various ways. One dictating an African nation, one shilling burgers for WacDonald's, one doing Eurovision tele-pop songs, one running a brothel and one is an hilarious "Crossing Over" - style psychic.
The plot is a bit loose, but this is not a plot based show. Nor is it at all politically correct. Those easy to offend should definitely stay away. But it is all in good fun, and the offensive humour is usually the best.
The acting, as is the case in most student theatre, is variable. There are stand-out performances by Craig (as Gerald), Matt Saraceni (as Ma-Ti) Georgia Henderson (Laika?) and Dan Debuf as a range of security men and most impressive John as Captain Punit, the pun loving inbred half cousin of Captin Planet. The guy who played Wheeler, Luke Ryan, and the evil duo also do good work, as did the guy who was Fonzy and a buch of other characters. But there are also performances that show the inexperience of some of the cast. Diction, masking and good old theatre nouse were sometimes missing. This is the nature of student theatre though, and I am pleased to say there weren't any performances that completely dropped the ball. In a play that relies on every character being larger than life, that is quite impressive.
The energy the cast bring to the stage is dead right. You can't do this kind of spoof without being over-the top and full of life. The directors have clearly recognised this and got every scrap of energy out of the young cast.
The major criticism of this play is length. It seemed like the writers/directors were loathe to remove pieces that they loved, even when they didn't work. Sometimes, if you love something you have to let it go. A show like this would be best running at about 90 minutes. At 120 minutes, it was too much.
The technicals were great. I couldn't count the number of lighting effects used, but they were sensational. The one thing I'd say to the SM is to get those scene changes a little speedier. But I'm nit-picking.
Self restraint is also a problem. I love breaking the fourth wall, but it is humour that must be used in small doses to be effective. Sometimes the fourth wall gags were taken one step too far and detracted from other fourth wall gags that were about to come up.
However, the yardsticks to measure a show like this by are fun, audience reaction, and belly-laughs. On all of these points the show was a whomping success. As a lover of black comedy, usually offensive, I was constantly amused, and at a number of the points in sheer hysterics.
If you too love lighthearted black humour - check this out. You won't be disappointed. I guarantee belly-laughs if you accept the tongue in cheek 'tude of UDS.
Who - UDS (Domin Anderson and Jess Hutchens direct. Dan Debuf, Matt Saraceni and Luke Ryan write)
Where - Dolphin Theatre
When - Saturday 30 April - Show plays this week at 7.30 Wed-Sat (I think - check the "What's on" section)
Why? - There is no why. Only why not.
On Saturday I returned to the Alma Mater, and took in a show by UDS, my formative breeding ground of artistic endeavour. I had a number of friends in the cast and crew, but had heard reasonably little about what was going to go on, on stage.
I was therefore taken aback, by the opening of the show which is mostly done through a multi-media piece projected onto the psych. I've always been trepidatious about multi-media in theatre, and am pleased to say that this is probably the best use of multi-media I've seen in theatre. Some very stylish CGI was used, and it suited the tongue in cheek nature of the show. It also had a cameo by Shaun Micallef. Yes, the real Shaun Micallef, very impressive.
The show itself is a spoof of the early nineties politically-correct envirotoon "Captain Planet". It centres around Gerald (finely played by a guy called Craig - sorry but I don't have a programme. Apparently there is no programme [there is the very real possibility that I was to dumb to find one or Uni students these days are just slack...still]). Gerald is a nerdy Captin Planet tragic, obsessed with his child hood, post-school television fare.
Gerald is instructed by the spirit of Captin Planet to summon the old crew together again to fight the evil Lutin Plunder and Doctor Blight, who now control EnviroCorp, yes EnviroCorp. The evil S&M loving duo have concocted a plan to boost EnviroCorps flagging profits. You see, because the pollution fighting crew were so good at fighting eco-badness, there is no longer any environmental damage to fix. Therefore EnviroCorp is largely without work. Lutin Plunder and his lassy, therefore decide to reincarnate Captain Pollution, to create some work, by trashing the Earth.
The crew has disbanded like an aging rock band and have all sold out in their various ways. One dictating an African nation, one shilling burgers for WacDonald's, one doing Eurovision tele-pop songs, one running a brothel and one is an hilarious "Crossing Over" - style psychic.
The plot is a bit loose, but this is not a plot based show. Nor is it at all politically correct. Those easy to offend should definitely stay away. But it is all in good fun, and the offensive humour is usually the best.
The acting, as is the case in most student theatre, is variable. There are stand-out performances by Craig (as Gerald), Matt Saraceni (as Ma-Ti) Georgia Henderson (Laika?) and Dan Debuf as a range of security men and most impressive John as Captain Punit, the pun loving inbred half cousin of Captin Planet. The guy who played Wheeler, Luke Ryan, and the evil duo also do good work, as did the guy who was Fonzy and a buch of other characters. But there are also performances that show the inexperience of some of the cast. Diction, masking and good old theatre nouse were sometimes missing. This is the nature of student theatre though, and I am pleased to say there weren't any performances that completely dropped the ball. In a play that relies on every character being larger than life, that is quite impressive.
The energy the cast bring to the stage is dead right. You can't do this kind of spoof without being over-the top and full of life. The directors have clearly recognised this and got every scrap of energy out of the young cast.
The major criticism of this play is length. It seemed like the writers/directors were loathe to remove pieces that they loved, even when they didn't work. Sometimes, if you love something you have to let it go. A show like this would be best running at about 90 minutes. At 120 minutes, it was too much.
The technicals were great. I couldn't count the number of lighting effects used, but they were sensational. The one thing I'd say to the SM is to get those scene changes a little speedier. But I'm nit-picking.
Self restraint is also a problem. I love breaking the fourth wall, but it is humour that must be used in small doses to be effective. Sometimes the fourth wall gags were taken one step too far and detracted from other fourth wall gags that were about to come up.
However, the yardsticks to measure a show like this by are fun, audience reaction, and belly-laughs. On all of these points the show was a whomping success. As a lover of black comedy, usually offensive, I was constantly amused, and at a number of the points in sheer hysterics.
If you too love lighthearted black humour - check this out. You won't be disappointed. I guarantee belly-laughs if you accept the tongue in cheek 'tude of UDS.
Tony PMon, 2 May 2005, 10:35 pm
What - Captin Planet
Who - UDS (Domin Anderson and Jess Hutchens direct. Dan Debuf, Matt Saraceni and Luke Ryan write)
Where - Dolphin Theatre
When - Saturday 30 April - Show plays this week at 7.30 Wed-Sat (I think - check the "What's on" section)
Why? - There is no why. Only why not.
On Saturday I returned to the Alma Mater, and took in a show by UDS, my formative breeding ground of artistic endeavour. I had a number of friends in the cast and crew, but had heard reasonably little about what was going to go on, on stage.
I was therefore taken aback, by the opening of the show which is mostly done through a multi-media piece projected onto the psych. I've always been trepidatious about multi-media in theatre, and am pleased to say that this is probably the best use of multi-media I've seen in theatre. Some very stylish CGI was used, and it suited the tongue in cheek nature of the show. It also had a cameo by Shaun Micallef. Yes, the real Shaun Micallef, very impressive.
The show itself is a spoof of the early nineties politically-correct envirotoon "Captain Planet". It centres around Gerald (finely played by a guy called Craig - sorry but I don't have a programme. Apparently there is no programme [there is the very real possibility that I was to dumb to find one or Uni students these days are just slack...still]). Gerald is a nerdy Captin Planet tragic, obsessed with his child hood, post-school television fare.
Gerald is instructed by the spirit of Captin Planet to summon the old crew together again to fight the evil Lutin Plunder and Doctor Blight, who now control EnviroCorp, yes EnviroCorp. The evil S&M loving duo have concocted a plan to boost EnviroCorps flagging profits. You see, because the pollution fighting crew were so good at fighting eco-badness, there is no longer any environmental damage to fix. Therefore EnviroCorp is largely without work. Lutin Plunder and his lassy, therefore decide to reincarnate Captain Pollution, to create some work, by trashing the Earth.
The crew has disbanded like an aging rock band and have all sold out in their various ways. One dictating an African nation, one shilling burgers for WacDonald's, one doing Eurovision tele-pop songs, one running a brothel and one is an hilarious "Crossing Over" - style psychic.
The plot is a bit loose, but this is not a plot based show. Nor is it at all politically correct. Those easy to offend should definitely stay away. But it is all in good fun, and the offensive humour is usually the best.
The acting, as is the case in most student theatre, is variable. There are stand-out performances by Craig (as Gerald), Matt Saraceni (as Ma-Ti) Georgia Henderson (Laika?) and Dan Debuf as a range of security men and most impressive John as Captain Punit, the pun loving inbred half cousin of Captin Planet. The guy who played Wheeler, Luke Ryan, and the evil duo also do good work, as did the guy who was Fonzy and a buch of other characters. But there are also performances that show the inexperience of some of the cast. Diction, masking and good old theatre nouse were sometimes missing. This is the nature of student theatre though, and I am pleased to say there weren't any performances that completely dropped the ball. In a play that relies on every character being larger than life, that is quite impressive.
The energy the cast bring to the stage is dead right. You can't do this kind of spoof without being over-the top and full of life. The directors have clearly recognised this and got every scrap of energy out of the young cast.
The major criticism of this play is length. It seemed like the writers/directors were loathe to remove pieces that they loved, even when they didn't work. Sometimes, if you love something you have to let it go. A show like this would be best running at about 90 minutes. At 120 minutes, it was too much.
The technicals were great. I couldn't count the number of lighting effects used, but they were sensational. The one thing I'd say to the SM is to get those scene changes a little speedier. But I'm nit-picking.
Self restraint is also a problem. I love breaking the fourth wall, but it is humour that must be used in small doses to be effective. Sometimes the fourth wall gags were taken one step too far and detracted from other fourth wall gags that were about to come up.
However, the yardsticks to measure a show like this by are fun, audience reaction, and belly-laughs. On all of these points the show was a whomping success. As a lover of black comedy, usually offensive, I was constantly amused, and at a number of the points in sheer hysterics.
If you too love lighthearted black humour - check this out. You won't be disappointed. I guarantee belly-laughs if you accept the tongue in cheek 'tude of UDS.
Who - UDS (Domin Anderson and Jess Hutchens direct. Dan Debuf, Matt Saraceni and Luke Ryan write)
Where - Dolphin Theatre
When - Saturday 30 April - Show plays this week at 7.30 Wed-Sat (I think - check the "What's on" section)
Why? - There is no why. Only why not.
On Saturday I returned to the Alma Mater, and took in a show by UDS, my formative breeding ground of artistic endeavour. I had a number of friends in the cast and crew, but had heard reasonably little about what was going to go on, on stage.
I was therefore taken aback, by the opening of the show which is mostly done through a multi-media piece projected onto the psych. I've always been trepidatious about multi-media in theatre, and am pleased to say that this is probably the best use of multi-media I've seen in theatre. Some very stylish CGI was used, and it suited the tongue in cheek nature of the show. It also had a cameo by Shaun Micallef. Yes, the real Shaun Micallef, very impressive.
The show itself is a spoof of the early nineties politically-correct envirotoon "Captain Planet". It centres around Gerald (finely played by a guy called Craig - sorry but I don't have a programme. Apparently there is no programme [there is the very real possibility that I was to dumb to find one or Uni students these days are just slack...still]). Gerald is a nerdy Captin Planet tragic, obsessed with his child hood, post-school television fare.
Gerald is instructed by the spirit of Captin Planet to summon the old crew together again to fight the evil Lutin Plunder and Doctor Blight, who now control EnviroCorp, yes EnviroCorp. The evil S&M loving duo have concocted a plan to boost EnviroCorps flagging profits. You see, because the pollution fighting crew were so good at fighting eco-badness, there is no longer any environmental damage to fix. Therefore EnviroCorp is largely without work. Lutin Plunder and his lassy, therefore decide to reincarnate Captain Pollution, to create some work, by trashing the Earth.
The crew has disbanded like an aging rock band and have all sold out in their various ways. One dictating an African nation, one shilling burgers for WacDonald's, one doing Eurovision tele-pop songs, one running a brothel and one is an hilarious "Crossing Over" - style psychic.
The plot is a bit loose, but this is not a plot based show. Nor is it at all politically correct. Those easy to offend should definitely stay away. But it is all in good fun, and the offensive humour is usually the best.
The acting, as is the case in most student theatre, is variable. There are stand-out performances by Craig (as Gerald), Matt Saraceni (as Ma-Ti) Georgia Henderson (Laika?) and Dan Debuf as a range of security men and most impressive John as Captain Punit, the pun loving inbred half cousin of Captin Planet. The guy who played Wheeler, Luke Ryan, and the evil duo also do good work, as did the guy who was Fonzy and a buch of other characters. But there are also performances that show the inexperience of some of the cast. Diction, masking and good old theatre nouse were sometimes missing. This is the nature of student theatre though, and I am pleased to say there weren't any performances that completely dropped the ball. In a play that relies on every character being larger than life, that is quite impressive.
The energy the cast bring to the stage is dead right. You can't do this kind of spoof without being over-the top and full of life. The directors have clearly recognised this and got every scrap of energy out of the young cast.
The major criticism of this play is length. It seemed like the writers/directors were loathe to remove pieces that they loved, even when they didn't work. Sometimes, if you love something you have to let it go. A show like this would be best running at about 90 minutes. At 120 minutes, it was too much.
The technicals were great. I couldn't count the number of lighting effects used, but they were sensational. The one thing I'd say to the SM is to get those scene changes a little speedier. But I'm nit-picking.
Self restraint is also a problem. I love breaking the fourth wall, but it is humour that must be used in small doses to be effective. Sometimes the fourth wall gags were taken one step too far and detracted from other fourth wall gags that were about to come up.
However, the yardsticks to measure a show like this by are fun, audience reaction, and belly-laughs. On all of these points the show was a whomping success. As a lover of black comedy, usually offensive, I was constantly amused, and at a number of the points in sheer hysterics.
If you too love lighthearted black humour - check this out. You won't be disappointed. I guarantee belly-laughs if you accept the tongue in cheek 'tude of UDS.
crgwllmsMon, 2 May 2005, 10:53 pm
Re: Cyc-o Killer
Tony P wrote:
>
> a multi-media piece projected onto the psych.
Wow! This must have been a trippy experience, and one which I'm sure the Psych students in the audience will be analyzing for weeks...
...but the piece of fabric stretched at the back of the stage for use of lighting effects would be called a 'CYC' ...short for 'CYCLORAMA'.
Cheers
Craig
>
> a multi-media piece projected onto the psych.
Wow! This must have been a trippy experience, and one which I'm sure the Psych students in the audience will be analyzing for weeks...
...but the piece of fabric stretched at the back of the stage for use of lighting effects would be called a 'CYC' ...short for 'CYCLORAMA'.
Cheers
Craig
Don AllenTue, 3 May 2005, 09:47 am
Re: Cyc-o Killer
But wouldn't it make lighting so much easier if we could just project into their psych what we wanted them to visualise, then their mind would addapt it to what they wanted to visualise and then you have the perfect lighting design.
Don
Don