“Insanity begins in the most inocuous ways.” – Justin Warner, via Bob Penny
I sometimes wish we could re-brand the term “fine arts”. Its current reputation can be too pretentious. Mainly, it just feels deadly serious. When I hear the phrase “fine arts”, even the first things that pop in my head are all over-dramatic. Bratty dancers that carry themselves too portently, plays with an overt and depressing message, and orchestral performances of pre-Bugs Bunny Wagner.
Therefore, I’m grateful to the Birmingham Festival Theatre for putting on their “fine-ish arts” performance of Justin Warner’s play Screwups. It cannot be taken too seriously. It’s a collection of six comedic ten-or-so minute plays. Each of the scenes deals with a screwup (FAIL) of one kind or another. It’s not terribly sophisticated. It’s not depressing. It’s not just for an arts crowd. Even the rowdier Extemporaneous Theatre Company audience might feel right at home. It’s silly fun.
My favorite two scenes were probably “Bum Steer” and “Page-Turner”. At first, I didn’t believe that Nancy Watkins and Walter Garner could be taken seriously in “Bum Steer”, but I had to realize I wasn’t supposed to. It’s hard to play sort-of annoying characters without them becoming , well, annoying, but they pulled it off very well.
“Page-Turner” included Bob Penny, Brian Webber, Logan Reid, Katherine Burcham, and Elizabeth Kirven. A 10 minute romp, for sure. With some sex. And death.
This show feels like the Birmingham Festival Theatre is cleaning out the fridge for summer. A little of this, a little of that. Featuring more than fifteen actors. An out-of-place dance troupe (Notinee or Zivah Saphirah). A brush with God – maybe. And hopefully the night that you go will have a few screwups of its own – I’d love to see the actors get all inspired to improvise wildly within a show of this sort.
If you use THIS form to share your own screwup with the BFT, you get $5 off your ticket price. A good deal, but I hope they can be counted on not to use that information against us later…
I write this stuff down at least half so *I* remember it later, but I won’t mind if you use this as a reminder, too, of what you might want to go see. The upcoming season of the Birmingham Festival Theatre will feature:
Thanks to the Birmingham Festival Theatre for making me laugh and letting me add an -ish to the fine arts.