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Director, Michael Fera, on this Restoration Comedy
We are very much honoring the Restoration Period in our production of The Soldiers’ Fortune, staging it the way the play would have been presented in the 1680s. The ambience will begin as patrons arrive with actors greeting them in the lobby selling oranges. Actress Nell Gwyn, mistress of Charles II, started out as an orange wench.
We have included the classic device of “a play within a play” – a troupe of actors, the King’s Players, is putting on the play The Soldier’s Fortune. Every night “Charles II” will be in the audience and, because the actors were true celebrities, they will enter to a round of applause. It was the introduction of women to the stage and they were often cast as men – “breeches characters” – so they could show off their legs and sexy ankles. It was a great scandal of the day and we will have fun with that.
At that time, the stage crew would have been foreign sailors, many of whom couldn’t understand English, so scene changes were cued by whistle calls. That is why traditionally you never whistle backstage. In context, Bloody Bones is one of these sailors who suddenly has to jump in and play one of the roles.
Technically the production will strive to mirror the period. There is the traditional proscenium thrust stage and lighting will seem as authentic as possible, with modern technology. The whole show is lit by candlelight using huge candelabras and actors will come out and trim the wicks. It was the early days of playing with the colour of the light; candles were place behind sealed cylinders with colored water or oil to get the desired effect.
We have drawn on the talents of several UBC grads to do the design work on the show. Conor Moore and Marshall McMahen have had a lot of fun doing the research to create the lighting and sets. UP has to be creative when staging a traditionally expensive period show and luckily costume designer Jenny --Lang, was able to draw heavily on the wardrobe stock that UP has built up over the decades, supplementing it with rentals from companies like The Playhouse.
Restoration plays were really gossip sheets, full of local political intrigue and commentary on affairs of the courts. We have honoured this concept through the music. As the play begins, the music is baroque, but as the plot develops and spins out of control, it becomes more and more contemporary. To achieve this, designer David Campbell has drawn on some great modern bands like The Decemberists.
As for choosing the cast, I looked for actors who had a strong sense of technique and style. But, I also chose actors who were willing to do the research on the period and to have fun with the language. During rehearsals we had the treat of a two hour workshop conducted by Catherine Lee from Studio 58 who is an expert on Baroque dance. We learned how they used to act full out, and how to create tableaux, to move, to use a fan, to bow and have incorporated elements into our blocking. Other than Bard on the Beach, there is not much chance for actors to play these great period roles with big costumes, so this production is a treat for the entire company.
I am continually amazed how these period plays, like Shakespeare’s, are so relevant today. In The Soldiers’ Fortune the main characters are two soldiers now out of work. Often drunk and flirtatious, they are considered rogues and have lost their importance in society – not unlike society’s attitude today. In Sylvia and Lady Dunce, Thomas Otway has created two very strong, modern women. They are the ones who call the shots and plot and scheme; they lead Beaugard by the nose.
I love working on UP productions. Andree picks great shows that actors and directors really want to work on. We’re having a blast doing The Soldiers’ Fortune and I hope you’ll have as much fun when you come to see it.
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