With the play 52 Pick Up, the audience never knows where it will begin or end.
Neither do the actors.
The play is acted out through a series of scenes that are tied to playing cards chosen each performance night at random.
TheatreOne’s production of 52 Pick Up, written by British Columbia playwrights T.J. Dawe and Rita Rozi, premieres Wednesday (April 27). The story revolves around a couple who were in love, but over time that love has faded and now the couple is trying to recapture it.
“If you put it in the right order, in a way it’s like little shards of memories from a story that has a beginning and an end,” said David Mann, director. “It immediately engages the audience’s mind in trying to figure it out. They start really listening and looking for clues.”
Stage design for the play is minimalistic. There’s no telling which scene will appear first so the production relies heavily on the actors. It’s a simple stage with a black backdrop, two black chairs and a coffee table that can be moved easily if needed.
“It’s more about the imagination,” said Sebastien Archibald, who plays the character simply called man.
Jessica Lowry, who plays woman, said the play is like “memories rising up from the dark.”
“It’s very much an actor-centric piece. As people are trying to figure out how the relationship turns out,” she said.
Having scenes out of chronological order means the actors need to know each scene intimately and need to be able to jump into them immediately.
Lowry said she sees each scene as self-contained. It means becoming comfortable with the lines and being open and adaptable to change.
Mann said what is unique about 52 Pick Up is an audience member could come every night of the production and witness a completely different show every time. Each night the actors will shuffle the cards, toss them into the air, and randomly take one card and perform the scene.
The play 52 Pick Up runs April 27-30 at 7:30 p.m. and May 1 at 2 p.m. at Malaspina Theatre at Vancouver Island University. Tickets are $25 or $15 for students and are available by calling 250-754-8550 or www.port
theatre.com.
For more information please go to www.theatreone.org.
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