Nov. 30, 2011 - Issue #841: Merry movie night
Fuddy Meers
Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire, Fuddy Meers is a quirky comedy with humour that flows directly from the dramatic and situational irony of its characters. And if it sounds suspiciously similar to a certain 2004 Adam Sandler movie, keep in mind that the play came first.
"You want to think the best of people, but when you hear about something like that it kinda makes you wonder," muses Ron Jenkins, guest director of Studio Theatre's upcoming production of Fuddy Meers. Jenkins was not familiar with this particular work before being asked to work with the University of Alberta's 2012 BFA acting class, nor was he familiar with that aforementioned Sandler movie, 50 First Dates, but he argues that it's actually beneficial to come to Fuddy like the protagonist: as a blank slate.
"This play also reminds me of other plays I've done," says Jenkins. "But it's also very unique, and there's things in it that are just unexpected and very true to life. It's a screwball comedy, but there is real heart to it.
"Comedy is the hardest thing to do," he continues. When asked to explain why, he merely laughs. "Because it is. It just is. Some people find certain things funny, and others don't.
"With this play, there's a character with a speech impediment, and another character who lisps," explains Jenkins. "So we've had to make sure that this comes across properly." The title of the play, Fuddy Meers, derives from the muddled pronunciation of "funny mirrors" by a character who has suffered a stroke.
Jenkins also focused on imagery in this production, employing set design and visual cues to support the script. "But we don't want to give any of that away," he laughs, before conceding a few points: "The set is very moveable. There's things flying on to the stage, and things flying off the stage, and it's all part of that sort of fun house atmosphere.
"It's just very, very fun," he continues. "And it's a great chance for these young actors to show off what they've been doing for the past three years."
Thu, Dec 1 – Sat, Dec 10 (7:30 pm); Thu, Dec 8 (12:30 pm)
Directed by Ron Jenkins
Timms Centre for the Arts, $10 – $20 vueweekly.com comments: powered by Disqus
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