PVCC Theatre presents “Foreplay or: The Art of the Fugue”
With most classes moving online this semester, many of the arts programs at PVCC have been finding new ways to continue to create and perform. The theatre arts are no exception — several different COVID-19 compliant performances have taken place on the Dickinson building’s main stage. However, on Dec. 4 and 5, PVCC Theatre tried something new: a live Zoom performance of “Foreplay or: The Art of the Fugue.”
With free general admission and four performance dates (7:30 and 8:00 p.m. on both Dec 4 and 5), attending performances on the virtual stage is quick and simple. Each performance lasted only about 15 minutes, making for a quick turnaround for the performers.
The show itself was an entertaining experience — PVCC’s website describes the show as “a brief but punchy romp through the whimsical world of comic one-act wonder and ‘maestro of the short form’ (The New York Times) David Ives. Follow a young man’s attempts at dating as he entertains, simultaneously, three different dates at three different times.”
Chuck, the previously mentioned young man, was played by three different actors — one for each date, a necessity due to the simultaneous presentation of the three separate occasions. The audience watches as Chuck takes three different women to the same minigolf course, the focus often rapidly switching between the different dates. The simultaneous nature of the show highlights many parallels, contrasts, and overlaps between each of Chuck’s relationships, which contributes to the show’s overall tongue-in-cheek attitude. Additionally, the use of a narrator to verbalize occasional actions and scene changes, as well as having characters make their own sound effects, worked well for the lighthearted tone of the show. It is clever, witty, and full of innuendo — the show lives up to the wordplay in its name. Despite some slight (but not unexpected) technical issues, it was charming and well worth setting aside the time to attend.
As the semester comes to a close, so does the fall performing arts season. “Foreplay” was a sweet send-off for the semester, but PVCC has more planned. For more information on the upcoming spring events at PVCC, visit the Fine Arts and Performance page on PVCC’s website.
