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Absurd Person Singular is Yuletide from the Atlanticâs Other Side

By Kevin Smith
Arizona Summer Wildcat
Wednesday June 12, 2002

For many, the winter holiday season can be a time of unity, wish making, and familial appreciation. For others, the blessed season can be one of tension, sarcasm and brooding angst.

Both groups of revelers, however, may want to catch British playwright Alan Ayckbournâs Absurd Person Singular, for either a taste of what the Yuletide season can bring for the other half, or as reflectional piece of the dysfunction junction known the world over as Christmas Day.

Brad Daughtry, the marketing director for Absurd , said this particular play was chosen, in part, because of itâs limited characters and so far, he said, looks like it was the right choice.

ãWe wanted to find something with a small cast that would benefit our MFA (Master of Fine Arts) students and that audiences would enjoy as well,ä Daughtry said.

ãBased on ticket sales I feel like the public response to the sort of play that it is, is quite good and positive even without a review yet.ä

Brent Gibbs is an associate professor in the UA acting program and is also directing Absurd .

Gibbs stresses that the six-person cast, consisting of UA graduate students, will be presenting characters that have more to their personalities than meets the superficial eye.

ãThese arenât cardboard cutout characters,ä Gibbs said. ãTheyâre fully rounded and that means that they have faults as well as strengths. They have weaknesses that cause them to discombobulate. Itâs interesting to see how they deal with that.ä

Absurd is cut into three acts, centering in three different kitchens of three unique couples during three different Christmas parties over the course of three years.

ãEvery kitchen is a reflection of the personality of the couple that lives in that house,ä Gibbs said. ãItâs the setting that allows the characters to drop the mask and show who and what they really are which is where you get the strongest conflict and therefore the biggest payoff in terms of the comedy.ä

A unique aspect to this presentation is the fact that, although the audience will only have access to viewing the kitchen, there are plenty of things happening offstage that will be counteracting the events occurring in the kitchen.

ãThe action in the second act is the woman is so depressed that she keeps making these inept attempts at suicide,ä Gibbs said.

ãIf you see someone whoâs absolutely incompetent at trying to off themselves and in a room full of people who arenât noticing that thatâs happening, it has a lot of comedic possibilities.ä

The ability to not take life so seriously is an element that Gibbs thinks Absurd handles nicely and ultimately unearths a common ground with the audience.

ãItâs a good piece of theater,ä Gibbs said. ãIt shows these people in a very real light. You see that we all are kind of funny in one way or another if we are able to laugh at ourselves and thatâs what this show allows us to do.ä

Absurd Person Singular opens today at Marroney Theatre at UA.

For Show times and ticket information call the UA Fine Arts Box Office at 621-1162.

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