All in the Timing: Performed at the University of Colorado - Denver

All In the Timing
A review By: Kirk Barbera

A play about two universal truths important to us all: time and language. As we enter deeper into the 21st century we are still plagued with these two themes. Many nuances in our daily lives seem to be of the utmost of import, yet numerous individuals are caught complaining, they say things like: “I never have enough time,” or “If only there were more time, I could…” or “I never seem to be able to get my point across,” even in love “If only I had a tongue of silver, I could get her/him.” These ideals are commonplace in our lives today, as they were in the lives of most people everywhere at all times. The one commonality in everyone’s life is time. It doesn’t matter how much money you have, it doesn’t matter how far you can kick a football; everyone has twenty four hours in a day. You have twenty four hours, I have twenty four hours, and Albert Einstein had twenty four hours. The difference is merely what we do in those twenty four hours. This play and production succinctly illustrates the humor of our actions in regards to time and language.

The very first play, Sure Thing, is reminiscent of a Meisner acting exercise, in which one person attempts to sit next to another person while the other person attempts to read. The subsequent dialogue is, at least in the exercise, completely dependent upon the two individuals and their ability to listen and feel the other’s reactions. In the play it is used to great effect. And, for obvious reasons, it is David Ives’ most reproduced play. The ensuing effect on the audience is to connect to the individuals thinking to ourselves, “Well, I’ve done that!” As we see the progression of these two people attempting to battle it out in a Groundhogesque way the audience can’t help but feel attracted to these two characters. The stage itself, a thrust, is crafted both elegantly and meaningfully to allow the audience to really be a part of the action. Rooting for the man to say the right thing, than as the dialogue shifts to the woman attempting to win the man, we begin to root for her. It is a great play on emotions, made more prevalent by the enormous backdrop that shifts colors; literally elucidating emotions.

Next we have Words, Words, Words, while seemingly the least effective in garnering laughs, a rather insightful attempt to convey our societal attempt to re-create art of the past. The set design again simply explains the three ‘monkeys’ situation. Automatically, through music cues, swings, and acting, we understand that these three people are in fact monkeys. Seemingly not the most popular of plays this one can strike a chord with many writers in the audience. Words, Words, Words showcases the frustration that can sometimes happen when attempting to write.
Universal language, the third play of the night, and probably one of the more popular ones, mesmerizes an audience whether they are capable of keeping up with the funny tongue or not. No matter who the audience member is, it is seemingly impossible to keep up with all of the doubletalk. Yet, we are still left with a vague assurance that we have walked away with a meaningful experience on trust, love, language and some of our frustration at being unable to communicate effectively, and thusly fit in.

Everyone can understand living temporarily, or sometimes forever it seems, in a Philadelphia. You ask the drive-thru person for no onion, and you of course, get onions. On an attempt to print out your economics homework you subsequently fry your motherboard. It’s easy to connect with the poor sap that has seemingly fallen into a ‘Philadelphia.’ With that dear friend who seems to always be living that L.A. dream, juxtaposed together with ones misery, this makes for real comedy. Seeming to play on the concept of the way we act according to our situation. As some of us were told, you can’t control your circumstances, but you certainly can control the way you react to them. As Mr. L.A. is put up against a Philadelphia we all realize that although most of us go through these days, some people just can’t handle it.

Variations on the Death of Trotsky, depending on how one looks at the puzzle of this play, may actually be the crux of the whole thing. Explaining to us that ‘the victors always write the…’ Upon entering Trotsky’s parallel universe it is seemingly apparent of his unfortunate, yet humorous, predicament. As many in contemporary times read the history books, holes in the writing become immediately apparent. This one plays on this to great humorous effect. As Mrs. Trotsky points out, Mr. Trotsky has had a mountain-climbers axe embedded in his head, yet as she reads the encyclopedia (a 2009 edition, the play is set in 1940) they discover he is struck in the head one day, and dies the next. This is the imagined happenings of that ‘next’ day.
The last play of the night brings together all the plays and showcases, a little too easily, the point of the play. Time and language. The baker at one point even plays a clock. Although the play seems oversimplified, it is still a fun way to end the night.

Overall, the night can appeal to a hugely wide audience. Through the transitions of stages, all quite different, to the funny and playful plays themselves, almost everyone can get something out of this night with the University of Colorado Denver, Theater, Film and Video department.