Today, to fly around the world, it costs approximately three thousand, five hundred dollars and takes twenty-five hours, excluding time zones. During the time of Jules Verne, however, completing the trip under the year, or even as quickly as three months, was not only considered crazy but also seen as the impossible.In a production performed at the Lucy Stern Theatre, director Robert Kelley animates playwright Mark Brown’s adaptation of the well known “novel of ambition,” Around the World in Eighty Days. As newspapers exaggerate the capabilities of new technologies to draw attention from readers, a man takes such seriously, and declares that he circumnavigate the Earth in eighty days. Challenged by his acquaintances who offer money if he succeeds, …show more content…
Ron Campbell, who portrayed essentially all the ensemble characters, surprised viewers not only with his quick changes, but also with his expansive skill set of dialects, ranging from American cowboy, to Chinese boatsman, and to an Indian official. Perhaps his most entertaining role was the negligent American cowboy, who was obsessed with guns and racist considered all “foreigners.” Campbell’s hunched posture and slurred words not only significantly elevated the character’s humor. Tristan Cunningham, who played Passepartout, also gave an appreciable performance. With her short stature and higher pitched voice. Cunningham perfectly portrayed Passepartout’s fiery nature. One of her strongest scenes was after Detective Fix lures and drugs her character as a part of his own plan to stop the protagonist. The following scene features a very angry Passepartout threatening to kill the man, and Cunningham clearly reflects the character’s “French Grandeur,” with the use of an accent, as well as his passioned personality. The two characters described reflected the overall nature of the cast and their strengths; specifically, their high energies and zealous involvement into character made for a very humorous and accurate …show more content…
Given that the story goes around a world, showcasing a variety of cultures, the civilian or ensemble member’s and Aouda’s costumes had to be relevant to their respective settings of origin. According, both actors’ wore accurate costumes showcasing their respective origins. The lighting choices for this show also clarified several aspects of the show, such as time and weather, and for this reason, they were a strong element of the show. During a scene during night time, in a snowy railroad station, the lights shifted to a cool, blue toned hue, which gave a very realistic effect to it. In a scene on the hot busy streets of India, the lights switched to a warm tone, which also accurately reflected the environment in India. These accuracies successfully brought out on the main wonders of this show, the marvel of differences around the world. Although the sound used for transportation did suffice, it could be considered a weakness of the show. Every boat and every train had the same sound cue. Even though this decision may have simplified a technical aspect, or attempted to reduce confusion, it actually detracted from the overall show by inaccurately suggesting that all these cultures had identical forms of transportation. Regardless, the technical elements were above average and in accord with the