Italian Games

This quarter, the UCLA Department of Theater decided to try
something old and something new. The 16th-century French comedy
“The Marriage of Figaro” by Pierre Augustin de
Beaumarchais opens today and will run in repertory through March 11
along with “Il Gelosi,” written and directed by
visiting UCLA Professor David Bridel, in collaboration with
graduate acting students.

Both productions will feature actors from the graduate acting
program at UCLA, who each work on two to three shows per year to
obtain conservatory-style training as they work toward their
degree.

Despite the fact that it was written approximately 400 years
ago, “The Marriage of Figaro” remains a very timely
piece.

“(This play) is very political,” said Gregory Myhre,
an graduate acting student who plays the part of the Count.
“Specifically within the play, it is a battle between master
and servant, or more broadly speaking, between the aristocracy and
the peasantry. But that translates into a struggle between those
who have power and those who don’t in today’s
world.”

The battle that Myhre mentioned is waged between the character
of the Count and his servant Figaro, as well as their significant
others. The four lovers eventually fall victim to one
another’s deceptions and impropriety, with the plot growing
increasingly complex and absurd as the play progresses.

“Il Gelosi” promises to be an equally enjoyable
romp, only within quite a different setting. “Il
Gelosi” tells the story of a travelling commedia
dell’arte troupe”“ a band of 16th-century comedians,
poets and soldiers turned actors who perform in public squares in
order to make a living. Together they encounter rivalries, love
affairs and many other obstacles as they face the challenges that a
life on the road has to offer.

“This rehearsal process has been the most enjoyable since
I’ve been (at UCLA),” said Dorian Logan, an graduate
acting student and ensemble member of the “Il Gelosi”
cast. “Our director, David Bridel, has given us a lot of
creative license to explore our characters. It’s been a lot
of fun.”

Myhre feels similarly regarding his work with Figaro.
“With this play, we are given the opportunity to play with
people in the audience, affecting them in ways a lot of plays
don’t. It is a ridiculous situation played in a very real
way, and the humor within it is very unique.”

Just as both these productions have been enjoyable and rewarding
projects for the actors, they hope the audience will feel the same
way. The UCLA Department of Theater offers pieces to L.A.
theatergoers that they would not normally be able to see elsewhere.
For UCLA students, there is the added opportunity of seeing these
pieces performed by one’s peers.

“It’s going to be really funny,” said Myhre of
“Figaro’s” finished product. “We are young
actors, and as actors, we bring to (the play) what we think is
funny.” Of the story itself, he said, “Even though the
script is centuries old, it is meant to be relevant through the
ages. If a play is not good it doesn’t last. The themes and
topics in (“˜Figaro’) are always relevant.”

Logan believes that much of “Il Gelosi’s”
appeal lies in its stylistic uniqueness. “It’s a really
physical show,” he said. “A lot of theater nowadays is
mainly just talking heads. This is done almost like a
carnival.”

Universities often provide the opportunity to work with material
that professional directors would not be able to produce in the
commercial world. Herb Stein, the director of “Figaro,”
has had ample experience with directing television, most notably
the daytime drama “Days of Our Lives,” before becoming
a professor in the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.
Though Bridel has directed at professional theaters, he continues
to collaborate with various universities to produce his work. He is
currently a visiting professor at UCLA.

Both productions will take place at UCLA’s Macgowan Little
Theater, which in contradiction to its name is considered the main
stage and in fact is the largest performance space for the theater
department. Such an environment is particularly advantageous to the
graduate students working on the show, as it gives them a practical
experience very similar to that which will follow their three years
of training.

“If something like this comes up after I graduate, I will
have an advantage over most actors my age, because of the
experience I’ve had working on this show,” Myhre said.
“There’s nothing better than the opportunity to learn
by doing.”