Two Planks and a Passion

When I was a young actor sitting with the veterans, clutching my drink and listening to their stories I kept hearing DSC02640a phrase get tossed around, “two planks and a passion”. That little phrase spoke to the fundamentals of Theatre. When you strip away the painted sets, the raked stage, the God Machine, the lush costumes, the makeup, the lighting, the stage craft you are left with two things, a stage and an actor with a story to tell.

The company of ANTIGONE at the Hollywood Fringe Festival is stripping away all the stagecraft, all the smoke and mirrors, and standing on a naked stage telling the story of a young woman’s moral courage. For an acting company to toss out all the accouterments of modern Theatre is a dangerous DSC02641thing. It requires another sort of moral courage. This company is declaring to the LA Theatre scene that a good story and good actors to tell it, are all you need to provide a meaningful Theatre experience. The danger is simple, if we fail it is all on the actors and director. The glory is equally simple, if we succeed it is all on the actors and director.

The ANTIGONE company is taking ownership of the moment and giving it to the audience with open arms, eyes and hearts. Are you ready LA, to accept that moment, that gift, that story, that danger? Are you ready LA?

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