Analysis Of The Unique Phantasmagoria Play

On June fifteenth I traveled to view the unique Phantasmagoria play performed at 7 Stages located in Little Five Points. The show incorporated a number of folktales, fairytales, plays aka “The Wickedest Tales of All”, and stories with each cast member playing a different role each time. The story that stood out the most to me was by the great Charles Dickens called A Madman’s Manuscript. The story grasped my attention because the cast allowed for the audience to be apart of this story. We were allowed to sing along with them and dance. One of the cast members, who once was a part of the Phantasmagoria family, completely joined in on the story and recited specific lines from the script. It was amazing to see her transition from an audience member …show more content…
I was able to see not just a character telling a story, but a character telling a story that reflects their personal experience. You see someone that behaves, mimics, and acts based off of previous emotions and knowledge. The story involves fear, pride, power, and greatness. You see the main character yearn for that love from his wife, but when he doesn’t receive it he decided to kill her. Some of the dominating aesthetic choices include the source of power that was held in one of the characters. This particular story reflected a young lady who’s heart was pure. She would tend to her three brothers at every beck and call, but they would only mistreat her in return. They never appreciated the things that she’d done. As a result she haunted them in her death and killed them. Costumes and music reflected a dramatic experience. The music built up temptation for what’s to come. The unique costumes reflected the time period the stories took place in and the way people during those time saw ought how they expressed themselves through clothing as well as their morals. There was a segment from a single dance. It was a solo point performance that was remarkable. The movement of her entire body showed so much emotion. It was part three of the conqueror worm.

This performance expanded my view on what performance was because although it wasn’t as relatable due to the time period, the stories reflected day-to-day activities. The actions and emotions portrayed by the cast mimicked present day emotions. There were colored lights in the performance that reflected different emotions. Rhythms and tempos used in the music effected the audience’s reaction. It built up anticipation. It excited us but also made us