Theatre Talks: The Servant of Two Masters

Last Thursday night was awesome. All credit is due to my experience watching a hilarious play with a fantastic set, great costumes, cool musical interludes, and characters that I couldn’t get enough of. At first, I did not know what to expect with The Servant of Two Masters and had no idea that it was a comedy. By the end of the night, my non-existent abs were hurting from laughing and I walked away from the show with a smile on my face.As the drama departments fall major, The Servant of Two Masters is a comedic theatre performance in the style of Comedia Dell’Arte following the story of a servant who unsuccessfully tries to please both of his masters. Without ruining too much of the plot, the characters are all connected in different ways, which adds to the confusion and hilarity of the show. The Servant of Two Masters was first produced in 1746, and I applaud all who worked on this show for truly transporting the audience back in time with the set, costumes, and acting performance.When walking into Convocation Hall, the first thing you see is the amazing painted set, both vibrant and inviting. I was really impressed with the details of the paintings and particularly enjoyed the painting on the actual stage walls, which made the set feel permanent and professional. Three panels on stage, each painted with a different scene on every side, allowed for the show to be transformed into different places seamlessly. The vibrant set reflects the cast, as they too bring passion and talent to the stage.As a music lover, one of my favourite elements of this show was the integration of the violin and accordion. The musical duo came onto the set every few scenes and added a whole new dimension to the show. Not only did the music sound beautiful, but it also connected to the feel of the scene. The musical element really took the audience back in time to the historical Venetian setting.The characters were all so unique and hilarious in their own ways. Each character had a specific quirk that I looked forward to seeing shine throughout their performance. The talent in the show was really quite overwhelming. I can’t imagine how the cast memorized the lines for this show because the script seemed really detailed. Overall, I was really impressed with the delivery of each performance. The masks and different costumes also put the audience in the historical Italian period of the show. They were all very elaborate and had unique details with a modern twist to them.Theatre is a fun and unique way to immerse yourself in the arts while supporting the Queen’s community. Don’t miss your chance to see the next play that comes around—it’ll be an experience you won’t forget.Yours Creatively,Erez Zobary