This week, Summerset Theatre in Austin presented Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile. It’s a rather esoteric show about a meeting of Picasso and Einstein in a French bistro before either became truly famous. What is genius and can we compare art and science?
I didn’t know the show, so I did a little research first. I like to have some idea what’s coming when I start to shoot. I feel some preparation goes a long way toward producing good photos. Still, I expected a box set with the cafe but didn’t know a lot about the characters and their interactions. There was a lot of movement, a lot of interesting characters, and it made the shoot fun.
The waitress and bar tender are sort of constants. Looking through my photos, I have many with them in the background, watching or working, or working and watching.
Einstein and Picasso
Between the questions it poses, there’s plenty of humor, and I could hear Steve Martin’s voice throughout the show. I remember some of his first acts on TV years ago. He was incredibly funny, but I had no idea of the intelligence and skills he really possessed back then. It became pretty clear over the years, though.
Elvis stops by from the future
Topping things off, Elvis shows up from the future, and we now have the three important characters to shape the 20th century. I get pretty wrapped up in the photography, so I can’t quite devote enough brain cells to the actual show. I’d like to see it again and take in the dialog more completely.
Say “cheese!”
While the lighting was mostly pretty even through the show, there were a few exceptions, and it’s always fun to see what I can do with the interesting lighting I’m given. I wasn’t sure how much moving around the stage I’d do for this show, but I did plenty. And I took plenty of photos, probably more than I expected. But that’s okay! With a show like this, expressions and gestures can make each shot, even taken in a sequence, different. And it’s good to have choices.
Cast and Crew
Everyone did a great job. Musicals are always a big draw for audiences, but there’s much more to theatre than that. We’re so fortunate to have so many options here in southeast Minnesota. Remember those big-budget movies will look and sound great on your home flat screen, but live theatre is there only for an instant. Every performance is different. If you haven’t been to our local live theatres, you are missing a great experience. Summerset’s next show,
Cash on Delivery, runs at the end of the month.
Tonight, we’re attending the ten-minute plays at The Rep. And Mantorville runs their fun melodramas in the summer. There are plenty of opportunities – hope you have a chance to see some yourself! (And those of you not here in SE Minnesota, check out your own local options!)
