Collegiate Times

Finals are approaching and students across the Virginia Tech campus feel the pressure. To help ease the stress, the Department of Theatre Arts and Cinema offers a theatrical solution.

“The Increased Difficulty of Concentration” by Vaclav Havel is an absurdist comedy and the latest workshop production from the department.

David Johnson, the director of the play and a theatre department faculty member, chose to stage the show because of his appreciation of Havel’s work and a desire to cap off the season with humor.

“Audiences should expect to laugh a lot,” Johnson said. “This is not a message-filled play even though there is a message. We are emphasizing the comedy.”

“The Increased Difficulty of Concentration” is the story of social scientist Eduard Huml, a womanizing philosopher caught in multiple tumultous relationships.

Absurdist theater tends to feature comedic characters in hopeless plots who must deal with the stresses and nonsense of life. Many plays in the genre jump through time, offering a narrative that does away with chronological storytelling, and this play is no exception.

“I’m calling it a quantum physical comedy,” Johnson said. “Havel plays with space and time. All of the sudden we’re back in a scene we already saw. It hit me the other day with the title that as the play goes it becomes increasingly harder to figure out what is going on. It’s funny.”

With the constant jumps in time and the quick scene changes, the actors need to stay focused to keep pace with the production.

Jarred Murray, a Tech graduate, plays the lead role of Huml and has around 13 costume changes in the hour-long show.

“This isn’t my first time doing things like this,” Murray said. “It’s a lot of work, and it takes getting used to.

“I think if the audience realizes, ‘Wow, he just ran out that door, changed his outfit and knows his line,’ they will really appreciate the piece.”

The hard work of the actors produces a show that will not only make audiences laugh but think about the humor as well, Murray said.

“The Increased Difficulty of Concentration” will be performed in the new workshop space in the Theatre 101 building.

This is the first piece starring students that will be performed in the new space. The cast and crew are using the flexible area to their advantage.

“We’re using the whole space,” said Chloe West, a cast member and junior theatre arts major. “We’re using all the doors as entrances and exits. We wouldn’t be able to do this show in the Performing Arts Building. It just wouldn’t be as fun.”

Audience members will view the action from seats on the walls of the theater while the actors will perform in the middle of the room.

In this configuration, between 80 and 100 people will have the opportunity to enjoy the farce and follies of the characters.

“We’ve got some really talented actors, and it’ll be fun for people to come see a play in this new space,” Johnson said. “People should expect a good time.”

Check it out:

Play: “The Increased Difficulty of Concentration”
When: Dec. 3-5
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: Free
Info: Audiences can show up to grab their seats an hour before showtime.
Where: Theatre 101