By VARSHA BADAVIDE
Staff Writer
Get Smart opened on Wednesday night, November 14, to an enthusiastic audience. Although the beginning was slightly slow paced, the show quickly picked up afterwards. The entire show consisted of a variety of humor and hilarious jokes. Though there were a few jokes that may not have resonated with the audience due to unfamiliarity with ‘60s humor, most of the quick-witted jokes provided tons of comedic relief.
Additionally, the cast members delivered all their lines with perfect comedic timing and conviction. The actors were clearly very in tune with their characters, accurately replicating the accents and mannerisms of the 1960s.
“I think it’s really funny! I saw the show from when I was a little kid and I think there’s really good portrayal in [this] show,” freshman Gioliana Santoro-Kemnitzer said. “[There was] very good acting and I think they’re [the cast members] really capturing the inhuman humor of the show!”
“Not only do you see pieces of the characters, but you see pieces of themselves [the actors] in the character,” senior Lee McEligot said. “It really helps to make the show a lot better.”
The costumes and set designs of the play were also amazingly detailed and effectively evoked the vibe of the ‘60s era. The multiple sets and props used to convey different locations and settings within the play all had obvious parallels to the settings portrayed in TV show and movie adaptation of Get Smart, further enhancing how real the sets looked.
“The props were amazing,” junior Tiffany Lu said. “They were very accurate and it was well done. It was fancy and the details were very good.”
Additionally, it was clear that a lot of meticulous thought went into the costume designs, as they were very professional and well-suited to the role and personality of each character. Several characters had multiple costumes as well, which effectively portrayed the passage of time throughout the play. All the components of the characters’ costume, hair and makeup, particularly the wigs that some actresses wore, looked completely natural on them.
The various sound and special effects of the play also contributed to the overall authenticity of the performance. The use of lighting was effective in emphasizing certain parts of the stage, aiding with smooth transitions as props and set pieces were moved around to set up new scenes.
Overall, Get Smart is a riveting comedy that is sure to keep the audience engaged until the very end. Though the plot was hard to follow at times, ultimately the hard work and effort put in by the theater department makes Get Smart an excellent and worthwhile watch for audience members of all ages. It provides a much needed stress reliever through its lively comedy and bold choices and style, both by the cast and technicians.
“We strive to be bold. We strive to satirize our political climate while paying homage, through parody, to the spy classics of the 1960s. Art is our voice, and we believe that humor heals. Life can be tough and the pressures on each of us can bog us down,” director Ms. Ranae Bettger said. “Through theatre, we let go and live out loud. We hope that you can do the same; immerse yourself in story and truly take a break to have a chuckle. Laughter is the best medicine.”
