- Dates and Times: Nov. 11–12, 16–19, 29–30, Dec. 1-3, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 12, 19 2:00 p.m. (additional Saturday matinee performance)
- Location: Margetts Theatre, Harris Fine Arts Center, BYU
- Price: $8-14
- Tickets: Available in person at the BYU Ticket Office in the Harris Fine Arts Center or Marriott Center, by phone at 801-422-2981 or online at byuarts.com
The BYU Department of Theatre and Media Arts presents Travesties, a dramatic comedy, beginning Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. and playing through Dec. 3.
In Stoppard’s award-winning classic, important historical figures such as Lenin, Tristan Tzara and James Joyce cross wits on the nature and function of politics and art in a farcical tale of misunderstandings, mistaken identity and a misplaced handbag borrowed directly from Wilde’s masterpiece The Importance of Being Earnest.
“We’re doing Travesties in conjunction with our production of The Importance of Being Earnest, which Oscar Wilde called a trivial comedy for serious people,” said Megan Sanborn Jones, director of Travesties. “Travesties, on the other hand, is a serious comedy for trivial people. It deals with art, revolution, and responsibility of the people to change the world for the better. These are very serious topics but it’s done in a trivial manner, through singing vaudeville songs, through limericks and through slapstick comedy.”
TMA is pleased to present both The Importance of Being Earnest and Travesties simultaneously. Travesties, which begins Nov. 11, is heavily inspired by Earnest and though able to stand alone, the scripts for the two plays share a comparable relationship.
“I can’t think of a better play that teaches the time period 1875 -1915,” said Jones. “It’s a delight, but for me it’s hard to access if you don’t know Earnest, and so it always made sense to me that you should do the two together.”
TMA will also host a post-performance discussion on Nov. 17 and Dec. 1. An ASL interpreted performance will be held on Nov. 17.
Writer: Madison Wiley
