All in the Timing
Posted By Kathleen David on March 27, 2007
There is a rather brilliant set of six plays written by one of my favorite contemporary playwright that I stage managed a number of years ago entitled, “All In the Timing”. I have gone on to stage manage a number of other reading of David Ives’ work over the years. “All in the Timing” was a set of plays that the actors in it had to have incredible timing to make the show work. A prime example was “Philip Glass buys a loaf of bread.” We all had to know our cues on that one because it was so complicated and since parts of the piece repeat, you had to be on your toes to make sure you knew where you were in the sequence.
One of my favorite pieces in the set was one called “Sure Thing” about a man and a woman meeting at a cafe and every time one of them says something wrong then a bell goes off and they restart the conversation from the point right before it went off the rails. The timing in this was not easy either and I rang the bell so I had to be on top of what was going on. It was a fun show to do and we had a great set of actors performing. I only found out recently that Mr. Ives is now writing children’s books.
I have heard the phrase, “timing is everything” more times than I care count. You can have good timing or bad timing or lousy timing. Sometimes it is being in the right place at the right time. Sometimes, especially in sports or video games, you are told to work on your timing. You can be ahead of your time or behind the times. Time can be a variable or a constant.
I have been thinking about time and timing for a while now. I have been thinking back on my life and a lot of timing things that if they had gone another way, then my life would be rather different. I don’t regret a one of them since they all lead me to here. I have also been thinking about budgeting time so I can get things done that I need to get done in the next couple of months and still take care of the day to day things. So today I think I am going to try my hour on one thing and then my hour on another thing that needs to be done until I have to get ready for Ariel’s bowling banquet. If that works then I will make another stab at the same idea tomorrow. Thursday is kind of FUBARed due to various things and Friday is the beginning of the Wendy Froud doll class which will take me through the weekend. Then onto the next week and more timing.
I am grateful that I stage managed a production of “All in the Timing” a little over 10 years ago.
Two of the three schools I’ve taught at have had drama students stage “Sure Thing” as a class project on occasion. It’s a decent piece even when it’s not well done; when carried off properly, it’s absolutely hilarious!
TWL
We did some of Ives’ acts in my short story class senior year in high school. Mind you, my short story teacher was also my director, but it was a great project and the non-actors really got into it. I LOVE “Sure Thing.”
Before anything else: David’s loss is tragic beyond words. I think many of us will be working through things for a while.
Ive’s “All in the Timing”: I saw the first production here in NYC and thought it was brilliant. (And, as a composer, I thought he =nailed= Phillip Glass’ music.) In fact, he’s exactly the kind of writer I’d collaborate with on a musical or opera.
Steven (Rosenhaus)
One-time member, DQYDJP