AER: Princess of Mars

800*600





AER: Princess of Mars

I must first apologize to all in the DFW area about slipping up on this one. I miss read the newspaper article and thought that this play closed just after Banner Wars. Thus, I did not mention it and also forgot about it. Late Friday, Squeeze found their website and pointed me to it so that I discovered that the next day was going to be the very last showing of the play. We went to see it after I got a hurried note out Saturday. Realistically, there was no real reaction time for klingons to organize to go see this play.

Rather than give a full review of the play, I intend to hit key points. I'm not a literary critic, trained or otherwise.

This was a one hour play adaptation of the Edgar Rice Burrough's book, "A Princess of Mars". This is the first in a 10(11*) book series about John Carter, a Confederate soldier who finds himself on Mars after the War. Needless to say, our hero rescues a lovely Princess and falls in love with her.
*It is debated that the last book was really written by him.



They did a marvelous job of trying to condense the key points to make a good story. Some of the acting could be deemed as "hokey" but I believe that the methods used were an excellent method of visualizing items that were important as well as bringing a larger space in mind's eye to a small stage.
The use of puppets was very useful and necessary. Even the puppeteers spoke and became creatures. The representation of a thoat was brilliant.

This is not a big production. You can mingle with the actors and actresses after the play in the "Back Yard". The "Back Yard" is an open gathering area for food, music and drink. It is open before and after the play. The "Back Yard" as well as the ampitheatre itself is open air. There is therefore the risk of being rained out, hot, or cold. This weekend, the temperature was perfect.

The Hip Pocket theatre normally closes out its season with a Sci-Fi play. Last year, they did "Mars Needs Women". In the DFW area, klingons need to be ready to raid their Sci-Fi play next year, whatever it is.


Woola, John's "dog"


Commander Salek, Sutai
Senior Brewer, IKV Melota


                 


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