A Snappy Pair of Shorts
at Ridley College

Reviewed on October 26, 2013

Logan Imans
Laura Secord Secondary
Submitted for publication to

Life, authentic and absurd, is like an audition. Ridley College showcased the many elements of life through the theatre in their presentation of "A Snappy Pair of Shorts", consisting of two one-act plays. While one play was comical and captured the real life aspects of high school and the drama involved with auditions, the other was a surprising contrast that poked fun at the traditional ‘who done it?' murder mystery. These shorts were paired by asking,"What is theatre anyway?"

"The Audition", by Don Zolidis, is about a group of high school students auditioning for their school's musical. It is a pure and direct look into the history and hopes of students, and the challenges they meet and overcome in order to be on stage. The cast of characters encompassed the typical teenage stereotypes (ie. the diva, the know-it-all, the comic relief, the odd one); however, with the actors not "just acting", but actually developing real and believable characters, the audience deeply cared about these characters. The bare stage and casual clothes made it easy to envision yourself among them, waiting for your call to audition. Even though some of the actors had trouble staying in the spotlight during smaller scenes and monologues, each character shone in his or her own way. The audience was entertained by the many humorous characters, including Gene (Barney Archibald) with his animated facial expressions and captivating stage presence, and was also compelled by the heart-wrenching backstory of Soleil (Angelica Pellegrino) and the sweet voice of Carrie (Fiona Adams), both of whom were convincing and engaging. The juxtaposition between the comedy and the emotional intensity made "The Audition" a refreshingly balanced and memorable play.

"The Real Inspector Hound", by Tom Stoppard, toys with our perception of reality and acting in a spoof of a typical murder mystery. A play within a play, each character gets a chance to be involved in the crime scene with predictable yet entertaining reprises in the plot. To establish the overall suspenseful mood, there were well-placed pauses and dramatic sound effects. Positioning some characters in the theatre, such as The Critics - Moon (Ian Wakil) and Birdboot (Miles Smith), and having others use the aisles, bridged the gap between the actors and the audience in a creative use of space. It was evident the actors were having fun as they played up the witty dialogue, but their wavering British accents and fast-paced lines sometimes hindered the overall audience comprehension. The actors tried their best to stay in character, but they could be found intermittently smiling along with the audience.

What is the theatre anyway? Is it the play itself? The actors? The audience? Maybe it is a collaboration of it all. Whatever it is, "A Snappy Pair of Shorts" confirmed the fact that all the world's a stage.

Emma Lailey
Eden High School
Submitted for publication to

The Ridley College stage was hot and humorous as not one, but two snappy one-act plays were performed, leaving their audience helpless in fits of laughter and engaged in discussion as the curtain was drawn.

The evening began with Don Zolidis' "The Audition", a light and comical story following a diverse group of students struggling to conquer the stereotypes of high school as well as their home life, while auditioning for their school play.

Despite the contrasting personalities of the auditioning students, which were exceptionally shown through the multi-talented cast, it was obvious their individual stories tied together with their unified desperation to be accepted.

It was easy to adore and understand the predicaments the students faced with a lack of self-confidence through the emotional stories of Carrie (Fiona Adams) and Soleil (Angelica Pellegrino) as hearts were won with their passionate delivery and conviction.

Although not every character stood distinctly in his or her spotlight, the soft lightning clearly captured the essence of the distant relationships during flashbacks of past family life, sharply highlighting prominent emotions. The audience was immersed in entertaining expressions, amusing awkwardness, and engaging humour all delivered expertly in particular by student Gene (Barney Archibald) in his attempt to impress the director (Connor Klauck).

Altogether it was the honesty and truth sewn into the dialogue that each cast member portrayed which connected the audience so majestically to each story and to the stage.

"Hold on to your hats, but stay on your toes!" was the disclaimer that should have been shared as the curtain opened to the unrealistic murder mystery "The Real Inspector Hound" written by Tom Stoppard. A sophisticated yet hopelessly absurd British story that follows two critics, of very different nature, as they admire the discovery of the madman murderer on stage, even when it means interacting on stage themselves.

Entering the mystery took no effort on the audience's imagination with the simple, yet powerful set of white-draped furnishings, musty carpeting and the dead body in the centre of the room. Although the audience's necks were strained as they turned in their seats to observe the critics among them, the interaction with the audience was engaging and complimented the requirements of a critic as well as the "lady's man" behaviour of Birdboot (Miles Smith). The humour in the over-exaggerated behaviours of the nosy maid Mrs. Drudge (Julia Skrobal) and the attractive Cynthia (Jade Biggar) kept the audience engaged, especially when accompanied with entertaining sound effects at their sudden discoveries.

Overall, "The Real Inspector Hound" was a dramatic and excellently cast production which, despite some moments of confusion, left the audience questioning the nature of reality in the theatre.

Both directors, Mrs. Ash and Mr. Sweeney, though directing productions of two very different arts, emphasize the connection of theatre to our lives and how limitless the bounds of theatre can be.

Sarah Jones
Laura Secord Secondary
Submitted for publication to

"A Snappy Pair of Shorts," while not about an article of clothing as might be expected, certainly brings forth an interesting duo of one act plays. What is theatre? The first of two plays was a comical, tear-jerking performance. Ridley College's "The Audition" helps the audience to answer this question.

The play featured the experience of high school, a time when auditioning for the school play is hard, and teenage life is harder. This 45 minute act took us through the auditions of a play called "A Chorus Line," in a unique monologue style. Individually we saw the students' auditions, and the struggles they faced during this time.

A beautiful performance by Angelica Pellegrino as Soleil, a bullied teen desperate for a place in the school play and a place to fit in, accurately portrayed these struggles through her intensely emotional monologue. While a few performers fell out of character at times, the overall acting job was wonderfully and enthusiastically done by a group of students who mostly have little background in theatre.

The omission of a set was intriguing, forcing the audience to focus solely on the actors. Fortunately, the lack of set worked well for "The Audition" as the acting was strong and captivating. In a few instances characters were not fully lit, but the lighting and transitions were effective in not confusing the backstory with an audition.

The second snappy act put on by Ridley, "The Real Inspector Hound," continued this theme of theatre. It was a complex play about a spoof murder mystery play being critiqued by Moon (Ian Wakil) and Birdboot (Miles Smith), two highly compelling critics. Partway through, the critics themselves enter the play, which prompted the audience to consider what is reality and fantasy in the theatre.

The critics made for a dynamic duo, adding a unique facet to the play with their funny commentary and interaction with the audience. Additionally, the use of characters within the audience made for an exciting atmosphere, despite the neck cramps that resulted. Mrs. Drudge (Julia Skrobal) was a hilarious presence and served as an excellent example for the diversity in the characters on stage.

While the sound quality had weak moments, the comedy of the play shone through with exaggerated, dramatic reactions. Although almost none of the actors had microphones, they projected their voices loudly and clearly for majority of the act. Furthermore, this linguistically challenging play left for some confusion among audience members but was comedic and fascinating nonetheless.

Despite a few uncertain moments, Ridley's "A Snappy Pair of Shorts" left us impressed in the wake of its surprisingly different approach. Overall, both plays were magnificently executed and provided a thoroughly enjoyable experience for the audience. So what exactly theatre is, I cannot say. I will say, however, that you should go experience this enriching play and discover that answer to this question yourself.