Review of In On It essays

Review of In On It essays The production of In On It contains three separate yet intertwined plots. The first story introduced is one of man who is dying of an incurable disease and whose marriage is on the verge of divorce. Next comes the post-modern story of two actors quarreling over the best way to act out the play they wrote. Additionally there is a story of gay lovers reminiscing about their past and putting an effort to make their relationship succeed. The transitions between stories are easily facilitated through the use of set design, lighting, and acting. Throughout the majority of the play there are only blocks of light shone directly on the actors, leaving the stage and surrounding environment completely black. This leaves a trace of ambiguity as to where the scene is taking place, and involves the audience in allowing them to use their imagination. In this way scene changes are believable and can take place in an instant when cued by the lighting or the actors. Switching between characters is done simply by the actors being illuminated in a different light, and maybe changing posture or tone of voice. The struggle for meaning is a central theme in the play, and the directing certainly reflects that. A parallel can clearly be seen between the constant changing of scenes to make sense of the stories, and the characters themselves striving to find meaning in their own lives. We also see this through the jacket that is merely in a beam of blue light at the beginning, but gains more and more meaning as the play moves forward. The narrative form helps the audience to relate to the characters in this way and gives the story cohesiveness. Despite relief from a few comic scenes, the general mood of this play was more dramatic, reminding us constantly that death and loss are major parts of life. These motifs are seen obviously through the ill man who loses his family, health, and ultimately his life through the car crash. We also see loss when the tw...