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Pies and splosh in theatre

PostPosted: 15 May 2009, 17:43
by Toison
http://www.nj.com/hobokennow/index.ssf/2009/04/comic_potential.html

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=561509231702&oid=8675106955

http://www.lincolnplayhouse.com/schedule/photos/afterpie.jpg

I'm interested in splosh and particularly pie in the face scenes in theatre productions. For sure christmas pantos have them but what about other comedy or drama plays?

I've found one play called "Comic Potential" and the links give some example of what you can find on-line. The facebook link is even a clip from a rehearsal which is great!

So the big question is what other plays do you know that feature splosh, pie in the face or getting wet?

Re: Pies and splosh in theatre

PostPosted: 15 May 2009, 18:16
by Count Muckular
Sorry not pies, but
I Believe this production of Animal farm had mudfights in it.
Althogh they were dressed as animals I do belieive a wedding dress was involved somewhere

http://thepublicreviews.blogspot.com/20 ... house.html

Re: Pies and splosh in theatre

PostPosted: 15 May 2009, 18:35
by BillShipton
Not a play but worth catching. Clive Webb (ex-Tiswas) and his sidekick Danny Adams (Hayley's dream man!) tour with a theatre-based show called Circus Hilarious. It has a great decorating scene in it between the two of them, and their co-stars including women often get pied (see below). This year they are playing various Butlins. The Chuckle Bros shows (also touring at the mo) sometimes have slapstick in as well.

Re: Pies and splosh in theatre

PostPosted: 15 May 2009, 19:07
by wamcat
"Dead Funny" about a group who celebrate the lives of classic comedians has a pie fight in which one of the female cast members gets hit. Not sure whether it's touring at the moment, but there appear to regular productions, e.g. http://www.benchtheatre.org.uk/plays0607/deadfunny.php

Re: Pies and splosh in theatre

PostPosted: 16 May 2009, 08:13
by BillShipton
Mack & Mabel (the lifestory of Mack Sennett) had a pie fight in it but not sure that this is touring anywhere at present.

Re: Pies and splosh in theatre

PostPosted: 28 May 2011, 16:25
by Toison
Hi all,

To bring back this old thread. WAM in theater plays - i know maybe a limited interest but there's a lot out there waiting to be found. Theater is the original slapstick - its live and genuine - one take!

Here's a couple from the play Comic Potential. I've loads more in my collection from various plays that I'll share in the coming days and weeks.

Re: Pies and splosh in theatre

PostPosted: 28 May 2011, 16:29
by BillShipton
Please do!

Re: Pies and splosh in theatre

PostPosted: 28 May 2011, 16:54
by Squelch
Great thread....I like the shot of the two busty matrons.

Re: Pies and splosh in theatre

PostPosted: 30 May 2011, 00:11
by Trouso
I suppose many productions probably 'write them out' rather than go to the trouble and cost if they're not 'essential' to the plot. Mainly for quite understandable practical reasons: i.e. cleaning the stage, actors and costumes every time.

When they ran the rock opera Tommy on the West End and Broadway (5 or 6 years ago), for instance, did they even attempt to do the baked bean and chocolate revelling scene? I always wondered, but I suspect not as it was never mentioned in reviews.

Does anyone know?

Re: Pies and splosh in theatre

PostPosted: 30 May 2011, 00:34
by Trouso
I do seem to remember, incidentally, a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream about 20 years ago was put on using an entirely mud filled stage and performed thus from beginning to end. I remember it being on The South Bank Show and Timothy Spall was Bottom...

Just found a reference to it but no pictures (Robert LePage 1992):

http://www.rsc.org.uk/explore/a-midsumm ... story.aspx

And, unfortunately, executed and discussed (in that 'actorly' way) without any trace of humour.

Re: Pies and splosh in theatre

PostPosted: 30 May 2011, 01:51
by albawam
http://youtu.be/qdlTaMGSoHA
hope this works as it,s a live stage show where unusually the woman gets all the pies and water.
It,s the first time i,ve tried a link to youtube .

Re: Pies and splosh in theatre

PostPosted: 30 May 2011, 10:21
by Trouso
Great clip. Thanks. I do like a bit of soda syphon action!

Re: Pies and splosh in theatre

PostPosted: 30 May 2011, 10:51
by BillShipton
Enjoyed that! Nicely worked. Shame soda syphons are hard to come by these days.

Re: Pies and splosh in theatre

PostPosted: 30 May 2011, 19:37
by Toison
Here's a couple more. A pie scene from Singin in the Rain - this is such a popular play there's got to be loads of other pied faces out there - just love the 1920s style dress too...

The wet scene is from the Shakespeare play Othello - done outdoor in Boston Common. The actress is Marianna Bassham. Not usually a Shakespeare fan but I can always be persuaded... Would be great to find back that mud based play by the way.

As a heads up continuing the bard theme I'm on the search for decent scenes from Hamlet where the character Ophelia has a drowning scene. Its usually done in a very artistic way - not a violently to be clear...

Re: Pies and splosh in theatre

PostPosted: 30 May 2011, 20:47
by messyjojo
albawam wrote:http://youtu.be/qdlTaMGSoHA
hope this works as it,s a live stage show where unusually the woman gets all the pies and water.
It,s the first time i,ve tried a link to youtube .


That surley is a great clip - I wanna be Mrs Applebottom - great surprise ending too - good find - thnx!