Low_Down_Dirty_Blues_and_Candida_Comparison_Essay

Low down dirty blues and Candida though both climactic are so different in many ways. Both plays were climatic in how they had few characters, it occurred in one location, and both plays covered a short period of time. Although with those similarities, Candida was a drama verses a musical like Low down dirty blues. Even though different, they were both very entertaining. Low down dirty blues explores a late-night blues club that through the rough times in Chicago brought people together for a "blues-ical!" Big Mama was one of the characters in the play that through her music, she expresses what she needs in a man to keep her smiling. All the performers engaged in despair, hope, spirituality and sexual metaphors that kept the audience at the edge of their feet. Through their songs and performance, you can feel and see the emotions come right out their bodies. Through their music, body language, and passion they were able to tell the story on their struggles, passion for the blues, and dreams they had. A masterpiece performance that was deeply moving. Big Mama and the other performers brought a sense of "realism" in the story telling verses just acting out the parts to the audience like Candida. They directly spoke to us as if we were in the late-night club as well. At one point in the play, they interacted with a couple in the audience which gave the illusion that we were in Chicago. The musical came alive through me as though I was performing too! That is why I stood up dancing and clapping pretty much the whole show. In a nut shell, low down dirty blues invited the audience members to be a part of their performance. There was never a moment where they seperated the audience members from the play. Also in Low down dirty blues, the performers told us the story through their songs. Although they did act, they directly spoke to us, the audience. The stage was set up to where some members of the audience were placed in the club itself. There were tables right on the stage area that some members of the audience were able to be a part of. The costumes used in the play were very typical night club wear. The men with suit like clothing and the women with dresses. The costume design indicated the historical period of the play was set back in the 1930s. The acting showed a sense of "liveness." The play only had 2 acts, but in those 2 acts they hypnotized us, the audience members, bringing us in the heart of Chicago. On the other hand, Candida is a story that spins a love triangle that you never see coming until Marchbank, the 18 year old poet and idealist, confesses his love for Candida. Candida was a typical dramatic play that tells a story through the acting. In the play there were no singing, dancing, nor blues musical involved. It was the way opposite, more about the acting and story about a twisted blind love between a very young man and a married couple.Candida was a more serious performance that engaged the audience with the story line. The stage was set up in a way where the audience members were separate from the performers. Marchbank, who was rescued from the streets, speaks of Candida's beauty and how Morrel , Candida's husband, doesn't deserve her. He expresses this to Morrel causing tension between the 2 men. They both try to hide the tension from Candida, even though she notices the tension with her husband towards Marchbank. After debating weather he was going to his public speaking event, Morrel decides to continue his plan, as sort of test on his wife. He leaves both of them by themselves to see what happens. As Marchbank tells his poetic words to Candida, she drifts her thoughts away with disinterest. He decides to confess his love to her as Morrel walks in the scene. Morrel and Marchbanks start to size each other up, bringing Morrel to tell his wife she needs to pick between the 2. Although Candida asks for both men to make their case, she chooses to be with her beloved husband Morrel. Candida engages the audiences attention more and more as the tension between the men grew. As soon as the love triangle was revealed in the story, it kept the audience wondering what would happen next. Candida gave the audience a sense of suspense. The costume design indicated that the story was back when the women had to cover their whole bodies up with clothing. The women wore long dresses with long sleeves. The costumes showed that the play was way back in 1750's along with the stage craft. The newspaper on stage even showed how far back the story took place. The acting was very intense and well performed. For example, although not interested in Marchbank, Candida showed an interests in him in the beginning keeping us suspenseful with her feelings. Candida brought a different atmosphere towards the audience. It was a 3 act play, leaving us at the edge of our seat after every act. Although the performers didn't directly speak to us, the actors engaged our interest with the ironic and melodramatic tone they brought to the performance. Even though I was not dancing and clapping, my eyes were glued to the stage wondering what will happen next. I definitely enjoyed both plays, but loved Low down dirty blues better because of how they involved the audience more. For example, in low down dirty blues the performers spoke directly to us engaging their attention solely on us. There wasn't a moment in the performance they didn't speak to us. Having me feel as if I was in Chicago just brought it over the edge!