Gone Missing Assignment
If loss is sometimes gain, what one story or song would you cut to improve the show? If none, that’s okay.
22 Responses to “Gone Missing Assignment”
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If loss is sometimes gain, what one story or song would you cut to improve the show? If none, that’s okay.
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December 9th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
I think no cut would be necessary. The idea was that loss is gain, but gain isn’t just defined as as some sort of material gain, it’s also a newfound appreciation for the item lost. Every story really showed the loser’s appreciation for the lost item, along with an appreciation for something bigger: the guy who lost his Palm Pilot clearly appreciated life more after his experience on September 11th and probably barely worried about the palm, one of the women with the rings appreciated her uncle even if her entire life negated his, and I hope the guy who lost his phone appreciated the irony of it breaking right after he got it back.
December 9th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
I have to agree with Jesse. I don’t think Gone Missing needed to be improved at all.
The production was absolutely charming! I loved how the chameleon-like performers could take on such a variety of personae! There was such verve and energy to Gone Missing. The music was versatile and interesting. I could see some similarities between Gone Missing and Spring Awakening. However, I often feel that Spring Awakening earns much of its accolade on the basis of its atypical nature. The cursing in Spring Awakening is sometimes used simply for the sake of appearing defiant and avant-garde/nouveau.
I felt the frustration and the pleasure in Gone Missing to be more realistic. When Robbie Sublett spoke about losing his phone, I couldn’t stop laughing. The message of the performance appealed to me. I loved how they incorporated Plato & Freud into this highly intelligent discussion of things lost and found… And overall, I think I would go and watch this again with my friends.
December 10th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
I also agree with Jesse, and Anita. Each story represented a loss that led to a gain. Although the production seemed spontaneous, and the songs weren’t related to the stories told, overall it represented loss. I love the songs in that they added more depth to the stories, more feeling, and more meaning to each stories. It gave an outlook to our loss in relationship with others rather than material possessions. The stories represented one side of loss and the songs represented another side or point of view in loss.
December 10th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
I would have to disagree with Jesse, because when I was watching the performance, I felt like it was a comedy; however, the scene with the man who lost his palm pilot seemed out of place. This scene was placed between two comic scenes, and the man losing his palm pilot during such a tragic event is not comic. I understand that each character appreciated life more after they lost their item, but this scene does not fit the comic flow of the performance as a whole.
-Melissa Kashizadeh
December 10th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
I have to agree with Jesse. I thought that the show was very well done and nothing comes to mind that needed to be cut. I found the show to be very entertaining and enjoyed the music as well as the humor. However, I did come out of the show with a newfound appreciation for some of my material things (laptop, phone, wallet etc.). I saw the pain that incurred when people lost things and the appreciation that they had when they got them back. I also thought that it was pretty cool that the entire show was based on interviews with random people in New York City about stuff they lost. In addition, the actors did a great job at portraying the characters that had been interviewed, and letting the audience know who they were.
December 10th, 2007 at 2:34 pm
I don’t think anything needed to be cut. Everything was choreographed and acted out really well. In the beginning of the show, when the performers began dancing strangely and making strange noises, I remember thinking, what exactly am I watching. However, as the show went on, its realistic comedy and easy-to-relate-with theme made it very appealing. Its random bursts into song and crazy movements made it much different than other productions, such as Spring Awakening. The show was much better than I expected and it was really fun to watch!
And I agree with Anita- the part with the phone (hullo-o-o-o..this is my phoooone) made me laugh the hardest- a kind of humorous situation many people could relate with.
December 10th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
I don’t think anything in the show needed to be cut either - it was great just the way it was. Each story added something different to the theme, and showed losing things can often lead to a greater appreciation as well as understanding of the thing lost.
I loved how all the actors were able to play such versatile roles. And I agree with Anita and Filza… when it came to the cell phone guy, I was dying with laugher. Almost as much as when the lady that lost her Gucci pump finally found it. The reason why we all found the show so funny was probably because they played such believable characters, and like Filza said, we could relate to them.
I do admit though, I kept wondering about the guy who kept talking about dead bodies and the various disgusting conditions he found them in. What exactly did he have to do with the whole losing material possessions thing?
December 10th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
I agree with everyone. I wouldn’t change anything about the show. Like Anita said, the ability of the actors to take on all those different personas was very impressive and probably the best part of the show. I liked how the show incorporated different songs and threw them in here and there to make it more lively. I also liked the fact that they put loss of relationships in it and not just material items. Overall, the show was great and I really enjoyed it.
Oh and Angelie, I think the point of the guy talking about dead bodies signified the loss of life (besides their missing body parts and such).
December 10th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
I would not cut any scenes from Gone Missing.
I thought everything was perfectly weaved together.
I loved that the cop talked about eels in dead bodies right before the scholar discussed how eels breed (and how people eat them in Japanese food).
I liked when all the ring stories were told at once.
And how the dog, cell phone, and stuffed-animal stories were told simultaneously.
It was very entertaining and well-done.
The only thing a bit confusing were the songs in languages that I did not know, but the facial expressions and body language of the actors led me in the right direction.
In relation to other works we have scene, there were parts that reminded me of spring awakening, such as the hand held microphones. I was al
December 10th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
also reminded of Our Town because there was very minimal use of props/scenery. The hanging lightbulbs at the end reminded me of the starry backdrop in the last scene of Our Town.
December 10th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Regarding Melissa’s comment about the guy with the palm pilot, I can relate to how she feels about his story disturbing the light-hearted flow of the performance. Although it seemed out of place at the time, in hindsight I can see how it fits in with the overall “theme” of the show–as everyone has been describing as having some sort of newfound appreciation beyond materialistic gain for items lost. So while his story was much different than the rest, and lacked the humor that the other stories had, I would still leave it in the show.
December 10th, 2007 at 6:29 pm
I absolutely agree with Melissa when she says that the scene with the Palm Pilot guy feels out of place, nevertheless I think it really adds to the overall message. The show did come across mostly as a comedy, but I think that moment really grounded me in the message. Until that point, I laughed at the stories and misfortunes of others. However, from there on, everything was a little more philosophical and much less materialistic. After all, most of the other characters were even able to laugh at themselves, but the Palm Pilot loser gave his speech with a flat, calm voice, really relating what happened to him on September 11th more than the palm pilot. He adds that it was returned to him as an after-the-fact, as if to lighten the mood a little after stirring up painful memories for his New York audience.
December 10th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
I have to agree with Melissa about the man who lost his Palm Pilot. I felt that his story seemed out of place since he told his story at the end of that particular act after the other three actors seemed to interchange parts of their own narratives. The narratives given by the other three actors were comedic, but the one scene with the man who lost his Palm Pilot seemed to kill the overall mood. I thought, however, the overall production was pretty well done although it was kind of confusing with the song choice (such as the Spanish one) at times. I definitely liked the scene in which one of the actors talks about his lost cell phone. I guess I had an appreciation for lost items after the show, but I honestly have to say that I would still be mad if I never found my lost things ever again.
December 10th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
The first scene that popped into my mind when I read the question was indeed the Palm Pilot one.
Technically, the man’s Palm story does show that loss means gain. However, I still can’t help think that it really did mess up the catchy flow of the cliffhanger comical stories. I mean, he wasn’t sitting on a bench like the rest, and the only times he told the story were as the first part and the last. This idea could’ve undoubtedly been done on purpose, but was not strong enough to pull through.
I disagree with Jesse’s claim that the scene was essential and ground-breaking as the phase into a philosophical state. The stories were still equally hilarious and light afterwards. The former stockbroker lady sitting on the chair still confirmed the humor for example. So I think it wouldn’t have been a gaping issue without having that story.
As for the Spanish song, I don’t think it was confusing for the non-Spanish-speaking audience because, like I expected, they provided a translated version afterwards. However, I am not sure why this was not the same case for the German song…Either way, I loved that they added foreign songs to the mix because it gave it a more universal twist to the theme that we all lose things and gain from our experiences of losing them. The songs in general were eclectic and fitting to the show as well.
December 10th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
I don’t think i would cut out any scene from “Gone Missing.” Each of the little snippets help enforce one of the universal themes that we do not appreciate things or people until we loose them. The versatility these actors had in playing such different characters were amazing. I liked that this was based on random interviews with different people. The palm pilot scene does take you away from the humor of the play, yet emphasizes the main idea immensely. My favorite scene was the one with the cell phone guy, that had me laughing until tears were coming out of my eyes, especially when he said that it broke right after getting it back. The order the stories were put in also helped to make this play flow smoothly and keep you interested in all of the stories rather then losing interest while hearing about three ring stories individually rather than simultaneously.
December 10th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
So first of all I don’t think any scene should have been taken out or changed–I agree with what everyone is saying thus far –it was entertaining, well acted with each actor truly taking on the form of the person they were portraying, and I thought it was a really original, interesting idea for a show.
As to what everyone is saying about the palm pilot scene, I disagree with everyone. I thought it was placed perfectly. n fact, the one thing I would change in terms of the procession of events leading up to that man’s monologue was that I think they should have ended the three stories with the cellphone guy because that was the funniest of what was being said. I think it was brilliant to put the palm pilot scene after the funny accounts because it makes it that much more poignant. As the actor portrayed, the palm pilot was not the only thing lost that day, and it was certainly not the most important thing lost. By contrasting the humorous stories with the palm pilot story, you really get a sense of the sorrow and depth of the palm pilot situation. The other stories made us laugh and remember all of the stupid things we lost and the funny situations we have been in regarding lost and found things, bu by totally shifting gears to the sadder story, the show made us truly appreciate the scope of the tragedy represented in the palm pilot man’s account. That’s how I felt, at least.
December 11th, 2007 at 12:14 am
I loved the show and everything about it, but i did not understand what the two songs in the other languages were about? Does anyone know, because i had no idea what they were saying or the point of those two songs. So I might take them out, however if they had some sort of translation in the packet, it would have been easier to understand. Does anyone know what those two songs were about?
December 11th, 2007 at 12:25 am
I would agree with the overall opinion that no scene or song should be cut because each was unique and added to the overall theme. Even though the story of the Palm Pilot was out of place, I woud have to disagree with Melissa that the scene does not fit the comic flow of the performance. I believe that the entire performance was based on a flow of balance between the funny, the weird, and the moving. The Palm Pilot scene was there to balance out the hilarious stories of the lost phone and a sock doll.
I was amazed at the acting because even though there were only 6 people on stage, i felt as if there were about 20 different people, of all ages, ethnicities, and personalities. How easy it was to forget the character the actor must be portraying and fall into another character but the actors did their job fantastically well. I especially loved the slow moving ending and how the actors walked off the stage one by one.
December 11th, 2007 at 12:49 am
One of my few qualms with the production: the guitar-playing, overweight Jeff Goldblum look-a-like’s attempt to relay the elderly woman’s story about losing her mother’s platinum necklace. Why that actor was selected to play this woman, I haven’t a clue. My inner monologue spent half of his time on stage questioning what demographic this person was intended to fall into. While I found the woman’s story interesting in terms of personal parallels regarding her relationship with her mother, the actor’s portrayal of her struck me as an insensitive misstep that lightly trampled the delicacy of her interview.
December 11th, 2007 at 8:31 am
I do kind of agree with Audrey. It took me awhile to realize that Damian Baldet was actually telling a woman’s story. But I love how poignant the story is. She only remembers the good. And not only has she lost the platinum necklace but she has lost all of those bad memories.
This really was a fantastic production. The actors were so talented and I loved the very unique New York feel to the monologues. The fleeting mentions of New York landmarks Central Park, the presence of multiple ethnicities and the exploration of several New York accents and stereotypical characters…
But then again the themes of gain and loss are so universal and they are almost synonymous with the concepts of life and death. Thus it is particularly significant when Stephen Plunkett plays a Brooklyn cop in charge of DOA bodies.
December 11th, 2007 at 9:39 am
Yeah, the man actor playing a woman was a little confusing at first, I started off thinking he was just a gay old man.
As for the question of the two songs in different languages, I think they gave the show a cross-cultural feel. It’s not just New Yorkers that experience loss, but Hispanics, Europeans, Caribbean Islanders, etc. The songs in Spanish and German(??) really made the play not just tailor fitted to native New Yorkers (who were more than clearly represented in the NYPD officer talking about DOA’s and the plethora of people with “New York Accents”) but inclusive to everyone who lives in or visits the city.
December 11th, 2007 at 11:35 am
I, like almost everyone else (excluding Melissa!), don’t think any scene needs to be cut from the play. I feel that every scene fits it really well with the theme of the show. I also agree with Erica that the music adds a lot to the sentiment and our appreciation of the show. It helps us understand more clearly a point of view regarding loss.