Daryl Cloran
Daryl Cloran returns to the Playhouse to direct BOEING, BOEING – a hilarious farce that is sure to take you up, up and away! Produced in association with Western Canada Theatre, the same production will play in Kamloops (where Daryl is the Artistic Director) this fall. We caught up with Daryl recently to ask about his return to the Playhouse, the ins and outs of directing a farce, and onstage mishaps!
1) What are you looking forward to most directing at the Playhouse in Gananoque?
I’m really excited to be part of Ashlie’s first season. Ashlie and I have a long history – she was my assistant director on a couple of productions when she was first starting out – and now she’s a directing super-star! (I like to pretend I had some hand in that, but really it’s just that she’s super talented) Plus, I studied at Queens (many moons ago) so TIP holds a very special place in my heart, and it’s always so nice to come back to the region, especially now that I live in BC!
2) What is different about directing a farce, as opposed to another type of play?
Timing, timing, timing! The comedy in farce lives and dies on timing. A moment played with the right beats will be absolutely hilarious. With the wrong beats, it will be met with resounding silence from the audience.
3) Why do you think Boeing Boeing is still popular/relevant more than 50 years after it was first written?
There is something timeless about the “fish out of water” story. Robert is a poor hapless character that is completely out of his depth. It’s easy for an audience to cheer for him as he flails around trying to keep things under control. Plus the 1960s are very cool again – thanks to the hip aesthetic of shows like Mad Men. Our production will be slick, sexy and very funny.
4) Have you directed a farce before, and if so, what are some of the funniest things that has happened?
Last season I directed Noises Off, which is one of the funniest farces ever written. It’s incredibly complicated to direct because there is action happening “on-stage” and “off-stage” at the same time. Kirk Smith played Gary in the production (Kirk will be playing Robert in our production of Boeing Boeing). There is a moment in the play when a doorknob is supposed to come off in Kirk’s hand. But during one performance, when Kirk grabbed the doorknob, he lost his grip and the doorknob went flying into the audience. Kirk stopped for a beat, and I could tell he was quickly realizing how important the doorknob was to the rest of the scene. Suddenly he ran all the way down the stairs (he was on the 2nd floor), he jumped off the stage, ran into the audience, grabbed the doorknob, ran back up the stairs and continued the scene as if nothing happened. The audience loved it. And I’m sure many of them thought it was supposed to be played that way!
