All in the Timing: "Words, Words, Words" and "Variation on the Death of Trotsky"

by David Ives

dir. Dave Peterson

September-October, 2010, Studio Theatre, University of Pittsburgh Repertory Theatre

Pittsburgh PA

These short comic plays dramatize two bizarre situations.  The first portrays monkeys trying to write the work of Shakespeare, and the second presents an odd panoply of variations on the death of Leon Trotsky.  Both shows share a coupling of broad comic humor with sharp word play, so the performers had to master a great deal of physical and vocal precision to match the finely crafted scripts. 

Photos by Dave Peterson, courtesy of The University of Pittsburgh Department of Theatre Arts. 

Performers: John Michnya, Martel Manning, Emily Poijman