Sneak Peak: Haunted House Party, A Roman Comedy at the Getty Villa
by Leticia Marie Sanchez
This week’s Cultural Cocktail preview:
1 shot of Antiquity, a Highball of Hijinks, and A Splash of Stilts.
Stepping onto the sumptuous grounds of the Getty Villa feels like being transported via time machine to antiquity. After all, the architectural design was inspired by the Villa dei Papiri, the treasure trove of Julius Caesar’s father-in law.
Even Caesar (when he wasn’t being stabbed in the back) enjoyed a chuckle or two.
And chuckles are on the menu at the Getty Villa in a few weeks.
This fall, director Matt Walker and the Troubadour Theater Company will provide a colorful facelift to material from 2oo B.C, ”A Haunted House Party,” based on Mostellaria by Roman playwright Plautus.
CCH spoke with Costume designer, Sharon McGunigle on her designs.
Madcap troubadours will be singing, dancing, and possibly walking on stilts.
The costumes need to be “Troubie-proof.” Moreover, the actors during Plautus’ time were an itinerant, motley crew hailing from across the Empire- not necessarily Roman- so don’t expect a sea of white togas.
Mc Gunigle used the silhouette of the era, while looking at the Etruscan Era and the Byzantine Era for nuance and embellishment.
Look out for dazzling costumes in the dance sequences!
On the set, wagons to transport traveling troubies to their next production.
Roman Stilt-walkers: break a leg!
Tune in to Cultural Cocktail Hour in September for a review of the production.
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