Melodrama: Beyond the Boos and Hisses

"Curses, foiled again!" the villain shouts as his plans to marry Sweet Nellie are once again thwarted by our hero, Jack Goodheart. Ah, but there was never any real fear of evil triumphing over good, for this is melodrama, a form of theatre popular in the 19th century. Melodrama has often been described as a morality play without the religion, depicting a simplified world of stereotypical characters, where good is always rewarded, and evil punished without fail. Characters are two-dimensional: the villain wears black and slinks across the stage; the hero, often dressed in white, is bold and confident, although perhaps a little simple; the heroine is pure, sweet, and innocent. Audiences are expected to suspend their disbelief at the unbelievable coincidences and plot twists that are at the heart of melodrama. Aimed at teaching viewers everything they need to know to put on a full-scale melodrama, Melodrama: Beyond the Boos and Hisses is divided into five "acts": "Melodrama Then and Now," "Basic Structure," "The Melodrama in Action" (where we learn about the art by witnessing a real performance of Will the Showboat Show Tonight?), "The Olio" (a series of short variety acts, jokes, songs, and comic skits that often accompany performances), and "The Summary." While the video's host was a little over the top for my tastes (complete with silly hats and costumes), I suppose the subject certainly warrants the histrionics. Useful for high school and college theatre groups, as well as community theatre groups, the program teaches viewers how characters should look and move, what kind of music works best, the most useful props, and even how to select a good keyboardist for the piano. Definitely recommended. Aud: J, H, C, P. (J. Asala)