AW
Abigail Wiggins
  • Senatobia, MS

Abigail Wiggins helps produce Bill Irwin's Scapin at Northwest

2012 Jan 26

Abigail Wiggins of Senatobia is one of 15 Northwest students involved in the innuendo, physical comedy, exaggerated characters, fast-paced action and even unicycle riding in store for audience members attending the Northwest Mississippi Community College theatre department's presentation of Scapin by Bill Irwin, a comedic adaptation of Molière's 325-year-old farce Les Fourberies de Scapin, Feb. 16-18 at 7 p.m. and on Feb. 19 at 2 p.m. in the Fine Arts Auditorium on the Senatobia Campus.

According to Joel King, director and Division of Fine Arts technical director, this farce is packed with audience interaction, chase scenes, brightly colored costumes and overly dramatic performances that are sure to entertain audience members of all ages. As the play unfolds, the crafty servant Scapin promises to help two pairs of wide-eyed lovers while juggling an array of elaborate disguises and scams to keep their wealthy fathers from discovering they are being swindled out of large sums of their own money. Remaining true to Moliere's classic farcical tale from the seventeenth century, this adaptation adds a late twentieth century spin to the language.

"I love this show because it gives each cast member the opportunity to explore, imagine and create their own individual and hilarious character," said Anthony Guy of Olive Branch. "Playing the energetic role of Octave in this play was something that I took very seriously by just having a lot of fun."

Gabby D'Arcangelo of Southaven plays Nerine in the production. She appreciates her role in the show, because she doesn't have to take herself seriously and can just be funny without explanation. "I like that the show calls for a universal comedy that everyone will enjoy," said D'Arcangelo.

Ashley Strawn of Holly Springs and Kevar Maffit of Olive Branch love the physicality and over-the-top performances this production requires. "This show is not just different for us as actors, but it is different for the area as well," said Maffit. "This show is a Comedia, which means broad comedy, so where we are used to being told not to overact and make performances more realistic, now we are told to make everything as big as possible and have big physical choices."

"The biggest difference to me is how big the gestures and movements are allowed to be and how crazy the plays on words are," said Strawn. "It has been a huge growth process for us as an entire cast and allowed us to try lots of new ideas to get into our characters."

General admission is $10 and $5 for students and seniors at the door. For more information, contact King at jking@northwestms.edu or (662) 801-3332.

Pictured: Daniel Jones of Batesville, playing Scapin, frightens Hayden Montgomery of Southaven, playing Leander, as he relives a horrible nightmare during a rehearsal of Scapin by Bill Irwin, a comedic adaptation of Molière's 325-year-old farce Les Fourberies de Scapin, that will be performed Feb. 16-18 at 7 p.m. and on Feb. 19 at 2 p.m. in the Fine Arts Auditorium on the Senatobia Campus.