Downstage's Apollo 13 " Should Not Be Missed"

Apollo 13: Mission Control
Downstage Theatre 30 Oct- 18 Dec 2010 - Click to Book Tickets

Many years ago just about when the real Apollo missions were taking off classroom drama was all go. There were classroom drama gurus who advocated amazing experiences for kids where learning took place in elaborate extended simulation games which included reading, writing and maths and every other part of the curriculum too. It required a huge effort from the teacher in setting it all up and managing the scenario so that the learning happened and the dramatic tension held. It was close to impossible for one teacher to achieve with 30 or so kids and limited technical facilities and those who did manage it quickly burnt out.

It was heady stuff and Apollo 13 at Downstage is heady stuff too and closely resembles what the teachers way back then were being exhorted to achieve. This time the technical whizzes have excelled themselves and the staff student ratio is a teacher unionist's dream.

The success of the show relies on people taking up the opportunities to be involved in the action. And most of them do. There are safe copout positions where it is easy to sit back and enjoy the work of the rest but full involvement turns out to be safe and enjoyable and thrilling with it.

The setting at Downstage is dominated by two huge screens which play leading roles in the action. There are smaller screens too and a blackboard and files of manuals and papers. There are big noises on blastoff that make the whole theatre vibrate and flashing lights and telephones and bits of printed material; all the stuff of great learning situations and it makes great entertainment, great theatre.

There are all sorts of age groups and everybody has their role defined and their own specific setup at a desk with switches, flashing lights, phones, gauges, paper, pencils, manuals. The audience is not an audience, it is part of the action, everybody participates in this show. There is writing and maths to be done and some people get star roles to play.

The actors who are also organisers, teachers, mentors, bosses and coaches as well as playing a fully sustained actor’s role interacting with each other and with strangers they met when they arrived on the night, move around the whole mission site. The skill involved in this is way beyond what an actor is usually required to do and they do it with remarkably convincing supportive charm and commitment to the astronauts and the staff of Houston control.

There is lots of humour and there are digs at historical real people as well as at the characters who are running this show. A tense plot holds it all together and when it looks as though the astronauts are doomed we go together into frantic dramatic action under the leadership of a spare astronaut. It is touch and go but God blesses America. The team at mission control erupts into excited self-congratulation. We did well after all and we brought our boys home safely. As they said failure is not an option.

Apollo 13 has already had a number of repeat seasons but memorable offerings like this should not be missed.

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Previous review: Rory MacKinnon - A Beginner's Guide To CM-109 Command Module Maintenance & Repair

Press releases: Apollo 13 - about to blast onto the world stage - Theatre show Apollo 13 battles Supreme Court

Previous seasons: Lyndon Hood - Arts Festival Review: Apollo 13: Mission Control

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