An empty stage is what you see above here. And unfortunately an empty stage is actually preferable to the play I watched.
We were at the the Little Theatre of Manchester. The play was called Laughter on the 23rd Floor but there just wasn't much laughter anywhere around this play. There were a couple of chuckles here and there but no gut busting, knee slapping, face reddening, can't catch your breath laughing was going on that night. In short the play kind of stunk. In fact when it started the room was packed and by intermission the room had emptied behind me quite noticeably. The hefty couple in the row in front of me ditched it and just about ran for the door when the lights went up for intermission. The woman even said (rather more loudly than was necessary) That's it...I'm done...I gave it a chance and it stinks! Then she turned and kind of glared at me after she said it....almost as if she suspected that I had control over the laugh factor here and were holding out on her.
We meandered downstairs for cookies and whatever beverage might be available. I was temped to buy a glass of wine (or a gallon of it) to take the edge off the boredom of watching this play or to at least dull the expectation of fun. I was also sorely disappointed that we paid a higher fee to obtain seats in the first 6 rows and were allowed into the theater earlier than the 'commoners'. Well the joke turned out to be on us because this is the second time I've been to this theater to watch a comedy that wasn't funny. I'm afraid I won't be doing it a third time.
