The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Bombogenesis

Though at first glance the title Bombogenesis may seem perplexing and ill fitted for a theatrical rendition of The Sound of Music film directed by Robert Wise, the School of Contemporary Arts theatre has proved yet again that tempestuous creativity often leads to rewarding outcomes. Running February 28th – March 2nd & March 5th – 9th, this student theatre MainStage performance is accurately named after an explosive “multilatitude weather pattern”, as the production is a whirlwind of moving parts taking place across multiple frames of action. The use of props on wheels and three large wooden frames onstage not only adds to the peculiarity of this well-known musical, but also establishes a unique atmosphere in which the scenes can materialize in a conveyor belt fashion. In addition, clips of the original movie are projected on the outermost frame to exhibit the theatre stage as an expanded and abstracted form of “film”. Though one might think that this combination of elements would be overwhelming for the viewer, the transparency in the staging, and the use of film and props all contribute wonderfully to the intentional chaos that makes Bombogenesis an effective showcase of the well-known musical in a new light.

Before the show even officially commences, the props and actors are unhidden and prepared for action. The three massive, bare, wooden frames overtake almost the entirety of the stage save for the outer edges of the room. The closest frame sits practically right up against the front row of the audience, and the two other frames rest center stage and close to the backdrop.  Seemingly cluttered yet carefully organized stacks of props overtake what little room was left onstage, and the performers sat among them ready to take their places. This conspicuous set up of the space echoes the unabashed quality that carries throughout the entirety of the musical. Rather than try to hide any of the props or scenery from the audience, it is on display within the frames, or on the sides of the room for all to see. While some theatrical productions seek to diminish distraction created by props and settings, Bombogenesis flourishes in the exposure of these elements. The lesser known “behind the scenes” action, most often done by stage crew, becomes an integral part of the performance itself. It does not cause major interference with the plot but on the contrary adds intrigue.        

The aforementioned sense of transparency in the staging is additionally supported by the specific way that the props are used in this musical. Everything from benches to taxidermy animals is placed on rudimentary trolleys that are pushed by the actors across each of the three frames. This produced a unique effect in which the performers who were not overtly acting in the stage frames became just as much a part of the show as those who took on the typical role as “performers”. Their presence in the space and their deliberate sullen glares towards the audience, as they laboriously pushed their carts, was all at once humorous and a direct statement about the theatre itself.           

In more formal and classical theatre settings, the goal of the scenic artist was to “provide an ever larger and more elaborate pictorial realism” in the creation of their sets” (Knopf 30). Curtains are drawn for a scene change or even the sets have the capability of being rolled and converted seemingly on their own. This musical, on the other hand, utilized a technique in which “items of furniture are not used as “props” but as partners in the work- the manipulators and the manipulated become exchangeable. Performers are arranged and are arranged in turn” (202).  This relationship between the “main” actors, the actors pushing the trolleys, and their props themselves, brings about interesting questions about power dynamics in a theatre setting.  Who is to say that the actors playing any of the seven Von Trapp children were more important or more powerful characters than the nameless waitress that sassily shines their cutlery onstage before their scene?

It was characters such as these that did not detract from the musical itself, but shape it with their silent existence and unwavering energy that they projected to the audience. They were not subordinate to the props, but rather energetic extensions of them, and this allowed them to become contributors to the overall aesthetic of the musical itself. Similar to how Greg Giesekam’s describes the play Drunken Madness, “in such shows the environments and objects created constraints with which the performers had to work…various mini-narratives emerged momentarily from the performers’ interactions…” (202).  In this similar way, Bombogenesis became overwhelming in the best way possible, it gained its effectiveness through the blatant recognition that settings do not have to be reduced to being simply background. By using actors instead of stagehands, the musical exhibited an unconcealed vitality in which the props and staging became equally as powerful as the spoken content.  

            A third element that effectively adds to the methodical disorder of Bombogenesis is the use of The Sound of Music footage projected on the outermost frame of the stage.  The very first scene, that appears simultaneously in live action whilst also being projected on the outer frame, is the iconic shot of Maria with her arms open wide to the hills of Salzburg.  Arthi Chandra, who plays Maria in Bombogensis, holds a similar outstretched pose as she is wheeled across the stage sighing blissfully all along the way. Though for the rest of the musical the film footage does not match quite as perfectly as this opening scene, the message is made clear right from the start. The contemporary arts theatre rendition is supposed to be viewed within the “framework” of the film, literally and figuratively. However, it sought to free itself from the limits of cinema and explore a more broadened format.

The advantage of using projections in theatre is exemplified by Greg Giesekam’s statement in Staging the Screen: The Use of Film and Video in Theatre. He notes that “all these ways of staging the screen, of destroying the normal cloak of invisibility that is cast over it in cinemas and on television, by extension invite spectators to treat with a critical playfulness the screen-based media have in their lives” (252). In the case of Bombogenesis, the film projection of The Sound of Music, that exists simultaneous to the action occurring within the wooden stage frames, acts as a reminder that movies are by definition “motion pictures”.  While film possesses the distinct ability to seamlessly incorporate scene changes and cuts, the theatre has no such option. In spite of that, theatre can be a performing art that has the flexibility to pick and choose specific components of film to alter and enhance. Bombogenesis clearly showcases this by pointedly amplifying the effort it takes to transform each scene from frame to frame. With the help of the projection, the audience becomes even more aware of the context in which the performance is happening. The film clips add to the visual miscellany of the musical yet do not distract entirely from all the activity.

Overall Bombogenesis, the musical rendition of The Sound of Music, was an exhilarating performance. Its unique staging, and use of props and projections, all worked cohesively to reinvent the original film. Though the production could have easily descended into madness with the constant flow of moving parts, there maintained a sense of balance and purpose in the actors and objects moving across the stage. All of these elements complimented one another in a way that allowed for even deeper messages to brew just below the surface of the musical plot. Leaving the performance, the audience is able to take away not only a lasting sense of chaotic tension that was created, but also questions about the capabilities of the theatre stage and what it truly means to make a notable film rendition. 

Works Cited

Giesekam, Greg. Staging the Screen: the Use of Film and Video in Theatre. Palgrave Macmillan, 2011.

Knopf, Robert. Theater and Film: a Comparative Anthology. Yale University Press, 2005.