a theatrical weekend

Saw two student productions this weekend. Friday night was The Fabulous Invalid at the EmersonCutler Majestic. A weak script and a weaker adaptation, but with strong acting; Emerson's undergrad acting program is on a par with graduate acting programs elsewhere. Tonight (it's this weekend only; there's one more show at 2:00 tomorrow) was California Suite at Melrose HighMiddle School. I thought it was one of Simon's better pieces, and it was both well suited to a drama-club production and also very well cast -- I'd seen most of the actors in other pieces and they all seemed more at ease in this show, in a way which I thought was summed up by their staying in character for the curtain call, and in at least one case long afterwards -- to hilarious effect in the case of folzgold during a discussion of how best to roust him from bed in the morning.