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\u201c[These themes] were relevant three years ago, but three years ago we lived in a political climate that, at least in our bubble, was full of hope and felt like we were headed in the right direction,\u201d Hamme says. \u201cNow, it\u2019s a different environment. I think we\u2019re all very aware of that. And so now the show takes on a whole new meaning. It\u2019s still so relevant, but the ominous elements of it are a little more real.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe acts of kindness are becoming seemingly less every day,\u201d adds Matthew Anderson, Garage Theatre co-founder who plays the role of Witchfinder. \u201cIn our little bubble that we live in, most of the people we know are kind, but on a bigger scale it seems like those kinds of things are less celebrated and looked at funny\u00a0when you start to fear the caravan or whoever is next.\u201d<\/p>\n
Because the script was not originally written for the stage, Hamme and the production crew had free reign in how to visually portray the world of “Darkside,\u201d including the characters, costume and set design. The hour-long show makes strong use of lighting and visuals, which, paired with Pink Floyd melodies weaving in and out overhead, lends itself to a surreal experience.<\/p>\n The songs from the album are laced throughout the show, much like a narrator that drives the story forward. With additional sound design by Anderson, disembodied voices and ambient soundscapes float about as if in a dream.<\/p>\n \u201cI saw Pink Floyd in 1994 on their last tour at the Rose Bowl and it was very moving to me,\u201d Hamme says. \u201cI still remember much about it and I wanted to bring those elements into it. I wanted it to feel more like an installation as opposed to just a play.\u201d<\/p>\n The Garage Theatre was founded in 2001 by a group of theater undergrads at Long Beach State with the intention of putting on affordable shows they wanted to see. Hamme and Anderson are the two remaining founders, and they have kept the DIY spirit alive and well with hands-on involvement in every production.<\/p>\n \u201cI think music and theater are one of the last human experiences where there\u2019s an exchange of energy between the performer and the audience and they affect each other directly in real time,\u201d Hamme says. \u201cAnd I think there\u2019s a human desire for that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDarkside: Incorporating The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd\u201d will be performed this upcoming Friday and Saturday and next week at the Found Theater. For tickets, visit <\/i>www.thegaragetheatre.org<\/i><\/a>. The Found Theater is located at 599 Long Beach Blvd.<\/i><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/DarksideGarageTheatre2018-63.jpg\")