How to survive a 7-hour performance

On a good night, I get 7 hours of sleep, so the idea of watching a play for that long was rather daunting.

But “Nicholas Nickleby,” the two-part play presented in a three-and-a-half hour and three-hour block, proved worth my Saturday afternoon.

Part 1 was lively, with many funny scenes and only one intermission. Though the show started nearly 30 minutes after its scheduled time because of the eternal challenge to find parking on campus, I rarely found myself checking my watch or itching to stretch.

A two-hour break between Part 1 and Part 2 allowed me to leave the theater and find some food. But this break was too long for me. When I returned to my seat in the Paul Green Theatre, I was feeling disconnected from the first half.

During Part 2, I felt the fatigue set in. I noticed that my legs were falling asleep, or I was thirsty or yawning, more often.

Though Part 2 contained some of the more gripping scenes, I was also glad for the complementary coffee I had snagged before the show began. PlayMakers Repertory Company also set up a bistro dining opportunity at the theater, but not everyone participated.

There is only one more opportunity to see the show all in one day, Dec. 19. But I think watching Part 1 and Part 2 separately would not be too detrimental to the viewing experience. The 2-hour break was enough time away from the theater that I was no longer in a “Nicholas Nickleby” mind-set when I returned.

I learned some new things at the play, such as that my cell phone still finds the need to sound its alarm, even when put on silent. Happily, I learned that the dark of the theater hides my blush too.

My best advice: Bring a sweater, use the intermissions wisely to refill on coffee and hit the bathroom, and make friends with those sitting around you. You’ll be making a seven-hour theatrical journey with them, and it’s best to have company on the emotional experience that is “Nicholas Nickleby.”



Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.