02/13/2023
Rembrandt Perfected made it into the second round at the Austin Film Festival, playwriting division. Here are the fantastic notes I received from one of the readers:
Concept: "The writer shows a notable talent for breathing life & hilarity into historically inspired & supported playwriting. Rembrandt Perfected is a fresh addition to the genre."
Plot: "DAGUERRE is a famous French artist & inventor, but he fell short of his expectations and is seeing his peers abandon him. After his newest invention produces the first photo ever taken, MORSE drags him to discover who the silhouette in the image truly is. The stakes are hilariously high for the pompous characters in this play and works well for how it is presented."
Structure: "At the top, the play breaks expectations with MADAMN D & DAGUERRE gassing each other up and then being denied honors for the inventor's efforts. The play spirals into a hilarious chase that layers scientific and historical ethical dilemmas driven by the ostentation of scientists and artists. There is a consistent tone of silliness and hilarity for the reader, thanks to play wide insertion of jokes and callbacks."
Characters: "The writer shows another notable talent for intermingling the written characters with each other & history that reads very satisfyingly. MADAM DAGUERRE does become an inventor, and all the characters are given the exact resolution for previously said or intended tidbits strewn across the play."
Dialogue: "The opening scene highlights the mindfulness given to the character’s dialogue that cements them in the world of the play. The dialogue is distinctive to the world and used creatively to slip in comedic moments exclusively available to the world of the play."
Overall: "The writer shows a strong creative tendency to cleverly use historical context to create unique and hilarious comedy moments in Rembrandt Perfected. The comedic overtone of the play allowed this full-length story to be enjoyably digested at a quick pace. The scientific concepts or highbrow conversations on relative time or God were perfectly executed to the reader. The scene was hilariously framed and never overwhelming. Each character felt consciously tied to the story's intention and was creatively utilized. It pushed the story forward and peeled back the conceptual mystery of the silhouette. In conclusion, Rembrandt Perfected is an enjoyable play that picks on history creatively and tastefully and compliments the inventors of the play's ingenuity."
