This past weekend, I went to the Adams Pool Theatre for the first time. There, I saw a student production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
The Pool was historically a space in which students could hold risqué gatherings and marginalized groups could express themselves. Out of health and safety concerns (too many “indecent” co-ed parties), the space has been transformed into a theatre for student-led theatrical productions.
The intimate theatre has a small capacity, but this works well for some productions. The mirrored walls are eerily reflective, enlarging the room to some degree. The edges of the pool allow mobility of performers beyond the traditional stage, offering greater interaction with the audience.
The remnants of the original “Gold Coast” Pool help signal an entrance into a different world–whether that be the old boys’ club that Westmorly Hall once was, or when transformed into a set, the laboratory of Dr. Frank N Furter. Though tinted by the colours of the past, this space offers flexibility for artistic creativity.
Photo 1: Harvard University
Photo 2: Harvard Gazette
http://adamshouse.harvard.edu/pool-theater
http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2013/4/18/adams-pool/
