When I took on Norm Foster’s The Long Weekend, the first obstacle was clear: the script calls for an expansive country home, but our venue was a tiny black box with a low ceiling and sight line nightmares. There was no way to stage the play traditionally without compromising believability.

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But as I read deeper, I recognized the rhythms of a classic sitcom — the setups, punchlines, buzzwords,  turnaround jokes and triplets. Leaning into that style, I reimagined the production as a live taping of a 90s sitcom. We transformed the theatre into a working soundstage, complete with monitors playing opening credits, transitions, and end credits, SMPTE color bars for the curtain speech, and signage that made the entire venue part of the experience.

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Rather than hide the space’s limitations, we showcased them. Actors were visible offstage, prepping in full view, while the stage manager became the “first AD,” calling places and warming up the audience. What began as a staging challenge became an immersive meta-theatrical event.

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The result: a sold-out run and one of the most successful productions in Pigs Do Fly Productions’ eight-year history.