Complete the exhausted theater director's notes after a truly disastrous dress rehearsal by choosing the correct preposition for each gap.

"The lead actor's cheerful performance was completely at odds with the tragic tone of the play. We are currently in the throes of a production crisis, and frankly, the lighting technician's excuses are completely beyond the pale!"

"...performance was completely at odds with the tragic tone..."

To be at odds with something means to be in conflict, disagreement, or inconsistent with it.

"We are currently in the throes of a production crisis..."

To be in the throes of something means to be struggling in the middle of a very difficult, painful, or complex situation.

"...the lighting technician's excuses are completely beyond the pale!"

If something is beyond the pale, it is completely unacceptable or outside the bounds of agreed standards of decency.