Search: weather the weather

Sneak preview for WEATHER THE WEATHER (Or how we make it home together)

At the Everygreen Brick Works. Written by Haley McGee. Directed by Jennifer Brewin. Designed by Catherine Hahn. Lighting by Glenn Davidson. Music by John Millard. Starring: Kawa Ada, Lisa Karen Cox, Colin Doyle, Amy Lee, Courtenay Stevens.

Produced by Theatre Columbus. Plays out doors until December 30.

What is home? Is it where we live? Where we wander to and land? Is it in the mind? These are some of the questions playwright Haley McGee is exploring in this enchanting, beautifully executed production. It is based on a Swedish folk tale in which a brother and sister are displaced from their home by a terrible storm. In the process the brother is hit by lightening and is illuminated with crackling regularity. Initially they try and find their way home—the sister has a map and a compass. But after a while the brother is just weary and wants to stay there and make a new home.  They part, angrily, each going his/her separate ways, meeting all manner of adventure and mishap, including a troll who craves light and has a more than passing acquaintance with Yiddish.

Jennifer Brewin has directed this with dazzling imagination, gentle wit and humour. You follow a woman who lights the way with glowing lampshade. Everything about this production will make you smile. The show lasts an hour. It is done outdoors so dress warmly.

Full review on CIUT FRIDAY MORNING, 89.5 FM on Friday, Dec. 13. from 9 am to 10 am.

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Live, in person at the CAA Theatre, Toronto, Ont.

Playwright, Bernardine Stapleton

Adapter, Steve Cochrane

Original concept and music curation by Walter Schroeder

Musical arrangements by Jesse Grandmont

Additional arrangement by Bob Hallett and Paul Kinsman

Directed by Brad Hodder

Musical direction by Kelly-Ann Evans and Josh Ward

Choreography by Victoria Wells-Smith

Set by Gillian Gallow

Lighting by Leigh Ann Vardy

Sound by Pat Dempsey

Costumes by Sara Hodder

Cast: Liam Eric Dawson

Julia Dunne

Kelly-Ann Evans

Philip Goodridge

Vicki Harnett

Seana-Lee Wood

Duff MacDonald

Erin Mackey

Steve Maloney

Melanie O’Brien

Steve Ross

Renée Strasfeld

The music is spirited as is the singing, but the script meanders and needs tightening and a clearer vision as to why you are telling the story in the first place.

The Story. Welcome to another part of “the Rock” (Newfoundland), not a part found in Come From Away.

No Change in the Weather takes place in 1990, in God’s Back Pocket, Newfoundland, an almost deserted part of the island. Peggy O’Brien has died but before she has her ‘real’ funeral, her son Bill and several of Peggy’s friends steal her body in the coffin and take it to God’s Back Pocket, to Peggy’s former shack of a home for a wake. There are coolers full of appropriate beverages for such an endeavor, and enough people with enough stories about Peggy to pass the time. Peggy is our narrator. We get the sense Peggy is controlling most of what is going on there. She feels that every person there has a secret that they have kept inside too long and now is the time to spill their guts and get on with living. Jade, Peggy’s friend was jilted at the alter years before by James “Sonny Boy” O’Brien—Peggy’s son and the cause of much rancor in the family and the community. James was involved in the disastrous negotiations regarding the Churchill Falls Hydro Project debacle.  Jade’s daughter Liza is there. She’s a journalist, who does not know who her father is. Johnny is an alcoholic who is knitting his sobriety scarf. It’s very long. His secret is poignant. Sally Brown seems to be a ‘witchy-woman’ with her ‘ugly stick’ who conjures spirits who are ready to take Peggy to the next ‘world’. But first guts must be spilled and lively songs must be song.

The Production.  The creative team involves some top-notch creators: Gillian Gallow (set) Leigh Ann Vardy (lighting), Pat Dempsey (sound). Why then does this production look so chintzy? The cabin is a non-descript wood wall with a door up there and a step down, Peggy’s casket has some decorations but that’s it.

At times it seems that directing 12 people on a smallish stage was more like director Brad Hodder was directing traffic, hoping no one bumped into anyone. So much of the staging was pedestrian with out depth. And with 12 characters, each with their own issues, that too seemed like it was an effort to pack the show with meaning. One knitted one’s eyebrows towards the end when the last character was introduced that added another political point. One longed for judicious cutting.

No Change in the Weather is a jukebox musical, meaning that the music used is composed of already established songs, many of which are traditional and many created by such Newfoundland/Labrador composers as: Alan Doyle (“Heavy Nets), Ron Hynes (with Murray McLauchlan) (“No Change in the Weather” “Sonny’s Dream”—Hynes alone), Alistair MacGillivray (“Sea People”). The cast sing the score beautifully.

Playwright Bernardine Stapleton and adapter Steve Cochrane have packed the text full of the flavour of Newfoundland expressions, aphorism and turns of phrases. One has to keep up trying to hear/understand it all. As Peggy, Kelly-Ann Evans is sparky, confident, and commands attention—well, yeah, she’s the guest of honour at the wake. Bill O’Brien is a disappointed man and devoted son, and that comes through in Steve Ross’ performance. He’s serious, attentive and briming with concern. Steve Ross sings the plaintive song “Heavy Nets” with all the sadness that song needs—an empty net to a fisherman must be like death. All that comes through in the song.

At 2 hours and 30 minutes No Change in the Weather needs to be tightened considerably. For example, there is a bit of business involving the character of Johnny (Steve Maloney) and a giant hair ball that is stretched long past any semblance of humour. The silliness of what Johnny does in that scene damages the character.

Comment. No Change in the Weather first appeared in 2019 in a tour and has been re-written. More work needs to be done. The piece almost seems like it has a split personality: on the one hand, in Act I there are the jolly, irreverent people wanting to send Peggy off in style and on the other, Act II the angry, grudge-carrying, disappointed people of the community still fuming over a terrible deal and blame James for the debacle. They wrangle, snipe, hurl insults and take their anger out on each other. It’s the story of a resources-rich province with lousy luck in the people who handled their negotiations. The good people of Newfoundland have watched their fishing rights disappear along with the fish upon which they depended. Seven pages of the programme are devoted to detailing the many twists and turns of the history of Churchill Falls. Perhaps the show should have been about that alone instead of spreading it all over the place.  

Produced by Terrabruce Productions, presented by Mirvish Productions.

Plays until: Nov, 27, 2021.

Running Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes.

www.mirvish.com

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The following play was reviewed on Friday, Dec. 27, 2013 on CIUT FRIDAY MORNING 89.5 fm : Tea at the Palace at Tarragon Extra Space until Dec. 29; plus a look back at shows and people for which I was grateful.

The guest host was Phil Taylor.

(PHIL)

Good Friday morning on this last Friday in the year, it’s theatre fix time with Lynn Slotkin, our theatre critic and passionate playgoer. Hi Lynn.

(LYNN)

Hi Phil

(PHIL)

What theatre treats do you have for us this week?

(LYNN)

There was one opening yesterday afternoon and that was Tea at the Palace by Puppetmongers. You will recall we had the company’s two creators as our guests last week; Ann and David Powell, a brother and sister duo who have been creating puppet shows for almost 40 years.

(PHIL)

I recall they said that the show is based on two Russian tales and takes place in Medieval Russia. What are the specifics of the stories?

(LYNN)

First is the story of a young Tsar (or King). He inherited the crown from his mean father. The question is whether this Tsar is a better, more compassionate leader than his father. His wisdom is tested when a peasant discovers a samovar in the dirt on his land. The rule is that everything and everybody belongs to the Tsar. The peasant’s snoopy neighbour turns in the peasant to the authorities for saying that he can drink tea just like the Tsar. Blasphemy. The peasant and neighbour have to appear before the Tsar.

First the Tsar hears the neighbour’s side and then he wants to hear the peasant’s side. He likes what he hears from the peasant and invites him to tea, so a bond is formed and the peasant of course is saved. The Tsar proves himself to be compassionate.

(PHIL)

What about the next story?

(LYNN)

The next story melds into this one. There is a dispute over an apple tree. Its roots are planted on an old woman’s property. But the apples fall on the neighbour’s land. Who owns the tree?

The neighbour, the old woman, and the old woman’s daughter, Favronia, travel to see the Tsar to have him resolve the issue. He hears both sides and decides the since the apples fall on the neighbour’s side he gets the tree.

Favronia disputes this with the Tsar, in a gracious way. He sees her wisdom in such matters.  The old woman gets to keep her tree. Favronia and the Tsar become friends and over time they fall in love. But the court tries to put a stop to that saying he can’t marry a commoner. Favronia questions that. There is fine print.

She can marry the Tsar if she answers three questions to which the court feels there are no answers. How will Favronia do?  See this wonderful show and find out.

(PHIL)

How do the puppets factor in to this?

(LYNN)

All the characters are puppets manipulated by David and Ann Powell. We see them manipulate the puppets; not marionettes, but hand-held puppets in some cases; miniatures in other.

There are various sizes for the Tsar and Favronia.  At one point there is a life-sized version of the Tsar and Favronia as well as miniatures. The Powells also created the set of structures that can be at once the palace, then with a flip of a section it becomes the inside of it; then another flip and we are outside; and the country side.

The design of the various structures used in the proceedings are efficient, multi-purposed, and clearly indicate when time of day it is and that the seasons pass.

I also liked how the dilemma are dealt with and how the kids in the audience get into the story.

(PHIL)

How so?

(LYNN)

The Tsar is very fair minded. I loved that he wanted to hear the sides of the stories of all the participants. I also loved that when a kid in the audience thought a decision was unfair, he said so. The Tsar said that since the apples fell on the land of the neighbour he should get ownership of the tree. The kid in the front row said out loud, “That’s not fair.”

I saw David Powell smile, but he said nothing and went on with the show—sometimes there is adlibbing but not this time. So I love that it’s a story to test fairness, what is right; how do you make decisions; and that of course gets its audience involved.

And as performers both Ann and David are animated and impish in their own way. Although David is the one prone to being irreverent and adlib and inject some topical humour of his own.

Nothing to take the story off track.  Both keep the story light, funny and short. And they are masters when manipulating the puppets. Their shows have a gentleness but a strong point. The shows are playful, spirited, inventive and a lovely way to get kids interested in theatre.

And I found that the parents enjoyed it too. I always love it when parents bring kids to see theatre.

(PHIL)

It’s always a tricky proposition taking kids to the theatre. What words of advice do you have for parents when planning a theatre outing.

(LYNN)

Always check to see that the show is age appropriate. Don’t take a kid of 3 to see a show if it’s recommended for kids 5 and older. I don’t want a young kid to be taken and be bored or cranky. That sets a bad precedent for the kid.

Tell the child what to expect: the lights will go down to cue us that the show is about to begin and all noise stops. And don’t be afraid. Tell the child; no talking, no noise; no eating (YES NO EATING!) and reiterate no talking.

How many times have we seen parents give long explanations to kids during the show who don’t get it? That shows the kid is too young and the only thing they learn is that it’s ok to talk in the theatre. Not everything has to be explained. Urge the kid to listen and think, and the parent can explain later.

Don’t ever bring babies to the theatre. NEVER.

I can’t tell you how many times parents have brought babies thinking the kid will sleep. They make noise. They gurgle. Parents then rock them and bounce them to get them quiet. Doesn’t work. Again, it’s unfair to the kid.

I took young cousins to the theatre years ago and primed them and primed them to within an inch of their lives. When we were leaving their mother, my cousin called out, “no farting in the theatre and don’t forget to applaud.”

Brilliant advice to all of us.

(PHIL)

This is the usual time of year when everybody is giving their top 10 or so lists of shows. You have something different.

(LYNN)

Yes, I have a list of productions and people I am grateful for.

First plays:

Iceland by Nicolas Billon- about the domino effect of the financial crisis. Crisp; taut; and wonderfully acted.

Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris who takes the story of Raison in the Son about a black family moving into a white neighbourhood, and turns it on its head showing the story from a white perspective at first and then other sides of it. Imaginative writing and a fine production from Studio 180.

The Whipping Man by Matthew Lopez. Takes place during the Civil War in the states and echoes the Blacks in the States being freed from slavery with the Jews leaving Egypt and their slavery there. Such an elegant parallel. A terrific co-production of Obsidian Theatre and the Al Green Jewish Theatre Company.

KAMP from World Stage. A day in the life of Auschwitz as presented by puppets an inch high. Stunning. The action of these tiny stick puppets is videoed and thus magnified on a screen so we could see how they worked.

Passion Play by Sarah Ruhl as presented by three companies: Outside the March; Sheep No Wool Theatre and Convergence Theatre. A huge undertaking that was truly a theatrical event.

Late Company by Jordan Tannahill. At Summerworks. About two sets of parents meeting to discuss the death of the son of one of them from bullying. Shattering and deserves a remount.

 Stratford and Shaw were particularly strong this year.

And three indie shows that just blew me away:

Savage in Limbo by John Patrick Shanley, the first show by a new company: Bob Kills Theatre.

After Miss Julie produced by Red One Theatre Collective.

And Danny and the Deep Blue Sea again by a new theatre company called Baro Theatre Company. All were gutsy, daring, fearless and provocative.

(PHIL)

And what people get your special mention?

Tony Nappo—He was in three shows this year: Sudden Death playing a coked up hockey player; Murderers Confess at Christmastime playing a kindly, gentle paraplegic in a wheel chair who is in love with a woman who does not return the favour, and finally God of Carnage in which he was a down to earth ordinary guy who could push back when he was insulted. Nappo is always creative; surprising and enlivens a part.

Laura Condlln—She was in 4:48 Psychosis playing a depressive who wants to kill herself; in This playing a woman coming to the end of her first year of grieving for her dead husband; and in all three plays of The Norman Conquests in which she plays a woman who is worn-out by her demanding family and her need for a dirty weekend with an unlikely man. Condlln is always right in the moment; gripping; and compelling in anything she plays.

Brent Carver; Brilliant; He did his own concert this past year. That man can meld songs into a story you never thought of. A voice to break your heart.

Antoni Cimolino living up to his commitment to bringing serious theatre back to Stratford and making the text and the actor his focus. Audiences have come back too.

Jackie Maxwell head of the Shaw Festival, by staying the course and keeping her aim high for quality and productions.

Caitlin Driscoll—who played a scheming manipulator in Foursome and a sad drunk in Savage in Limbo. She’s a chameleon—blending into such different characters until you realize with a start it’s the same actress.

Haley McGee—in Moss Park she was a young woman coming to terms with her immature boyfriend. And she was the playwright for Weather the Weather the outdoor show from Theatre Columbus that I thought was whimsical, thoughtful and smart.

Melissa D’Agostino and Diana Bentley the creators of Bob Kills Theatre, (Savage in Limbo); Claire Armstrong the producing force and star of After Miss Julie. And Brooke Morgan the creator of Baro Theatre and one of the actors in Danny and the Deep Blue Sea. Women who have the guts of a bandit to put on tough theatre and get audiences to flock. Bravo.

(PHIL)

Thanks Lynn. That’s Lynn Slotkin our theatre critic and passionate playgoer. You can read Lynn’s blog at www.slotkinletter.com

Tea at the Palace plays at the Tarragon Extra Space until Sunday, Dec. 29.

www.puppetmongers.com

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Live and in person at Theatre Orangeville, in Orangeville, Ont. Playing until March 24, 2024.

www.theatreorangeville.ca

Written by Krista De Silva

Directed by David Nairn

Set designed by Beckie Morris

Lighting designed by Jeff Johnston Collins

Costumes designed by Alex Amini

Cast: Mark Crawford

Jane Spence

Daniela Vlaskalic

This is a world premiere of a what is billed as a ‘romantic comedy’, but that isn’t the half of it. It’s about hope, love, grieving, making your bed properly and getting out of your pajamas to face the world.

Madeline Holland (Daniela Vlaskalic) is still grieving three years after the death of her novelist husband, Rhys.

Her tough-talking sister-in-law Tammy (Jane Spence) does her best to rouse Madeine out of her lethargy without much success. Then Noah Boyd (Mark Crawford), a ghostwriter hired to complete Rhys’s unfinished novel, arrives from New York and things change.

Rhys wrote a successful series of fantasy novels and one of his fans was Noah, himself a novelist, albeit there has only been one novel. Rhys only left squiggled notes regarding his unfinished novel. Noah’s job is to first be able to read the notes and then put them together to sort out the novel. Madeline is not helpful at first, she’s too emotional in being reminded that Rhys isn’t there. But then things change, as they do, when attractive people are put in close proximity.

Noah is almost reverential when shown to Rhys’ office. Then becomes frustrated when Rhys’ writing seems to be more like hieroglyphs than writing. He is further frustrated when Madeline proves initially to be unhelpful.  

Beckie Morris has designed an efficient and homey kitchen/living-room. There is a couch where Madeline sleeps, or rather in which she falls asleep after a drink or two.  Just off that is Rhys’ properly messy office with a swivel chair, a desk and lots and lots of post-it-notes on a bulletin board, and the requisite number of piles of papers, the order and contents of which only the late Rhys would know about.

Alex Amini’s costumes are comfortable/casual for the three characters who dress for comfort and not to give an impression of anything other than who they are.

Playwright Kristen Da Silva has a lovely light touch with her dialogue and situations. She has a keen sense of comedy. Just the physicality of Madeline still being under the covers, fully dressed on the couch the next morning, is funny in itself. As played by Daniela Vlaskalic, Madeleine is groggy, annoyed at being disturbed by Tammy first thing in the morning, but is ready to defend herself.  

Tammy the sister-in-law is a devotee of motorcycles and rides one with lots of noise as she approaches Madeline’s house. Tammy owns a garage and knows her way around vehicles.  She is matter of fact in her language and outlook and as played by Jane Spence we get the sense of a woman who cares about her sister-in-law but will not let her off the hook in lounging all day. Both Daniela Vlaskalic and Jane Spence toss barbs at each other with ease and finesse so we get the measure of their linguistic abilities and their love and care for each other.

Mark Crawford as Noah brings his own expertise with humour. Initially Madeline believes that she is expecting a person who is renting a cottage on the property. She also knows that a writer is coming from New York. She mistakes this shy man who appears at the door for the renter and not the writer, until she learns that this man is both. The confusion in the identity is handled beautifully by the three accomplished actors. As the relationship between Noah and Madeline changes from frosty to warmer, Da Silva has a poignant bit of business regarding a stuck door and why Madeline is upset when Noah fixes it. This mixes the humour with the still credible mourning.

David Nairn directs the play with his own touches of humour and gentle pacing. The play zips along with these characters maneuvering their way around each other, getting the measure of each other.

By the Light of a Story is sweet, funny and poignant. Just right for the coming of spring/warmer weather/or whatever is thrown our way.

Theatre Orangeville Presents:

Runs until March 24, 2024

Running Time: 90 minutes.

www.theatreorangeville.ca

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As many of you know, I have been giving out Tootsie Pops for many years to people in the theatre as a way of saying ‘thank you for making the theatre so special for me.’ Instead of doing top 10 lists of the best theatre and performances of the year, I do The Tootsie Awards that are personal, eclectic, whimsical and totally subjective.

Here are this year’s selections:

PEOPLE

The Guts of a Bandit Award

Diana Bentley and Ted Dykstra

Co-engineers of Coal Mine Theatre. Their original theatre space was destroyed in a fire just before their season was to begin. They needed a new space and funds to continue with their season, albeit delayed. They didn’t quit. Their supporters/audiences/champions pitched in with their fundraising. Diana Bentley and Ted Dykstra went about finding a new space and producing their season (Yerma, The Effect and Appropriate) with the same standards and quality. The new space is at 2076 Danforth Ave.

Gil Garratt

Artistic director of the Blyth Festival. Not only did he adapt James Reaney’s huge The Donnelly Trilogy, he also directed it for the outdoor Harvest Stage.  He and his stalwart company often did a lot of fast maneuvering when the weather made it impossible to do a segment outdoors, so with quick reconfiguring they moved the performance into the Memorial Hall a few blocks away, and efficiently conveyed that to the expected audience. It all worked a treat.

The Chameleon Award

Ali Kazmi

Ali Kazmi is such a find actor he disappears into a role like a chameleon, as recent work would attest. In New by Pamela Sinha, (Necessary Angel/Canadian Stage) he played a reluctant husband in an arranged marriage, awkward, angst-ridden, frustrated; in Uncle Vanya (Crow’s) he played Dr. Ostrov, charming, exhausted, full of ennui at the world he lives in and smitten by a married woman; in Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (Crow’s) by Rajiv Joseph, he played Uday Hussein, the swaggering, sadistic son of Saddam Hussein. Uday was a cold-blooded killer, without conscience or regret. For a complete change of pace, in Beyond the Moon (Tarragon) by Anosh Irani, Ali Kazmi played an obsequious, frightened immigrant named Ayub working at a restaurant for an unscrupulous employer who kept him a virtual prisoner in the place. In each case, Ali Kazmi illuminates the truth and heart of each individual character.  

The Jon Kaplan Mensch Award

Thom Allison

Thom Allison is a gifted singer-actor whose humanity oozes out of every pore, no matter if he is singing in a concert, or acting on stage or on television.  There is a graciousness and nobility to his work. This summer he applied those gifts to directing the musical Rent on the Festival Stage at the Stratford Festival. Thom Allison illuminated the humanity and compassion of those mainly self-absorbed characters and made the whole enterprise pulse with life and depth.

The Arkady Spivak Gifted Theatre Creator Award

Ravi Jain

Ravi Jain and Miriam Fernandes worked for eight years to adapt the epic Sanskrit poem Mahabharata for the stage. Ravi Jain also directed it, realizing its sweep, beauty, complexity, artfulness, traditions and being true to its South Asian origins. He cast actors of South Asian descent from Canada, Britain, South Asia and Australia for authenticity. It played the Shaw Festival in Canada and then travelled to the Barbican Theatre in London, England. There will be a world tour of the piece and one senses Ravi Jain’s involvement here as well. His international reach and contacts make this huge international endeavor possible.  

The Jaw-droppers—They Can Do Anything–Award

Amaka Umeh

In Sizwe Banzi is Dead by Athol Fugard, (Soulpeper) Amaka Umeh played Styles, the easy-going, loose-limbed photographer who helps Sizwe out of an impossible situation. They played the whip-smart, sophisticated Rosaline in Loves Labour’s Lost at the Stratford Festival. The performance was full of confidence and grace. And in Sweeter, (Cahoots) Amaka Umeh played Jedadiah, a kindly merchant, in an uncredited part. Umeh is pure grace in the part. They were also the assistant director of Sweeter.

Tawiah M’Carthy

As the director of Fairview earlier in the year at Canadian Stage, Director Tawiah M’Carthy kept a light hand on the proceedings but a keen sense of detail, attention and a strong sense of humour. There are many traps in the play that can upend the proceedings but M’Carthy avoids every one of them. Smart work. He brought his directorial eye to topdog/underdog (Canadian Stage) about the love/hate relationship between two Black brothers. The relationships were beautifully created under his careful eye. And he did the same thing for Here Lies Henry at Factory Theatre. Every second directing Damien Atkins as Henry was full of pristine detail and nuance.

His performance as Sizwe in Sizwe Banzi Is Dead shone with the character’s fears and insecurity. You could see the terror glistening in M’Carthy’s eyes. This was a gripping performance in every way.

Tom Rooney.

Last year Tom Rooney played Uncle Vanya, who was hunched, bent, defeated and disappointed by life (the production will be remounted in 2024). Last winter Tom Rooney played a canine, Majnoun, ‘arms’ in front like a dog, in Fifteen Dogs (Crow’s) that was thoughtful, proud, intellectual and smart. And this past summer at the Shaw Festival he played King Magnus in The Apple Cart.  As Tom Rooney played him, King Magnus is beautifully well-mannered, self-deprecating in order to put his guest at ease, a keen listener and very astute. Magnus can parse out an argument but never plays the game of one-upmanship until and unless it is life or death. Rooney’s performances are full of nuance, subtext and truth.  

The One(s) to Watch Award

Sophia Fabiilli

Playwright. In Liars at a Funeral at the Blyth Festival, Sophia Fabiilli has written a devilishly funny, complicated farce. She has a wonderful facility with language and the jokes come naturally from people who are funny and irreverent. To ramp up the laughs, not only do people enter and exit rooms just as someone arrives that they should not see, Fabiilli does it with twins.

Lucy Hill and Justin Otto

Actors.

In Liars at a Funeral, again at the Blyth Festival, Lucy Hill plays both Dee Dee and Mia, twin sisters with different attitudes and personalities. Justin Otto plays both Quint the awkward, insecure assistant at the funeral home who is sweet on Dee Dee, and Justin Otto also plays Cam, a lively jock who loves Mia. I look forward to see more work from Lucy Hill and Justin Otto.

Zaynna Khalife

Actor. Zaynna Khalife played Fatima in The New Canadian Curling Club at Theatre Orangeville. Fatima is a newly arrived immigrant from Syria is beautifully awkward as she tries to fit in. She is also full of angst because of her brother back in Syria. Zaynna Khalife gave a confident, layered performance as Fatima that was notable for an actor so young.

Alicia Plummer

Actor. She played Sweet Pea in Sweeter and played her as pure sunlight, buoyant, always cheerful and optimistic. She can read a situation and react accordingly. And she spreads her love around, especially to The Mango Tree. Alicia Plummer’s work is true, detailed and open-hearted.

Alicia Richardson

Playwright. She wrote Sweeter produced by Cahoots Theatre. It was a wonderful play for both children and adults about a young girl named Sweet Pea who loved a Mango Tree. The language was vibrant, funny and distinctive. Alicia Richardson wrote about the importance of listening to plants as well as people and how love can change everything. Alicia Richardson is a voice that is wise, true, open-hearted and needed.

PRODUCTIONS

The Delicate and Fierce Award

Metamorphoses 2023.

Produced by Theatre Smith-Gilmour.

Michele Smith and Dean Gilmour, the creators of Theatre Smith-Gilmour, have been producing thought provoking movement-based work that challenges the status quo for 43 years and they have done it brilliantly. Metamorphoses 2023 is a perfect example of their imagination, societal concerns and moral compass.

Metamorphoses 2023 is based on Ovid’s huge poem Metamorphoses that he wrote in 8 CE. Metamorphoses 2023 has been adapted to reflect our world in 2023 by Michele Smith and Dean Gilmour.

As the play information notes: “Survival is at the core of Metamorphoses 2023, a bold and contemporary adaptation of Ovid’s epic poem, that realizes the original text’s mythic elements through mime, illusion, spoken word, silence and south Asian dance.” Their presentation is delicate. The attention to detail and the search for the truth is fierce.

It Creeps Up On You and is a Gut-Punch That Leaves You Winded Award

(This is a worthy repeat from last year (in Stratford), because it played at Crow’s Theatre in the Studio this year.

Girls & Boys

Produced by Here For Now Theatre and Crow’s Theatre.

Written by Dennis Kelly, with an astonishing performance by Fiona Mongillo and directed by Lucy Jane Atkinson. Here for Now Theatre, the scrappy little company in Stratford, Ont. has produced bracing, compelling theatre since it began producing. And the same praise can be applied to Crow’s Theatre in Toronto, headed by Artistic Director, Chris Abraham. He picked up Here for Now’s production of Girls & Boys for a Toronto run. It’s about a confident, charming woman telling us the harrowing story of how her marriage and her life unravelled slowly and irrevocably. At the centre of it was Fiona Mongillo giving one of the most composed, harrowing performances you will see in a long time.  Gripping in every single way.

Whatever the Title, It’s Powerful and Challenging Award.

Actor/writer Cliff Cardinal wrote a scathing, powerful challenging play for Crow’s Theatre about land acknowledgements, his anger at what he has to endure as an Indigenous man, dealing with ‘the woke’ and allies, among others.

The play was first titled: William Shakespeare’s As You Like it—A radical retelling by Cliff Cardinal. I disliked it because I sensed he was giving ‘the finger’ to the audience.

He took the play to The Great Canadian Theatre Company in Ottawa with a slightly different title: As You Like It—a radical retelling by Cliff Cardinal. I wondered if he had changed the play along with the title so I went to see it in Ottawa, to see what I might have missed. Cliff Cardinal was still brash, angry and challenging, but the play had been changed from top to bottom, expanded and now skewered everybody. And I changed my mind. It was terrific.

In yet another iteration, Cliff Cardinal brought the play back to Toronto for Mirvish Productions, this time entitled: The Land Acknowledgement—or As You Like It. He removed ‘a trick’ with this iteration, but it was still powerful and still challenging.

Small But Mighty (Companies) Award

The following two small companies have been consistent in producing bracing, challenging plays that reflect our world and introduces us to talent that goes from strength to strength.  

Cahoots

Cahoots is led by Tanisha Taitt, the Artistic Director, Lisa Alves, the Managing Producer and Samantha Vu, the producer.

Tanisha Taitt has an unerring eye and ear for talent and takes the time and patience to nurture and develop it. Lisa Alves and Samantha Vu work their magic to see that the playwright and director’s vision is realized.

This year Cahoots produced a fascinating production of Between a Wok and a Hot Pot by Amanda Lin and directed by Esther Jun. In the play, Amanda Lin delves into the topic of cultural identity, being ‘authentic’ and being true to one’s Asian roots, all while guiding her audience in making a delicious hot pot.

Cahoots also produced Sweeter by Alicia Richardson, ostensibly a play for young audiences, but it is applicable to all audiences. It is a beautifully created story and production for both children and adults. It’s heartfelt, perceptive and wise.  Tanisha Taitt nurtured, encouraged and worked with Alicia Richardson to develop her play. Taitt also directed it with sensitivity. The folks at Cahoots are fearless when it comes to producing needed theatre.    

The Howland Company

The company was formed 10 years ago and is an artist-led and artist-driven Toronto-based theatre company. Howland’s leadership model is made up of the following core-artists (thus proving that a collective can lead a company and produce wonderful work): Ruth Goodwin, Sam Hale, Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster, Cameron Laurie, Jareth Li, Paolo Santalucia, Hallie Seline.

The company produced the following bracing plays this year:

Prodigal written and directed by Paolo Santalucia, is about a wayward young man who has come home to his rich, privileged family, after being cut off from any inheritance. The fallout from his return is explosive. The writing is sharp, complex and challenging about: privilege, redemption, forgiveness and responsibility. The production is gripping.

Heroes of the Fourth Turning by Will Arbery and directed by Philip Akin. Friends gather at a friend’s house to celebrate a former professor who has now become the college president.  Explosive in every way. Listen, consider, ruminate on another point of view: the Christian right in America, and engage.

Hypothetical Baby, written and performed by Rachel Cairns directed by Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster.

A deeply personal and intellectually rigorous exploration of the many issues surrounding the choice to have a baby or not and all the existential, societal and ethical questions surrounding it.  

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Live and in person at the Winter Garden Theatre, Toronto, Ont. Presented by Boldly Productions and the Winter Garden Theatre. Playing until Dec. 31, 2023.

www.ChrisMrs.com

Music, book and lyrics by Matthew Stodolak and Katie Kerr

Directed by Katie Kerr

Musical director, Matthew Stodolak

Choreographer, Sarah Vance

Set and Costumes by Cory Sincennes

Lighting by Mikael Kangas

Sound by Ranil Sonnadara

Cast: Eric Abel

George Absi

Carla Bennett

AJ Bridel

Andrew Broderick

Devon Michael Brown

Lucien Duncan-Reid

Henry Firmston

Shelley Kenney

Heather Kosik

Kale Penny

Jason Sermonia

Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane

Sarah Lynn Strange

Liam Tobin

Danielle Wade

Addison Wagman

Mark Weatherley

A world premiere of a Hallmark Christmas type story on stage full of cheer, exuberance, a thorny story that is in need of a happy ending and this being the festive season, needs are fulfilled. Now if the band didn’t drown out the singers and we could actually hear the lyrics, that would be swell.

The Story. We’re all familiar with those formulaic Hallmark Christmas movie/television shows: harried, lonely, good-looking people, travel home etc. for the holidays, sometimes reluctantly, meet someone, sparks fly and romance blooms.  The world premiere of Chris, Mrs.-A New Holiday Musical is like that, only it’s on stage at the Winter Garden Theatre.

Sometimes it’s best to let the show’s website explain the story, or at least start there:

“Our story begins in the city, where festiveless father Ben Chris leverages his late parents’ lodge in exchange for a promotion. The only problem is, his brother Charlie still runs it. Ben reluctantly decides to head there to convince him to sell, packing up his socialite girlfriend Vicki, and his children – teenage daughter Claire and troublemaking twins Samuel and Samantha. 

After discovering a ring in their father’s suitcase, the twins write to Santa for assistance, which seems to appear in the form of Holly, a seasonal employee at the lodge. Between Charlie’s nostalgic nature and Holly’s Christmas cheer, it soon becomes a holiday no one will forget.”

Some added information: Ben Chris is a widower. His wife got sick and died a few years before. He misses her and has not been back to the lodge because his wife loved the place and it brought back too many painful memories. He threw himself into work as a high-end advertising executive.  Ben’s brother Charlie misses Ben too. They are distant. Vicki seems a driven person in the advertising game as the face of an ad campaign. There is Ben’s assistance, Candace, a buoyant, thoughtful, smart woman who sees what is going on around her.

The Production. Corry Sincennes has designed a festive set of the outline of the lodge with lovely holiday touches. Set pieces roll on and off with ease and efficiency. Corry Sincennes’s costumes are also first rate. They are corporate-spiffy for the dress-for-success types like Ben Chris (Liam Tobin) and his ambitious girlfriend Vicki (Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane). Vicki’s cloths are black, form-fitting and indicate “don’t get too close or I’ll claw you.” For those working at the lodge Corry Sincennes’s costumes are rustic and well worn. Candace (Sarah Lynn Strange) is created as an easy target for comedy. She is loud and boisterous, has no fashion sense and so Corry Sincennes has a field day creating garish clothes for her: colours that clash; a dress that is layered and looks like a Christmas Tree that sways when she walks. Sarah Lynn Strange as Candace plays it up, but Candace is also wily and clever when it counts.

The production begins with a bang, at a raucous Christmas-bonus-celebratory party. “Just Another Jingle” is sung by a whole host of corporate types, lead by a dashing man with a chiseled jaw, who is all swagger. I have no idea who he is or why he is singing this song. I also don’t have a sense of many of the lyrics because the band is playing so loudly it’s drowning out the lyrics. Choreographer Sarah Vance makes her mark at the get-go as well. The dancers jump, pirouette at a dizzying rate and do the splits in that first number. Again, I’m asking why are they doing all that flashy stuff without a supporting reason. And if they are standouts in these attention-pulling gyrations, why are they not consistently attention-grabbing throughout the show? A bit of an imbalance there.

The dashing man is Ben Chris. He’s just created an important ad campaign (I think—those drowned out lyrics might give a clue). He has to convince his brother to sell the lodge (again those lost lyrics may have the key).

In that first scene, Vicki, a really forceful Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane is all over Ben, commandeering him as her ‘love interest.’ He almost never looks at her because their relationship is a public relations ploy. Vicki is playing it for real as a stepping stone.

Holly Carmichael (Danielle Wade) always helps out at the lodge but then flies off to be with some new boyfriend at inopportune times until she is disappointed and comes back. She is now at the lodge when she meets Ben and his three children: teenager Claire Criss (AJ Bridel) and the twin pre-teens: Samantha (Addison Wagman) and Samuel Chris (Lucien Duncan-Reid). I must confess that I thought Claire was looking after the younger kids because AJ Bridel looks more mature than a teenager. (And later when she and Holly (Danielle Wade) meet, they look about the same age). Both are gifted, it’s just that they look to be the same age.

There is also a rather mysterious white bearded man named Nick (Mark Weatherley) who is very sophisticated, very charming and beautifully dressed in a tailored red blazer. He helps move the story forward by dispensing wise advice to confused people.

The cast is a powerhouse of talent. Liam Tobin as Ben has a strong singing voice and is a charmer as Ben when he realizes where his heart is. Danielle Wade as Holly is down to earth, fun-loving with the two pre-teens and is flirty and sensible with Ben. Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane as Vicki is ambitious and won’t let anything get in her way. She sings “These boots are made for walking but these heels are made for climbing.” Brilliant lyrics that say everything about Vicki. Wonderfully played by Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane.

The driving force behind Chris, Mrs. is the dynamic duo of Matthew Stodolak and Katie Kerr. They wrote the music, books and lyrics. The music sounds generic and up-tempo. The lyrics, when I could make them out, are very clever.

Matthew Stodolak is the Musical Director. Perhaps if the band was not playing in the open in one of the side balconies and was in a covered orchestra pit the level of loudness of the band could be regulated better. As it is, the singers are often drowned out, even though they are all microphoned. Katie Kerr also directs the cast and she is efficient with her staging and keeping the pace going.

Comment. Chris, Mrs. -A New Holiday Musical is based on an old formula of the Hallmark Christmas movies. It’s sweet and funny with few surprises, and sometimes that’s not a bad thing. The whole enterprise is committed and engaging. Just right for the holidays.

Boldly Productions and the Winter Garden Theatre Present:

Plays until Dec. 31, 2023.

Running Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes (1 intermission)

www.ChrisMrs.com

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Live and in person in High Park, Toronto, Ont. Produced by Canadian Stage Company. Plays until Sept. 3, 2023.

www.canadianstage.com

Written by William Shakespeare

Directed by Jamie Robinson

Set and costumes by Jackie Chau

Lighting by Logan Raju Cracknell

Sound and composer, Richard Feren

Cast: Shelly Antony

Frank Chung

Steven Hao

Stuart Hefford

Ryan G. Hinds

Vincent Leblanc-Beaudoin

Megan Legesse

Angel Lo

Jadyn Nasato

Julie Tepperman

Aaron Willis

Louisa Zhu

Raucously energetic; colourful sets and costumes, but ‘acting’ all over the place with a definite divide between those who have a facility with the language and those who don’t. Screaming should not be an acting choice.

The Story. Strange things happen when you go into the forest at night. The website description is succinct of this romantic comedy: “The night before Theseus and Hippolyta’s royal wedding four young Athenians (Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius and Helena) flee into the forest in pursuit of true love. They fall into one love triangle then another, and are caught in the crossfire of a custody battle between reigning fairies of the forest. Chaotic hilarity ensues (their words not mine). Will the Athenians end up with their perfect match? Who will win the custody of the changeling child? And what other beloved characters might we meet along the way?”

The Production. This is the 40^th anniversary of “The Dream in High Park”, of Canadian Stage producing Shakespeare (for the most part) in High Park. A Midsummer Night’s Dream has been produced several times. This is the latest iteration. As with all the productions, it’s been cut to a swift 90 minutes.

A character wearing service clothing arrives on stage wheeling in a cart full of cleaning supplies. He takes a bucket into the audience collecting garbage. People willingly give him their refuse, empty bottles, empty food containers etc. He then takes his bucket and returns to the stage to empty the refuse in the cart. He is Steven Hao and later he will shed his service outfit to reveal the wings of Puck, Oberon’s fairie spirit, or keeps getting confused about which Athenian he is to give a magic potion.  

Director Jamie Robinson has a vision of the play that is vibrant in colour and design and designer Jackie Chau realizes that vision in her colourful, multi-leveled set and costumes. Umbrellas carried by the fairies glow in the dark as do some of the costumes. The costumes for the royals are black with shafts of silver. The whole right side of Theseus’ (Shelly Antony) black jacket has an impressive silver design. It’s both commanding and representative of a man who is a ruler. As Theseus Shelly Antony is courtly, laid-back but in control. He never has to raise his voice because everyone is listening to what he has to say. Hippolita (Louisa Zhu), his intended queen, is regal, sophisticated but with a bit of a watchful demeanor. She is after all a ‘prize’ he won in battle. She’s being cool to figure out what this man is like. Both Shelly Antony and Louisa Zhu play the royal fairies, Oberon and Titania respectively.  Oberon is testy, demanding and imperious. Titania matches him with coolness and stubbornness. Both Shelly Antony and Louisa Zhu have a good command of the language and poetry of Shakespeare.

Alas, the same cannot be said of the four lovers: Demetrius (Frank Chung), Lysander (Stuart Hefford), Hermia (Jadyn Nasato) and Helena (Megan Legesse)—they are all energetic and breathless with stage business.  But where to put the emphasis in a line, the sense of poetry, or subtlety and nuance seems to be a mystery to these young actors. When in doubt, they scream everything. And then when they are really stumped, they scream louder. I can appreciate that they are directed to be energetic and highly emotional, but one hoped someone would have helped them with their actual performances and interpretations.

It is heartening to hear the word “revenue” said with the accent in the middle of the word, as it scans properly in the line of poetry. But where is help with the rest of the text for these actors?

The Mechanicals are wonderful! As Peter Quince, the patient leader of the troupe, Ryan G. Hinds is a sweet, caring, patient man who has gathered his friends to prepare a play for the royal couple on their wedding day. Ryan G. Hinds leads the group with humour except when Bottom (Aaron Willis) wants to play all the parts. Then Ryan G. Hinds as Peter Quince gets a bit short tempered. Aaron Willis plays Bottom as an eager to please, fearless participant in which no part is too small and when Bottom is ‘turned’ into an ass, Aaron Willis gives him a new confidence. As Snug, Julie Tepperman is shy but willing to engage in the theatrics. Tepperman also plays Aegesta the aggravated father of Hermia. (It’s wonderful to see Aaron Willis and Julie Tepperman on a stage after such an absence). Rounding out the group are: Vincent Leblanc-Beaudoin as Flute and Angel Lo as Starvling. These actors give the Mechanicals a sense of whimsy, fun, commitment, seriousness and heart. They are a joy.

Language is such a tricky subject in this day and age of sensitive feelings and political correctness. Which brings us to the prickly word ‘chink’ as in ‘chink in the wall.’ In the play of the Mechanicals two characters have to kiss through a ‘chink in the wall.’ In another context ‘chink’ is a racist word and is often changed. I’ve heard examples that were worse or confusing in order not to say it. But in the production in High Park they have solved it by changing the word to ‘hole in the wall’, or ‘cranny’ or ‘crack.’ All very sensible.

Comment. But all is not sensible when it comes to Canadian Stage’s attention, consideration or respect for the actors. That’s troubling. If one goes to the website for A Midsummer Night’s Dream one sees the names and titles of the Playwright, the Director, the Assistant Director, Movement Director, the various creatives, Designers, the Stage Manager, the Assistant Stage Manager, even the name of the Apprentice Stage Manager, and Substitute Assistant Stage Manager. Then at the very end of this list is this:

“With

Louisa Zhu

Jadyn Nasato

Megan Legesse

Steven Hao

Ryan G. Hinds

Shelly Antony

Stuart Hefford

Frank Chung

Aaron Willis

Julie Tepperman

Vincent Leblanc-Beaudoin

Angel Lo

If this is the first one reads of the website, you would be hard pressed to know who these people are? Are they the ushers? Volunteers? Concessions people? Nope. They are the actors, you know, ACTORS, the people who are the life blood and beating heart of a company; the folks who show up, in all sorts of weather if it’s out doors, with mosquitoes, and distractions—they show up and bust their guts to do the show–and they are given such short shift here it’s shameful.

At the High Park site in place of a hard-copy programme there are large boards erected with the photos and names of all the creatives I listed above. And there, after the creatives are the photos of the actors with only the word “cast” underneath their photo. They don’t even rate having their characters listed. Shameful. I hope someone with a ‘Sharpie’ fills in the names of the characters these actors play, out of respect. Only when one delves deeper into the website to the digital programme are the actors actually listed with the characters they play. Canadian Stage, do better by these people. It’s been an on-going complaint; actors’ names are never listed on the posters. In the catalogue for the 23/24 season, the director’s photo and title are listed but actors are listed with their names under their photo and the word “Cast” under that. Shameful. If you hired the actor, you know who they will play! List the actor and their character’s name. Do better by these people!   

Canadian Stage Presents:

Runs until Sept. 3, 2023.

Running time: 90 minutes (no intermission)

www.canadianstage.com

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Live and in person at The Blyth Festival, Blyth, Ont. Plays until Sept. 3, 2023.

www.blythfestival.com

Adapted and directed by Gil Garratt

From the plays by James Reaney

Set and lighting by Beth Kates

Costumes by Jennifer Triemstra-Johnston

Sound by Lyon Smith

Cast: Geoffrey Armour

Masae Day

Paul Dunn

Randy Hughson

Rachel Jones

Cameron Laurie

Steven McCarthy

Hallie Seline

James Dallas Smith

Mark Uhre

NOTE: Adventures in Weather Part III

I was going to the Blyth Festival this time to see the third and final part of The Donnelly Trilogy. I didn’t check the weather. I wanted to be surprised. It was a beautiful drive out there. I followed the driving instructions on WAZE to the letter. I missed traffic jams, accidents, reported on whether or not there was a car still on the side (as requested by WAZE), and smiled when the voice announced, “road-kill ahead.” Clouds rolled in as I got closer to Blyth and away from the Stratford area. The rain was gentle, not fierce. When I rolled into Blyth about 6 pm, it was still raining. I drove to the local Tim Hortons for my traditional supper of their world-famous chili. I then checked my e-mails. The Blyth Festival wrote that they had to move the performance from the outdoor Harvest Stage to the indoor Memorial Hall because of the rain. I drove the short distance to the Hall, rolled down the windows a bit and ate the chili in calm peace. The performance was at 8:00 pm. I toyed with the idea of having a double-scooped cone of ice-cream but the chili was filling. There was no angst on this trip. No cramping happened in my hands because I didn’t need to grip the steering wheel. No clothing or car seat were soiled because of frightening driving conditions. It was a perfect way to be prepared for the horror that would befall the Donnelly family.

The hard ache of the end of the Donnelly trilogy. Wonderfully done. Uncooperative weather has wreaked havoc with the playing schedule of the outdoor Harvest Stage and in true trouper style, the cast and creatives shifted and accommodated the change from outdoors to indoors without a hitch.

The Story and production. James Dallas Smith came out with his guitar and got to the point. He sang a song about how the Donnellys were going to die. He was almost impish about it.  The previous two parts: Sticks and Stones and The St. Nicholas Hotel kept building the animosity the townspeople had for the whole Donnelly family, the violence towards them, and the retaliation they took was relentless so we knew that the end was not going to be pleasant. Handciffs is Part III of the trilogy, when everything comes to a violent end.

Church and state were not separate here. One priest was removed from the area because he was too fair-minded and actually defended the Donnellys. He was replaced by Father Connolly (Paul Dunn) a self-righteous man, smug, arrogant and not above telling people how to vote. The Donnellys refused to vote for a Conservative candidate. They insisted on voting for whomever they wanted. That went against them.

 More than once James Donnelly (Randy Hughson) and his wife Johanna Donnelly (Rachel Jones) were challenged and threatened by neighbours who came to their door. Mr. and Mrs. Donnelly rebutted every challenge. As James Donnelly, Randy Hughson spoke with controlled emotions but one knew he was suppressing rage. Randy Hughson gives James Donnelly such stature, grace and humanness. He is a decent man who was treated abysmally by his thug, narrow-minded neighbours. As Mrs. Donnelly, Rachel Jones did not hide her fury. She showed her contempt and disgust to anyone who showed disrespect to her family. Mark Uhre has played Michael Donnelly in a previous part as well as villains in Handcuffs. I particularly like him as a so-called-religious Conservative candidate who crossed himself whenever he exited a scene. Masae Day plays a demur, quiet Bridget Donnelly, the Donnellys’ niece who has come from Ireland to stay with them. Cameron Laurie plays among others, Pat Farrell a 10-year-old boy who is witness to the murder of the Donnellys. As that young boy, Cameron Laurie brings out all the truth and conviction of the character.

Again, director Gil Garratt beautifully uses the space—be it the Harvest Stage or the Memorial Hall stage—to show the sweep and breadth of the story. He has a lovely sense of what makes a vivid image on stage. And he knows instinctively how to make the audience “imagine” what is happening when it’s only suggested. A man holds a shovel as he approaches a fearful Bridget Donnelly and then we are told what happens as the man whacks the shovel on the ground. Of course we imagine that it’s not the ground he’s hitting. Suggestions of stage business like that make the whole scene gripping. Beth Kates’ stunning lighting design of a fire that consumes the Donnelly home is harrowing and gut twisting.

As Will Donnelly, Steven McCarthy brings all his courtliness to the character and quietly tells the audience of the two years of trials, appeals and the final disgraceful acquittal of all accused—it’s not a spoiler, it’s history and our rage should not be in the telling of what happened but that the murderers were acquitted in yet another miscarriage of justice towards this family.  

Comment. The Donnelly Trilogy is a stunning accomplishment of theatre. Please see them. So worth your time.

The Blyth Festival presents:

Runs until September 3, 2023.

Running time: 2 hours (1 intermission)

www.blythfestival.com

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Live and in person at 4^th Line Theatre, Millbrook, Ont. Playing until Aug. 26, 2023.

www.4thlinetheatre.on.ca

Written by Robert Winslow

Directed by Kim Blackwell

Musical direction and original music compositions, Justin Hiscox

Costumes by Korin Cormier

Set by Kim Blackwell

Choreography by Rachel Bemrose

Cast: Indigo Chesser

Jasper Chesser

Katherine Cullen

Lily Cullen

Peter Dolinski

Colin Doyle

Jason Edmunds

Michael Field

Andria Fisher

Cadence Fisher

Eli Fisher

Thomas Fournier

Franny Galvin-Hynes

Linda Gendron

Sierra Gibb-Khan

Matt Gilbert

Jason Gray

Mark Hiscox

Ken Houston

Josh Lambert

Caoimhe MacQuarrie

Deirbhile MacQuarrie

Riordan MacQuarrie

Siobhan MacQuarrie

Saoirse MacQuarrie

Adrianna Malloy

Venessa McCraken

Ayla McCracken-Reed

Ian McGarrett

Grogan McKellar

Robert Morrison

Zach Newnham

JD “Jack” Nicholsen

Darragh O’Connell

Lindsey Partridge

Kelsey Powell

Zack Radford

Julia Scaringl

Autumn Smith

Sarah Steven

Mikayla Stoodley

Phil Stott

Evan Tsimidis

Robert Winslow

Musicians: Jason Edmunds

Justin Hiscox

Mark Hiscox

Cody Inglis

NOTE: Adventures in weather Part II.

The weather for the opening of The Cavan Blazers at the 4^th Line Theater in Millbrook, Ont. called for thunderstorms, possibly growing to tornado strength at about 7 pm. on the opening (Aug. 3). Thunderstorms, possibly tornado strength, at about 7:00 pm. The show was to start at 6:00 pm.

Ha! A little rain and wind don’t scare me! (Remember my Blyth adventure!)  I got in my car and set off really early cause I wanted a BBQ sausage that they make before the show. Just to be safe, I took my ‘rain-shell’ and decent sized umbrella, with the chocolate motif (that means the whole hood of the umbrella is festoon with all sorts of chocolates).  The weather on the way was beautiful. I got there at 4 pm. I had my sausage and a bottle of water and enjoyed sitting at a table outside the barnyard, enjoying the company of friends and the sausage.

There was rumbling in the distance. Clouds passed over us and seemed to be going over in ‘that direction’. A person in authority (Kim Blackwell, the director of the show and the mighty Managing Artistic Director of 4^th Line Theatre) had a fancy thingy that could tell you the weather to the minute. The expected rain would spit at about 5 pm, not last long and then go ‘over there’ away from the theatre. We’re laughing. On cue at 5:00 pm, some rain drops dropped. We remained and were assured ‘the weather’ was going ‘over there.’

We took our seats and the show started at 6 pm after speeches and thank yous to donors. All was good. Impressive use of the space; cue the trained racing pigeons; lovely mix of professional actors and committed community actors. The story of religious intolerance was intense between the majority Protestants towards the minority Catholics in the Cavan area in the 1850s.

Clouds rolled in that did not look theatre friendly. Thunder could be heard in the distance. No lightening. Ha. The show continued. Children appeared in the distance in the meadow as part of the performance. They are so committed. A man rode in on a horse and sauntered around the barnyard.

The dark clouds above got darker. The thunder, thundered. We paid attention to the play and the vast stage. Then rain fell in more than drops. More like streaks. On cue, the audience that was not under the protective overhang of the barnyard structure, put on their raingear, hoods, a few umbrellas went up. I was just in front of the overhang, so little protection. I put on my shortish, blue, non-rainproof (I learned to my sorrow), thinnish, jacket that was obviously too small to cover my ample upper-frontals. I kept tugging at the sides of the jacket, willing then to be larger. No deal. I took off my baseball cap and put that on my knee to cover some of my pants. I put on the hood of the blue, non-rainproof jacket. The rain plastered the sleeves to my arms. Kind of chilly, that. The actors continued acting as rain pelted them.

The rain rained harder. It was about 7:00 pm (right on time as the forecast said, but not that smart thingy before). There was a 15-minute hold on the show to see if the rain would subside. The audience scattered to the various tents around the site for protection. I went to get my umbrella, with the chocolate motif, from the car. I went back to my seat, put up the umbrella, was nice and sort of dry and waited for the show to resume. We were told to return quickly by the lovely staff at the farm and resumed the show. I positioned my umbrella in such a way that I could open it a bit (one of those spring-snap opening versions) and cover my knees. It was not malleable enough to cover my ample upper-frontals, but no matter.  Most of the audience returned. I saw a lot of empty seats. I figured those who did not return were WIMPS and not hardy souls up for a challenge!

The show progressed. The animosity of one side for the other rose on the ‘stage’. Violence increased. The audience was riveted to the action. Clouds got darker. Thunder rumbled over head and not ‘over there.’ We held tight. It started to sprinkle, then heavier, then poured hard. The actors kept acting, telling the story. The rain was ‘drowning’ out the actors. Another rain delay was called and there was much conferring with those fancy hand-held-weather-thingies, and finally, with regret, they had to cancel the show at about 8:00 pm with about 20 minutes left. We all reluctantly went home. Note: I’m reviewing what I saw anyway because it’s so worthy!

It was not raining hard on the way home until I got to the outskirts of Toronto. Then the rain pelted. People are crazy in traffic. They zoom along and it’s terrifying. I was not able to see the lines in the lane (Déjà vu from the Blyth adventure). Where do truck drivers get the guts? Construction was everywhere, of course. We had to go from multi-lanes into one. Stressful. Hands gripped the steering wheel so hard, I had a difficult time unclenching it. I finally got out of the torrential rain. Alas, I think strong chemicals will be needed to clean the driver’s seat, UGHain.

When the going gets tough, the tough get ice-cream, a double scoop in a waffle cone. Delicious. But it dripped on my pants. Sigh.  

The Story.  All the plays at 4^th Line Theatre Company are original and are based on the history of the surrounding area, in this case Cavan, near Millbrook and Peterborough, Ont. The Cavan Blazersby Robert Winslow, premiered at the Farm in 1992, and has been remounted about 5 times since the initial production.

It’s 1854 in the area around Cavan, the majority of the people there were Protestants from Ireland. They wanted a fresh start and came to Canada. There was a small enclave of Irish Catholics who also came to that area to make a fresh start. But the animosity came with them to Canada.

Patrick Maguire was a justice of the peace in Cavan and also a minister. He longed to have their own Catholic Church in a parish, but they needed supporters and their numbers were small for a parish. Their first “church” gathering was in his own living room, much to the surprise of this wife Ann. She requested some warning from her husband. He was rather sheepish. Patrick Maguire was a calm man who did not want to cause any trouble. He just wanted to live quietly and peacefully. But he also wanted the freedom to worship with his fellow Catholics. To this end he arranged for a Catholic priest to come and lead the congregation. He also made inroads to get enough Catholics to come to the area so that a parish could be established. That would be followed by a bricks and mortar building.

But that was difficult because the larger faction of Protestants, led by Dane Swain wanted to keep the Catholics out at all cost. Their penchant for burning the barns of Catholic farmers earned them the name of The Cavan Blazers. While Dane Swain was the controlling and formidable leader of the Protestants, he didn’t seem to be a thug. He was a man of few words but he made them count. He would threaten, often it led to violence, but he also didn’t want his men to get carried away. So, he was complicated.

The Production. The play takes place outdoors at 4^th Line Theatre Company, in the barn yard, on the Winslow Farm, in Millbrook, Ont. This is the family farm of Robert Winslow, the founder of the 4^th Line Theatre Company, and the author of the play. 

The production is directed by Kim Blackwell. Her production is smart, thoughtful, creative and well done. She uses a company of a few professional actors as well as devoted folks from the community who love being involved with 4^th Line Theatre. Kim Blackwell always uses the whole expanse of the farm. So, at the beginning of the show, on cue, a flock of trained racing pigeons fly up in formation from the meadow over there, and disappear into the distance. It is an impressive beginning.  Children appear in scenes from the meadow. A character on a horse crosses the bridge over there and moseyd into the barnyard. The barn provides a makeshift church for Justice of the Peace, Patrick Maguire (JD “Jack” Nicholsen) so he can run his services for his parishioners. Nicholsen is always a commanding presence in a show. Here, he is that mix of gruff but generous of spirit. He certainly was chastened by his wife Ann (Katherine Cullen) when he plopped the service for 50 in their living room.  

While the acting varies, as one might expect from the professional actors and those that are from the community and are eager to participate, the whole company acts with heart and commitment.

It’s always a treat to see Robert Winslow in one of the 4^th Line Theatre plays. I have seen a production of The Cavan Blazers when Robert Winslow played one of the main characters. Here he plays John Knowlson, a Justice of the Peace and a slightly secondary character. Robert Winslow is always compelling. Knowlson is trying to help the Catholics, even though he isn’t Catholic.  John Knowlson is passionate, committed and wise. He has all sorts of ideas for the betterment of the area. Another dandy performance from Robert Winslow.

Colin Doyle as Dane Swain is a lovely surprise. Colin Doyle usually plays comedic characters, but Dane Swain is a wonderful change of pace. As I said, Dane Swain is a man of few words and because of that he commanded respect. He could get his men to calm down with one bellow.

He operates from contained anger and rage, trying to keep the Catholics out, but he is not as full of fury as some of his men. He is not above violence but tries to intimidate people by staring them down.

Katherine Cullen’s performance as Ann Maguire is also highly commendable. She is matter of fact about how upset she is with her husband, Patrick, but she is kind. However, Katherine Cullen shows Ann Maguire’s full true power when she wrangles with Dane Swain. Here are two enemies but with a twist: Dane Swain is Protestant.  Ann Maguire is Protestant as well, but she is married to Patrick Maguire, who is a Catholic. He loyalties are to her husband who does not want to make trouble, not to Dane Swain who looks for trouble. She wants to know why Swain is bedeviling her ‘people’ who are mostly not challenging or bothering anybody. She uses reason, thoughtfulness and is not afraid to raise her voice to the man.  He has no hesitation in challenging her in return. He is not polite just because she is a woman. He wanted her gone as much as she wanted him to stop harassing her community. The wrangling was true and full of conviction. Lovely acting from these two fine actors. (Does it matter that they are married in real life? Naaaaa).

Zack Radford as Constable Hutchinson offered a varied, nuanced performance of the Constable who was often challenged in his job. Ian McGarrett also gave a tempered, well-paced performance as Justice Huston.

While appreciate that some of the cast is inexperienced in acting in theatre, I would offer that the trick is not to bellow everything so that we ‘hear’ you. The trick is to talk softer, but still project so that you make us listen to you. And while many were playing ‘villains’ it’s not necessary to “play” the villain but to make up believe you are the villain. That does not mean overacting “mean”. It means tone it down. We’re on your side. We’re there ready to listen to what you have to say.

Robert Winslow’s play illuminates religious intolerance in the area of Cavan in the 1850s. Alas times have not improved.

Comment. As you read above, the good people of 4^th Line Theatre had to cancel the show about 20 minutes before the end because the rain was pelting down. I’m sure the actors and audience wouldn’t have minded trying to delay and come back but it was not to be.  They tried as best as they could to try and finish the show properly, but the weather was not co-operating.

Or rather, considering the subject matter—religious intolerance, I thought the constant thunder during the show and the resultant rain, was kind of a dramatic expression from on high. Pathetic fallacy is what it’s called in high school English class-when the weather was in sympathy with what was going on. Two religions, the Catholics and Protestant, were fighting for their cause. We had thunder, rain and dark clouds to go with the gripping drama.

I’m always impressed with 4^th Line Theatre shows. They are professional, efficient and the setting is idyllic. They did everything to protect their audience and their cast and finally called it because of rain. People were contacted the next day to tell us how we can come back and see the show again and how it ends—a rain check if you will. And I hope people take full advantage of that offer to see how it’s all resolved.

4^th Line Theatre presents:

Playing until Aug. 26, 2023.

Running time, weather permitting, 2 hours. 30 minutes. (1 intermission)

www.4thlinetheatre.on.ca

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