The following review was broadcast on Friday, Dec. 25, 2015. CIUT FRIDAY MORNING, 89.5 fm. Parfumerie at the Bluma Appel Theatre, produced by Soulpepper Theatre Company. Until Dec. 27, 2015.
The host was Phil Taylor
(PHIL)
Good Friday Christmas morning. It theatre fix time with Lynn Slotkin, our theatre critic and passionate playgoer. Happy Holidays. What do you have for us today?
(LYNN)
I have both a theatrical present and a sweet confection and they are the same play—Parfumerie. It’s a Soulpepper Theatre Company production, but it’s playing at the Bluma Appel Theatre for the holiday season. The production has played before. And while many of the original cast are returning to their roles a few people are new. That makes them worth another visit. I saw it this week.
(PHIL)
What’s the story?
(LYNN)
Some background first. It was written in 1937 by Hungarian writer, Miklós László. It has been adapted into three films and a Broadway musical. For our purposes Canadians Adam Pettle and Brenda Robins have adapted it for Soulpepper Theatre Company. Adam Pettle is a playwright in his own right and Brenda Robins is a noted actress, who also plays in this production.
It takes place in a perfume shop. George Asztalos and Rosie Balaz are two of the several people who work there and they hate each other. They just rub each other the wrong way.
Both are single and lonely but both have a special someone they’ve never met. They both have been writing to a pen pal. They don’t even know the name of the person to whom they are writing. They begin their letters, “Dear Friend” and send it to a post office box number. Over more than a year of writing to their respective friend they fall in love with the person. They plan to meet….
Whether it’s called Parfumerie or The Shop Around the Corner or You’ve Got Mail (two movies based on the play) you know where the story is going—George and Rosie, who hate each other in the store, are writing to each other and they don’t know it, and falling in love. But it’s not as sickeningly sweet as you would think.
(PHIL)
How so?
(LYNN)
There’s a bit of heartache in there to keep things hopping. Mr. Hammerschmidt, who owns the perfume store, is on edge and the staff think he’s having trouble at home. He’s short tempered with the staff and that leads to some terrible decisions. Emotions are fragile and the various staff-members try to keep calm and carry on. But it is hard.
(PHIL)
With two Canadians doing the adapting, has the original Hungarian flavour been changed to be more Canadian?
(LYNN)
I don’t think so. The names are decidedly Hungarian. There is a formality to the dialogue but at the same time it has an impishness to it. Adam Pettle is an accomplished playwright who knows how to create a joke. Brenda Robins is a wonderful actress who knows how to float and time a joke. Their work together on this script is a meeting of two very creative minds. They riff off each other.
And Ken MacDonald’s set has that old world elegance, all pastel colours and ornate design, and also looks delicious.
(PHIL)
Delicious? How so?
(LYNN)
At times it looks like one large marzipan/chocolate confection. For example, MacDonald has a formation of brown strokes upstage. It looks like two people reaching out to the other—lovers reaching out. Or if you have a warped sense of imagination like mine, it could look like ornate swirls of chocolate. Dana Osborne’s costumes are beautiful and of the period.
It’s directed by Morris Panych, with his usual flair and dizzying imagination when it comes to humour. Panych is also a terrific playwright and he knows the value of dark humour. So while there is a lot of physical humour it’s mixed with the subtlety that accompanies fragile emotions. There are so many characters in Parfumerie who look longingly on others who don’t notice them. Panych mines this rich emotional vein with bitter-sweet, funny results.
He also knows to play up moments by having two wandering musicians—Anna Atkinson on violin and Gordon Hecht on accordion—introduce scenes with their music and sometimes send up a scene with their playing. Lovely touch.
(PHIL)
How about the acting?
(LYNN)
Gregory Prest plays George with a heightened anxiety and an effort to keep his cool. This is such a courtly actor; he brings out the grace of George.
Michelle Monteith plays Rosie with spunk and wit. She won’t take any insults from George and he gives as good as she does. Joseph Ziegler plays the troubled Mr. Hammerschmidt. He’s stooped, world-weary and frets. As Arpad, a harried office boy, Jeff Lillico brings an attentive sweetness to the role. Arpad looks on Mr. Hammerschmidt as a father figure and wants to do right by him. The play is full of characters who care about each other and treat each other for the most part, like family.
Parfumerie is a charming production, well done, and perfect for the holidays. So slap on some Jo Malone cologne and see Parfumerie.
(PHIL)
Thanks Lynn. That’s Lynn Slotkin, our theatre critic and passionate playgoer. You can read Lynn’s Blog at www.slotkinletter.com twitter @slotkinletter.
Parfumerie plays at the Bluma Appel Theatre until Sunday, Dec. 27.
www.soulpepper.ca