Live and in person at Waring House, 395 Sandy Hook Road, Picton, Ont. Prince Edward County. Produced by Théâtre Roulant. Playing until Aug. 16, 2024
Written by Maureen Jennings
Directed by John Burns
Sound and Lighting by Alfie Latanski and Brian Legere
Original music by Percy Adler
Cast: David Baker
Pat Larkin
Bill McMahon
Musician: Howard Lopez: Piano/keyboard
It’s quite an adventure going into the hinterlands to see theatre of all sorts and discovering new companies. A recent discovery was Théâtre Roulant, Canada’s only horse drawn theatre caravan. Two horses pull the caravan around Prince Edward County and set down at a town or resort in the area to perform plays for the community. The plays are performed in and around the caravan which is a repurposed Mennonite built square bale hay wagon from the 1960’s. It has been outfitted with a portable stage, lighting, sound gear, theatre black curtains and safety equipment on the inside offering approximately 160 square ft of space and a similar dimension of outer stage. Eight-foot barn door openings on either side of the caravan reveal the space.
The co-artistic directors/producers of Théâtre Roulant are John Burns who directs and Conrad Beaubien who often writes the original plays for production. Dying Like This is different in this regard because it was written by Maureen Jennings—she of murder-mystery novel fame. One series of her books has been adapted into the tv series, ‘Murdock Mysteries.’ When John Burns and Conrad Beaubien met Maureen Jennings she mentioned she had a play in a drawer where it had been for years. John Burns’ interest was piqued and a year later the play, Dying Like This is being performed on the grounds of the Waring House for the local community. The audience sits at round tables around the space where they can order a drink, a meal, or snacks while watching the play. Bug spray is generously available.
The Story. Widower Harry Mckenna, is lonely and adrift. His wife died a year before and he misses her terribly. Things change when the ghost of his old friend, Sam Ribick, appears. Sam died without resolving his conflicted relationship with his son Pete and he needs Harry’s help. Then Pete himself arrives and Harry is compelled to do just that because Pete is so troubled about his son.
The Production. Actors Pat Larkin and Bill McMahon slowly, reverentially open the large side doors of the caravan to reveal the insides and some of the playing area and to begin the production. Bill McMahon plays Harry Mckenna. Harry misses his wife who passed away a year before. He’s got a loving but prickly relationship with his married daughter. Into this situation comes the ghost of Sam Ribick, played with laid back reserve by Pat Larkin. His appearance startles Harry. They banter, reminisce and confess secrets. Deep in this conversation, almost as an afterthought, is Sam’s urgent request to Harry to help Sam’s son Pete because Sam thinks Pete needs it. Just as quickly Pete (David Baker) appears. He managed to drop in to Toronto, from Vancouver, without much explanation.
Of course, Harry sees and hears the ever-present ghost of Sam and Pete does not. Sam comments on things; Harry answers him and Pete is confused about why Harry would say what he did to him (Pete). In this case it’s mildly amusing because we have seen it so often before in conversations in film or theatre, when a ghost or something imagined is involved like a six foot tall imaginary rabbit named Harvey.
Pete is in rough shape. He has a bad cough that is troubling. He is bitter at the world, women, immigrants, people of colour, and especially his father. Sam never had a good word to say about Pete. Sam still rages about Pete now in his ghostliness. The actors are well intentioned and earnest.
The play needs work. I can appreciate that it’s written by Maureen Jennings, but I get the sense it was written years ago, before Maureen Jennings was “Maureen Jennings.” A careful re-write or two is in order. There’s too much banter between Sam and Harry that goes on too long before we find out that Sam is frantic that Harry help Pete. For most of Sam’s concern about his son, almost everything he says to Harry is negative. When Pete appears it’s as if his appearance brings every annoyance to the fore for Sam. Where then is the care and concern for his son? That must be dealt with and the confusion removed. Why is Pete there at all? He lives in Vancouver and yet he made the journey to Harry in Toronto I believe. Why? Was the reason buried in chit chat and I missed it? It should be given its ‘moment and made clearer.
I can appreciate that director John Burns is committed and well intentioned, but the show needs rigorous attention. The show is two hours with an intermission. It should be 90 minutes without an intermission. The pace must be speeded up and the pregnant pauses removed. There seems an awful lot of movement in this three hander, especially with Sam (the ghost). He is always on the move, walking slowly here and then there. Why? It’s distracting. And while it’s wonderful that Percy Adler has created original music and Howard Lopez plays the piano/keyboard live for the whole show, again, I had to ask why? Why is almost the whole show underscored with music? We don’t need it. It’s not as if it’s a silent movie and stirring organ music fills in the emotion. This is live theatre and the text and the acting should do the job. I found the music annoying if not distracting. In a perfect world I would cut it all out.
I applaud the commitment of John Burns and Conrad Beaubien to bring theatre to the community. I just wished that Dying Like This was a better endeavor.
Théâtre Roulant presents:
Runs until Aug. 16, 2024.
Running time: 2 hours (1 intermission)