Time got away from me (alas a regular occurrence) and I’m posting these late.
Grand Theatre, London, Ont.
Closed Nov. 2, 2024
As You Like It
By William Shakespeare
Directed and adapted by Daryl Cloran
Choreographer, Jonathan Hawley Purvis
Set by Pam Johnson
Costumes by Carmen Alatorre
Lighting by Hina Nishioka
Sound by Owen Hutchinson
Cast: Henry Beasley
Tyler Check
Nadien Chu
Jennifer Copping
Daniela Fernandez
Jeff Irving
Alexandra Lainfiesta
Anton Lipovetsky
Matthew MacDonald-Bain
Jenny McKillop
June Mirochnick
Naomi Ngebulana
Troy O’Donnell
Jan Alexandra Smith
Isaiah Terrell-Dobbs
Leon Willey
Jacob Woike
Director/adaptor Daryl Cloran has created a lively, joyful, tune-filled production of Shakespeare’s comedy of love and familial friction. It’s an inspired move to include songs of the Beatles to add to the mood, attitude and story. The songs are listed in order of performance but the surprise and humour are how a song augments a scene or expands a character. The cast sings the songs and they are a talented group.
There is a carnival atmosphere at the beginning of the production with Touchstone (Leon Willey) acting as a lively master of ceremonies, rousing the audience, joking with them and getting them primed for the comedy of the show.
A large boxing/wrestling ring dominates stage. Charles the wrestler (Jacob Woike) is taking on all challengers. Orlando (a boyish, lanky Jeff Irving) is the least likely opponent. He seems slightly built next to the beefed-up Charles. The “choreography” of the wrestling is terrific. It’s realistic, athletic and often breathtaking in its intricacy.
The play is mainly the developing love between Orlando (Jeff Irving) and Rosalind (Daniela Fernandez). Both handle the language beautifully. As Rosalind, Daniela Fernandez is confident, feisty and presents a woman in control, who has had to fend for herself. Jeff Irving plays Orlando as a young man who is in love with Rosalind but conflicted about how to go about wooing her should have the chance.
Jan Alexandra Smith is the most lively Jacques I’ve ever seen, although she handles the language with ease. Nadien Chu as both Dame Frances and Dame Senior (a change of gender for this production) differentiates both parts with creativity and verve. Wonderful work here.
I loved the carnival atmosphere of the whole production. Adding the music of the Beatles is an inspired move. The Beatles also adds to the buoyancy of the production.
I also have to say, that if you stumble on pronouncing “Haudenosaunee” and other Indigenous names and make a joke of it in the Land Acknowledgement, as Leon Willey did as Touchstone, then apologize or don’t do the Land Acknowledgement. Not nice.
The production closed Nov. 2, 2024.
Interior Design
At Tarragon Theatre, Extraspace, Toronto, Ont.
Extended to Nov. 17, 2024.
Written by Rosa Laborde
Directed by Kat Sandler
Set and costumes designed by Shannon Lea Doyle
Lighting by Imogen Wilson
Sound by Maddie Bautista
Cast: Sara Farb
Rong Fu
Anita Majumdar
Meghan Swaby
Who can explain why people are friends? Who can explain why conservative Justice Antonin Scalia and liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg were fast friends since they were worlds apart in their politics and attitudes? And while the four women in Interior Design, Rosa Laborde’s latest play at the Tarragon Theatre, have been friends for more than 30 years, you have to wonder why, since their personalities are so different, if not challenging.
Sophie (Sara Farb) is a life coach who is recently divorced and lives in a new condo with her kids. Olivia (Rong Fu) is a documentary film maker who seems cranky all he time. Cecilia (Anita Majumdar) is a woman with ever changing jobs/hobbies/projects. Presently she sells beauty products and her friends are perfect customers and perhaps a bit miffed at being used. Maya (Meghan Swaby) is a marketer/publicist.
There is a gathering of the four of them in Sophie’s condo. Olivia is the first to get there. We learn the reason is an intervention and Olivia thinks it’s for Cecilia. Finally, the group will tell Cecilia to back off with her foisting her products on them. In fact the intervention is for Olivia because she’s negative, depressing and they feel something is not right. The friends meet to work this out.
Rosa Laborde is a fine playwright. Her dialogue is bright, smart and sings. Her writing shows a strong sense of character and in these four women we have four distinct people. Sophie is world-weary, perhaps from establishing her new home with her kids after her divorce. Maya loves the camaraderie of the group and is eager to please. Olivia is a challenge with her negativity and despair. And Cecilia is so pre-occupied with every new hobby, project she seems blinkered. They are all tech savvy, and wired to every kind of group chat.
Interior Design is wonderfully directed by Kat Sandler, herself a gifted playwright who knows the ins and outs of a laugh line and a dart to the heart. The cast is terrific and knows how to throw a ‘look’ or reaction that adds buoyancy to any joke. And while it’s certainly heartening that the friends are from different ethnicities, it’s not made into something notable in the dialogue. It’s just a natural thing that these four women met as young girls in school and stayed together. The interesting thing about these women is that Rosa Laborde has written them with their annoying traits writ large. So I wonder why they are friends at all? Perhaps more explanation is needed round them out and explain what bumps they all endured along the way in order to make the play stronger.
Tarragon Theatre presents:
Extended to Nov. 17, 2024.
Running time: 90 minutes (no intermission)
Acis and Galatea
Opera Atelier Presents:
The Elgin Theatre, Toronto, Ont.
Played Oct. 24-27, 2024.
I saw the last performance. The place was packed.
By G.F. Handel
Conducted by Christopher Bagan
Directed by Marshall Pynkoski
Choreographed by Jeannette LaJeunnesse Zingg
Set and costumes by Gerard Gauci
Lighting by Kimberly Purtell
Cast: Meghan Lindsay
Blaise Rantoanina
Antonin Rondepierre
Douglas Williams
Plus Artists of Atelier Ballet, Tafelmusic and The Nathaniel Dett Chorale
The shepherd Acis (Antonin Rondepierre) is in love with the goddess Galatea (Meghan Lindsay). It’s an unlikely union but in mythology and art anything is possible. As with all Opera Atelier productions, the look of it is sumptuous and exquisite. From the lush set design of Gerard Gauci to his elegant costumes, there is a richness and sophistication to the whole endeavor. The piece is beautifully choreographed by Jeannette LaJeunnesse Zingg with poses and dance being true to the Baroque era. Ms Zingg consulted paintings and references to those times to be as true to the form as possible. Marshall Pynkoski has directed this with his usual attention to detail. One moment in particular captured the rapture and intoxication of love between Acis and Galatea. They had just kissed passionately and longingly. They separated from the embrace and Acis (Antonin Rondepierre) leaned against the wall, his head flipped back on it, and then he slowly slid down the wall to sit on the ground, exhausted. Galatea (Meghan Lindsay) was as overcome as she sat and slumped on a ledge. Wonderful!
As usual I will not comment on the music, singing or dance because that is not my vocabulary. Seeing these productions is always an education in exquisite art and the focus, integrity and devotion needed to produce it.
Opera Atelier presented:
THE LATE MR. FEYDEAU!
A very short run that closed Oct. 27, 2024.
Théâtre français de Toronto Presented, at the Berkeley Street Theatre, Upstairs, Toronto, Ont.
Closed Nov. 3, 2024.
Written and directed by Sébastien Bertrand
Set and lighting by Glenn Davidson
Costumes by Michelle Tracey
Soundscape and composition by Keith Thomas
Cast: Mathieu Bourassa
Stephanie Broschart
Mickael Girouard
Patricia Marceau
Francois Macdonald
Adam Paolozza
Sébastien Bertrand has written a lively, fresh take on the farcical world of a Georges Feydeau vaudeville. It’s set in a sanitorium where Georges Feydeau is suffering from delirium. He also thinks he is dying so he is contemplating that. He is surrounded by people either posing as someone else or are who they say they are, and that’s astonishing too. There is a martini-drinking woman who may or may not be Mme. Currie; a very efficient man who may be a doctor or not; a harried man who is a doctor, and his fretting partner; there is a petulant ex-wife. Emotions run high. Humour does to. The nature of comedy and the world is given a quizzical look. The cast was fine. The set by Glenn Davidson of Feydeau’s room, elegant, beautiful, and calming in 1921, is just exquisite.
Bravo to Théâtre français de Toronto for the special glasses in which you can read the English translation on the lenses, rather than having to trust the surtitles to be properly readable. Wonderful experience.
Production closed Nov. 3.