Lynn

Live and in person at the Capitol Theatre, Port Hope, Ont. Runs until Sept. 3, 2023.

www.capitoltheatre.com

Book and lyrics by Howard Ashman

Music by Alan Menken

Directed by Rob Kempson

Music director, Jeff Newberry

Choreographer, Genny Sermonia

Sound by Deanna H. Choi

Set by Brandon Kleiman

Costumes by Joshua Quinlan

Lighting by Michelle Ramsay

Cast: Joel Cumber

Michael De Rose

Amir Haidar

Sierra Holder

Taylor Lovelace

Tyler Murree

Chris Tsujiuchi

Tahirih Vejdani

Michelle Yu

Terrific in every way.

The Story. This is about a controlling plant and its insatiable appetite for an unusual kind of food. This is not necessarily a show for people with a green thumb, because chances are the plant would have bitten off the green thumb and then some. It’s also about a lovely woman named Audrey, who works in the shop, and Seymour who also works in the shop and secretly loves Audrey. The shop is struggling until the notoriety of the odd plant comes to the attention of the media and prosperity abounds, except there is trouble. That plant is really controlling.

The Production. Howard Ashman and Alan Menken are celebrated in the musical theatre universe. The book and lyrics are by Howard Ashman. The music is by Alan Menken. And while it’s a musical, it’s based on the film by Roger Corman.

Brandon Kleiman has created a beautifully grungy set for skid row, which is where Mr. Mushnik has his flower shop. There are garbage cans and litter outside the shop. A chorus of three: Ronnette (Sierra Holder), Chiffon (Taylor Lovelace) and Crystal (Michelle Yu) comment/sing on the goings on and act as the conscience of the piece. They are wonderful.

The outside of the shop is colourful and even inviting. Two walls come together in a kind of triangle shape, enclosing the flower shop. Then the walls separate revealing the door in which customers enter. It’s colourful inside with a few plants and flowers initially to illuminate the hard times that Mr. Mushnik and his shop are going through. The shop seems to be a haven for misfits. Mr. Mushnik is doing terrible business and feels he might have to close.

His shop assistant, Audrey, is a lovely woman but her dentist boyfriend Orin, likes to inflict pain, usually on Audrey. She often comes to work with a black eye, a broken arm etc. and it’s bully Orin who has done it. All Audrey’s friends tell her that Orin is no good and she should leave him, but Audrey finds excuses for him.

Also in the shop is Seymour, a mild-mannered, shy, awkward man, secretly in love with Audrey. Seymour loves plants and experimenting with them, creating new versions of plants. He has created an unusual plant he has named Audrey II after Audrey, of course. Sometimes Audrey II thrives and sometimes it wilts, in spite of being watered. One day Seymour is puttering with roses and accidentally pricks his finger, draws blood and Audrey II perks up.  

Seymour is perceptive.

He squeezes a few drops of his blood over Audrey II which really perks it up.  Seymour is horrified about how to feed the plant. Audrey II grows. And another oddity of the plant is that it can talk—“FEED ME!” is the usual comment.

The media become interested and suddenly the flower show is thriving, certainly since this novelty plant keeps growing. Audrey, the real one, suddenly notices Seymour.

Considering Audrey II’s penchant for blood and guts, can one assume that Audrey II might take an abusive bully off the streets once and for all? I’ll never tell, but the prospects are horrifying and hilarious.

After a rocky start the production is fine. There are various sizes of the Audrey II puppets and they are mighty impressive. It looks like it has a mouth with teeth, and it talks in a deep, demanding voice (bravo to Chris Tsujiuchi for the expressive, commanding voice).  The cast is microphoned as is the unseen band and you can hear every single word.

Audrey, the lovely woman, is played by Tahirih Vejdani. In her compelling, composed performance Tahirih Vejdani illuminates Audrey’s trusting, subservient behaviour with Orin. She is more confident with Seymour, once she realizes he likes her.  And Vejdani can sing beautifully—it’s a clear, strong voice that adds another dimension to Audrey.

Amir Haidar plays Seymour. Amir Haidar makes Seymour so eager to please. He pines for Audrey and finally shows his true, loving colours.  He too sings beautifully and has the energy and verve of a person who comes into his own when love enters into it.

Michael de Rose plays Orin with total joy and glee, whether he is abusing Audrey or not.  In its way characters are just trying to get through the day and find happiness.

It was directed with invention, a fast pace and great humour by Rob Kempson.

About that rocky start to the production. Usually the audience is let into the theatre a half-hour before the production is supposed to start. For this opening night, we were still waiting in the lobby for that whole half-hour. One heard rumblings of ‘technical difficulties.’ Frustrating. One could while away the time drinking (bad if one is reviewing, or really even before a show when one must be alert) or eating popcorn. They sell popcorn at the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope. I was hoovering down the popcorn, patience waning with every hoovered kernel.  It’s so frustrating waiting in a packed lobby and not be told anything.

Once we were given the ok to go into the theatre, we were seated quickly and then Rob Kempson, who is also the artistic director, did his regular greeting from the stage, with the land acknowledgement. Fortunately he is also one of these thoughtful arts leaders who believes he must be transparent with the audience. So he told us about the ‘difficulties.’

At 7:40 pm for an 8:00 pm show, Rob was at dinner at one of the restaurants in Port Hope. Erin Pierce, the charming, efficient managing director, had to find him because there was trouble.  Apparently, a recent storm knocked out the electrics for the keyboard—I understand a keyboard is vital in a musical. The show could not start without it.

So being a calm man, Rob Kempson looked around the restaurant/table and asked those assembled if anyone had a keyboard lying around. One of the people at the table did. It was in her trunk so she just drove to the theatre, set it up and the show went on. Port Hope is a lovely town that is home to a lot of musicians, actors, and artists…you can usually get help of every kind there.

Comment.  Little Shop of Horrors is a problematic musical—a woman is regularly beaten up by her abusive boyfriend. A destructive plant wants to take over the world. Should theatres really consider doing such a thorny show where there might have been a time when such terrible behaviour was accepted? Rob Kempson and his team pondered the same question(s) and the answer is obvious. Of course you do these thorny shows with ethical questions. You don’t ‘cancel’ them because they deal with uncomfortable subjects. You learn from that world and know the difference between acceptable behaviour and not. Rough justice was doled out here. Such behaviour of Orin and Audrey II is not tolerated and other characters in the show agreed. Bad behaviour should be addressed and stopped or realized.

Rob Kempson in his program note said that some behaviour in the show between characters might have been looked at with an unfavourable eye, but one learns from that by facing it. If one hides it, then one is doomed to repeat history because we didn’t learn from it.

Little Shop of Horrors is funny, dark, has beautiful and moving songs and a problematic story. It’s got just the right mix of stuff to keep an audience laughing at the edge of their seat. It’s at the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope. They do wonderful theatre there.

Capitol Theatre Presents:

Runs until Sept. 3, 2023.

Running time: 2 hours (1 intermission)

www.capitoltheatre.com

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Live and in person at the Mandeville Theatre, Ridley College, 2 Ridley Road, St. Catharines, Ont. Plays until Aug. 20, 2023. Part of the Foster Festival.

www.fosterfestival.com

Written by Norm Foster

Directed by Lisa Horner

Set by Beckie Morris

Costumes by Alexa Fraser

Lighting by Stacy Graham

Cast: Donna Belleville

Julia Dyan

Catherine McGregor

Zoe O’Connor

Kelly J. Seo

A different kind of play from Norm Foster, but still funny, irreverent, wise, perceptive and full of kindness. A House of Joy ‘servicing’ cowboys in a bygone time.

The Story. Jenny is the efficient, confident, knowledgeable proprietor of Jenny’s House of Joy, a house that gives pleasure to cowboys just off the range, looking for some female companionship and other things.

The ladies who work there are: Frances, jaded, alcoholic, has all but given up; Anita is a bubbly, idealistic young woman who is reading scholarly books because one of her customers suggested it. Anita has dreams of becoming a lady and drinking tea with other ladies. A new woman arrives, Natalie. She is escaping an abusive husband and needs money. Natalie feels the whore house is the place for quick money. Jenny gives Natalie a chance to see if she can fit in.  

The Production. Beckie Morris’s set looks like it is set about 100 years ago in a small town in cowboy country. The furnishings are comfortable. It’s the sitting room where the ladies wait for their customers. A bell announces the customers as they come in the door off to the right.

Frances (Julia Dyan) is always dressed in a white full slip it seems, and she always has a drink in her hand. Her lipstick is smudged. She is careless about her appearance. Julia Dylan plays Frances with sass and a perfect sense of sarcasm. Anita (Kelly J. Seo) is always reading, usually Dostoyevsky from the titles she mentions. Kelly J. Seo plays Anita with a sweetness and a wide-eyed naivety. She is trusting and all she wants is a true friend. Jenny (Catherine McGregor) is beautifully turned out in well-tailored dresses of the time. She is efficient, practical and keeps a close eye on her ladies and their clientele.

The dynamic changes when Natalie (Zoe O’Connor) arrives. Initially she is desperate. Her husband was abusive and she was duped out of her last $45 and needs a job quickly. She takes to ‘the life’ very well, perhaps too well.

One customer is a man who realizes he has a few months to live. He’s long married but comes to Jenny’s whore-house for solace. When the man’s wife, Clara (Donna Belleville) finds out, she comes to ask Jenny for kindness and turn her husband away should he come back. Clara devoted her life to her husband and is hurt that he did not seek comfort from her. Donna Belleville as Clara gives a heartfelt performance of a wounded wife.

Director Lisa Horner has a delicate touch in realizing this smart, funny and wise production. The timing is beautiful. The relationships are wonderfully realized.

Norm Foster is a master of comedy and the funny situation. Jenny’s House of Joy is funny but in a different way. Here he is writing about women in different times of their lives. Clara is the dutiful wife who has devoted her life to her husband. Jenny has no use for that kind of devotion and subjugation. Jenny believes in standing up for herself and making a life as best as one can with the resources she has. Frances has all but given up. She feels there is no where else but the whore house for her. She drinks to forget and doesn’t care the rest of the time. Anita believes that if she reads enough and does not drop her ‘g’s’ at the end of words, she will be taken for a lady. Anita is wonderfully hopeful and disappointed when it doesn’t work out. And Natalie finds her grit when she escapes her abusive husband.

Imagine it, a man has delved deep into the lives and psyches of these women and written a play pulsing with their heart, resolve, and tenacity. His dialogue is right for that time and his speaches especially for Clara are elegant in an old-fashioned way.  But that’s Norm Foster for you—talented, perceptive, creative.

Comment. I just saw Jenny’s House of Joy, hence this late review. It’s worth your time and a trip to Ridley College to see it before it closes soon.

The Foster Festival presents:

Plays until Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023.

Running time: 2 hours (1 intermission)

www.fosterfestival.com

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I rarely do this….ask people to contribute to a “Go Fund Me” fund, but this young man needs help. He’s a musical wonder for 4th Line Theatre Company.

He had an infection on his leg that spread to his foot. They had to amputate his toes on his right foot. He’s not out of the woods. Please read and contribute. Thanks.

Autumn Smith

ndSrsoeotpuf8at1g6111hs99a01icJf4n5mw 96to0296ca2i0ht4h3c952  · 

Friends…

This has been a hard time for our family-both personally and professionally.

The phenomenal Justin Hiscox-who is the most remarkable collaborator, friend and brother-in-law has had a medical set back and needs assistance.

We are trying to raise funds so he can take the time needed to recuperate.

Anything you can do is appreciated.

Justin is one in a million.

He is light. He is joy. He is music.

Sarah HiscoxRaechel FisherRyan HancockEarl SacreyElias TrivettJillian RobinsonNicole Cutting-McLeanMackenzie KellyMarsala LukianchukSaskia TomkinsTom LangValerie NieMary Keenan-BurkeMackenzie HornerKristiaan HansenKevin LemieuxTim LucierTim MoodyBeau DixonSam QuinnLauren RodriguesSkye LauraRachel ThompsonAlana NuedlingFrank Sheldon BergArlene PaculanBarbara Gibbons Hartwick

Active

Kim Blackwell

ndSrsoeotp2f8a01g6111h199a01ic7f4c5m1h96t80296ca2i0ht4h3c952  · 

Friends – My dear friend and longtime collaborator Justin Hiscox has had a major medical situation occur. If you can help us raise monies to support him in his recovery – that would be amazing. And if you can share this, I would be so grateful. https://gofund.me/3a53664a Autumn Smith Sarah Hiscox

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Live and in person at the Memorial Hall, Blyth, Ontario. Playing until August 18, 2023.

www.blythfestival.com

Written by Matt Murray

Directed by Miles Potter

Set and lighting by Steve Lucas

Costumes by Laura Delchiaro

Sound by Sean Downing

Cast: Mark Crawford

Murray Furrow

Amy Keating

Sam Malkin

Severn Thompson

Chronicles of Sarnia starts off seeming to be a sweet but slight comedy, but the last quarter of the play packs a punch. The cast is wonderful.

The Story. Erin is a retired history teacher with a mission. To celebrate the City of Sarnia’s centenary she has convinced the governing body of the city to create a time capsule marking the first 100 years, for future generations. She organizes a town-wide meeting for community input with a replica of the capsule for a surprise reveal. Only her husband, a department store employee, a young woman with a sketchy past and the janitor show up. Erin won’t reschedule. She conducts the meeting anyway. Secrets and truths are revealed.  

The Production. There’s a snow storm outside. In Steve Lucas’ terrific utilitarian set of a room in the basement of the building, there are dumps of snow on the window sills outside. Inside are several chairs for the expected people, a coffee machine and a plate of Erin’s homemade Nanaimo bars.

Erin (Severn Thompson) is nervous, a bit snippy to Rick (Murray Furrow), her estranged husband and naturally anxious that everything go well. Owen (Sam Malkin), the harried and efficient building custodian tells Rick and Erin not to connect any other appliance if the coffee is on or a fuse will blow and there will be no lights.  

Marcus (Mark Crawford) is the first to arrive—lanky, shy, fretting there is only 10% juice on his new cell phone. He works at Winners. He used to be a therapist for gay couples with issues, but since his relationship broke up he feels he can’t really advise couples. Clair (Amy Keating) is the next (last) to arrive. She is perky, irreverent, her language is salty and she tells it like it is. She needs to show her probation officer that she was at the meeting for community involvement by having Erin sign her paper. Erin takes an instant dislike to Clair.

Erin begins the meeting, using cue cards until she just wings it. She brings out the time capsule. Clair starts to laugh—it looks like a sex toy. (use your imagination out there). Erin likes Clair even less.

Suggestions are made about what to put in the capsule. She writes each on a large pad on an easel.  Clair offers a lot of good suggestions. They are noted but when it comes time to winnow the list down, Erin just strikes off everything Clair said.

Every person here has issues of loneliness, self-worth, confusion, frustration and hidden secrets. They are all slowly revealed in Matt Murray’s funny and sometimes prickly play. The characters are allowed to vent and confess past issues. Chronicles of Sarnia initially seems like a play of disparate people coming together and revealing their issues and then they go their separate ways without too much conflict.

But then there is a reveal about Clair that ramps things up. (I won’t reveal what it is so as not to give away a spoiler). But Matt Murray knows his way around an argument and how people lob and volley blame and responsibility. Clair knows she has made a mess of things, but feels that someone else’s decision ruined her whole life. But that argument was countered too. In the last quarter of the play it turned from being funny and perhaps slight, to more substantial. Characters were supported and challenged to take charge of their lives and not wallow in their self-pity. It was not a neat ending. It was a needed ending.

Director Miles Potter has a fine sense of the humour in Matt Murray’s play and realizes it beautifully. Relationships are established clearly. The cast is dandy. As Erin, Severn Thompson brings out her awkwardness and officiousness. Erin is critical of much of what Rick does until we find there is a relationship there that is not as solid as one expects. Severn Thompson has a way of smiling that reveals Erin’s insecurity and sense of loss. She is so keen on history at a time when people could care less. That must be galling and when only two people show up, she won’t show her disappointment or embarrassment by postponing.

Rick seems distracted in Murray Furrow’s funny, performance of him. He would rather be listening to the hockey game. Murray Furrow, makes Rick quiet and barely attentive. Mark Crawford plays Marcus as a man with all sorts of issues, not the least of which is his almost dead cell phone. He needs to call his mother and can’t. As with all the characters, he finds his footing and the confidence to do what he was meant to do. Sam Malkin as Owen drops hints about his backstory. Owen’s determination to do his job hides a profound sorrow that is quite touching. Amy Keating is fearless as Clair. It’s true Clair is the flashiest character, but Keating does not over play it. She is watchful, reacts to everything around her in the most contained, subtle way. Clair’s language is scatological, her body language is ‘in-yer-face’ and she takes no prisoners. But she too takes stock of her situation by the end.

Matt Murray is from Sarnia. Chronicles of Sarnia is supposed to be a celebration of what that means. We can all see ourselves in the play, regardless of where we are from.

Comment.  The Chronicles of Sarnia is another reason to visit the Blyth Festival. They do fine work there.

The Blyth Festival Presents:

Plays until Aug. 18, 2023

Running Time: 1 hour 45 minutes. (1 intermission).

www.blythfestival.com

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Live and in person at the Winter Garden Theatre, Toronto, Ont. Produced by Terra Bruce Productions.  Plays until Aug. 20, 2023

www.elginwintergarden.ca

Original concept and story by Walter Schroeder

Book by Victoria Wells-Smith

Directed by Keith Pike

Arranged by Aaron Eyre

Additional Arrangements and musical direction by Paul Moody

Choreography by Victoria Wells-Smith

Set by Joshua Quinlan

Costumes by Graham McMonagle

Lighting by Frank Donato

Sound by Brian Kenny

Cast: Alexander Batycki

Celeste Brillon

Dylan Corscadden

Eric Dahlinger

Luciano Decicco

Kenzie Drover

Timothy Harder

Jaden Kim

Océane Kitura Bohémier-Tootoo

Sarah Parlatore

Ali Powell

Rebecca Sellars

Michele Shuster

Levi Stepp

Jacques St-Pierre

Mikayla Stradiotto

 Diego Terán

Dreadful

The Story. Here’s their handy synopsis: “It’s 1963 and Marco Del Monte is going back to his former high school–Northumberland high—to lead the school’s vocal department.

It wasn’t his first choice. But after several not-so-great-auditions he decided he would have to take a teaching job. His sister Debra is still a student at the old-fashioned and conservative prep school. Once there, Marco meets Sophia—a quirky, free-spirited dance teacher and together with their fantastic students, they create something the school has never seen before.”

And it’s a jukebox musical using songs of the early 1960s to forward the story or express the emotions of the characters.  

The Production. It’s 1963 in New York City. A spotlight is on a record player that sits on a stand. A woman enters with a determined walk, puts a record on the record player and then puts the needle on the record. The music that plays is upbeat, rock music. The woman begins to sway and move to the music. She gets more into the music and is going full tilt until the end when she takes the needle off the record. At this point we don’t know who she is or the context of her playing the music, except she likes it a lot.

Then others come out of the wings and put a graduation cap and gown on the woman revealing she is Principal Sherman (Michele Shuster), head of the Northumberland High School. She is officious, commanding and overly enthusiastic to all she meets. For some reason director Keith Pike directs her to speak in a voice so swooping in modulation you can hardly understand a word she is saying. Her main job seems to be commanding her minion John (Dylan Corscadden) to follow her with a large bowl/bucket to catch the drips in the leaky roof of the school. The school is old and crumbling. Principal Sherman tries to keep a handle on following the conservative rules of the school.

Then a young man enters, in a suit and tie and sings “It Never Rains in Southern California.” Again, we don’t know who he is or why he’s singing the song. He turns out to be Marco (Luciano Decicco), a former graduate of the school. He tried to have a career in opera but he couldn’t get any jobs after several auditions. Why he was in California at all is never explained. It’s not as if it’s a bastion of musical opportunities, and singing the song doesn’t explain anything except he was lonely. So Marco came home and decided his life should have stability, so he is now the head of the vocal department of the school. His sister Debra (Ali Powell) is a dancer in the school.

Marco is introduced to Sophia, the confident dance teacher. Together they have to plan the school production. In keeping with tradition Marco plans to do a production based on the classical music of the 1800s. Sophia suggests they go wild and plan an evening of 60s music, as in the 1960s but have to keep it quiet from Principal Sherman.

There are all sorts of other stories of unrequited love, requited love between a poor young man and his rich girlfriend, a break-up of a friendship because of jealousy, and generally excitable students who so over perform every reaction you wonder if they are on anything. And we learn that the future of the school might be in jeopardy. A huge donor wants to withdraw her funding—I don’t know who the actor is who plays her (not listed in the program and unrecognizable in the cast photos).

Again, Keith Pike directs her to be so exaggerated in her delivery of the lines, comprehension is a challenge. Indeed everybody seems directed to over-act; over-emote; over-react and do everything to show they are not capable of being a cohesive ensemble because they are all grabbing at our attention. Why the character of Norm (Levi Stepp—directed to be so over the top he is grating) is even in that so called professional school, is a mystery.

Let’s Dance The Musical is a mess. The book by Victoria Wells-Smith has more holes in it than the roof of Northumberland High. Characters sing songs of emotion, whistfullness, and heartache before their characters are fleshed out to us or given context. Note Marco sings “It Never Rains in Southern California” before we know who he is or why he’s singing the song.   In other cases, characters are little more than sketches. Someone named Peter (Alexander Batycki) sings (beautifully), “Down in the Boondocks” about his love for a rich girl while he’s a poor kid, without any context at all it seems. Who is he? Who is his girlfriend? Why is he singing the song? Just to tick a box of class distinction?  CONTEXT PLEASE!

We are told that Debra (Ali Powell) is the best dancer in the school and Andrea (Rebecca Sellars) is the best singer, yet they don’t have any number that would show them to the best of their abilities. Marco has a scene where he is auditioning for an opera job. Luciano Decicco as Marco is downstage singing his heart out and up stage behind him is Debra doing barre work showing her technique. Really? Whose scene is it? Where are we supposed to focus? Any clues director Keith Pike?

Later Andrea is given a chance to show her powerful voice only it’s in a duet with her once estranged friend Brenda (Kenzie Drover) who is accompanying her on the guitar. Both women are so over amplified, that what should be beautiful singing now sounds like shrieking. Now that can’t be right.

When the students are ready to do their show for the sold-out audience it was confusing what was a rehearsal and what was the show, because neither Marco or Sophia introduced them or explained, this is not going to be what you expected. It’s common sense to think about the details.

Let’s go back to that very first scene. It’s obvious that Principal Sherman loves rock music, music from the 60s because she was secretly dancing to it in the first scene. Yet writer Victoria Wells-Smith doesn’t then reference that at the end to have her naturally embrace the decision to do a show of 60s music. We only see her dancing at the finale with the other students with no reference. Another good opportunity for context, ignored.    

One scratched one’s head wondering why anyone thought this was a good idea. And then I thought that with all the deliberate over acting, mugging, bad direction and bad writing, maybe it was actually a sendup of a second-rate arts school with misfit students doing a second-rate production. Even that doesn’t work here.

Juke box musicals, with their surprise mix of established songs in the narrative, are often clever and funny. Let’s Dance The Musical is neither.

Comment. Why?

Terra Bruce Productions

Plays until Aug. 20, 2023

Running Time: 2 hours (1 intermission)

www.elginwintergarden.ca

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Live and in person at the Stratford Perth Museum, Stratford, Ont. until Aug. 26, 2023. Produced by Here for Now Theatre.

www.herefornowtheatre.com

Written by Steve Ross

Directed by Jan Alexandra Smith

Costume and sets by Darren Burkett

Cast: Sean Dolan

Robert King

Linda Prystawska

Compelling play and production.

The Story. From the programme: “Family is everything. A good marriage. Happy children. A rock-solid foundation. But nothing is ever simple or straightforward. What happens when things start to unravel? When tragedy strikes is it just too much? How does one woman move forward when everything she loves is taken from her?

Production. Preamble on why I love HERE FOR NOW THEATRE:

It’s small but mighty.  In a way it’s the other Stratford festival. The company was started by Fiona Mongillo, the artistic director. It mainly focuses on women’s stories and experiences. They are written mostly by women, directed by them and the casts and creatives are mainly Stratford locals…all professional. The plays are short, about an hour to an hour and a half. This year they are performed under a tent with one side looking out onto an idyllic meadow.  And the plays pack a punch or are wildly funny or may be an opera for kids. The offerings are varied in theme but all are uniformly real quality.

Now to Life Without. Here’s my first contradiction.  While Here for Now Theatre’s plays might be written mainly by women, Life Withoutwas written by Steve Ross, a man. He is mainly known as an actor, but he’s also a playwright.

A few years ago he wrote goldfish for Here For Now Theatre, about an irascible, lonely old man and the woman who moved in across the street who befriends him. Steve Ross delves into the lonely heart and finds stories.

There are three comfortable chairs on the stage facing the audience.  A man arrives from outside the tent and sits in the far seat stage left. He smiles and seems pleasant. Then a woman arrives and sits in the end seat from the man, stage right. Her name is Liz (Linda Prystawska). She seems nervous, or ill at ease. She doesn’t acknowledge the man. She begins to talk about her life. She talks about her husband Jack. He was a decent man. A good husband and an attentive father to their daughter Clare. When they had Clare they were devoted to her. But something changed when Clare was 14. Secretive, distant and aimless. The parents found her unconscious in the house. She was drunk and passed out. And she tells them, “She’s pregnant.”

So Liz goes on with the story. She’s angry with disappointment at her daughter. She can’t understand how this could happen, and she, Liz, was not aware of any problems etc. We find out that Clare had been drinking since she was 12-years-old

She’s agitated; never looks at anyone, us, the other guy in the chair—she’s just hard-nosed-angry. The other guy remains silent throughout this opening monologue. He does react as if he’s listening, but it is a mystery who he etc. Of course, we find out.  

When Liz finishes her long monologue we hear from him and it’s all directed to the audience—not Liz. He’s Jack (Robert King), the husband. He is more easy-going than Liz, not as edgy. He talks about meeting Liz and how they hit it off. They dated; got married and enjoyed their own company until a few years later Liz got pregnant with Clare.

I found it interesting that Jack said he did not go to any of the pre-natal classes with Liz, but was right there with her at the birth in the hospital. He was an attentive, loving father. He could not take his eyes off his daughter. Naturally he had a soft spot for her, but was terribly disappointed with her when she was found passed out and learned she was pregnant. Clare was going to have the baby. She never talked of the baby’s father—not in the picture. Clare never bonded with the baby, a boy they named Josh so his upbringing was left to Liz and Jack.  Again, the grandparents doted on the kid until matters spiraled again out of control when Josh (Sean Dolan) was a teenager.

Director Jan Alexandra Smith has directed a solid production. I loved the guessing game of the production. The story is harrowing to both Liz and Jack who sit in their chairs and direct the dialogue to us. One wonders if they are in the same room at the same time? Who is Liz addressing when she is telling the story, a therapist, some probation officer? Who? Is Jack in the room with her as well? Does she see him? He does look directly at her but she doesn’t acknowledge him. To give away more would be to give away too much.

I don’t find the guessing game confusing—I think it’s part of the allure of the piece and Jan Alexandra Smith’s subtle direction. And I found the acting just terrific.  Linda Prystawska plays Liz as an angry, unforgiving woman so disappointed by so much in her life. As long as her daughter was young and cute Liz was fine. When Clare strayed, Liz was wounded and hurt. Forgiveness is not part of her human arsenal.

Robert King plays Jack her husband, as a more accommodating person, loving, forgiving, confused of course, but gentler. And then there is Sean Dolan as Josh, the grandson as a teenager—this is a character trying to find his way. He’s had a terrible time in life, but he might get through it.  Terrific acting.

Steve Ross knows how to fashion a story of family trauma and drama. He weaves an intricate, complex story of people with issues, who love each other, but disappointment creeps in. Liz looks so rigid in her dealings with various people. One wonders if she can soften and forgive. Jack is more adaptable and caring it seems, but his perspective is different. And we see a young man in Josh who is struggling too, to make it through. Josh has wisdom that will inform his life.

I found the dialogue between Liz and Josh was heartfelt and smart. Each has their point of view and can defend it without being vindictive and hurtful.

It’s about a family going through a hard time. We can all identify with that; we can see similarities in our lives and how we handled it and if we handled it better than the people on stage or not. That’s the beauty of theatre….it holds a mirror up to society, and that’s us.

Comment. I liked Life Withouta lot and I think it’s worth a trip to Stratford to Here for Now Theatre.

Here for Now Theatre presents:

Running until Aug. 26, 2023.

Running Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)

www.herefornowtheatre.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 Theatre Centre, (Franco Boni Theatre) a 1s1 Production , co-produced by Why Not Theatre, Toronto, Ont. Plays until Aug. 12, 2023.

www.theatrecentre.org

Adapted, created and directed by Ramesh Meyyappan

Lighting by Andre du Toit

Set by Jung-Hye Kim

Costumes by Carlyn Rahusaar Routledge

Sound/composer, Jenna Geen

Cast: Dawn Jani Birley

Joshua Bosworth

Sturla Alvsvåg

Ramesh Meyyappan has created, adapted and directed a fascinating and beautiful piece of theatre, based on Macbeth but from Lady Macbeth’s point of view as first a buoyant expectant mother, and then as a grieving one.

From the production material: “Lady M (Margaret) is a new, Deaf-led adaptation of Macbeth that explores Shakespeare’s famous power couple with an intersectional experience for both Deaf and hearing audiences.”

The production is set in the First World War. Macbeth (Sturla Alvsvåg) and Duncan (Joshua Bosworth) are both fighting for the cause. They are both fearless and tenacious. Macbeth gets a letter from his wife Margaret (Dawn Jani Birley) saying she is pregnant. She encloses a small blue knitted baby cap for him to hold dear during battle.

When Macbeth returns home for leave, he is accompanied by Duncan to help celebrate. They all drink to their health. Things might not be what they seem. While Macbeth is asleep because of the drink, Duncan questions Margaret if the baby is in fact his. We are now drawn into a delicate, dangerous dance between the three characters.

As the information states, this is a new Deaf-led adaptation of Macbeth produced by 1s1 a company created by Deaf-Artist, Dawn Jani Birley, creating “Deaf-led projects by culturally and linguistically Deaf professional artists”

The melding of the languages—both American Sign Language (ASL) and spoken—is seamless. When Macbeth returns and embraces Margaret, he signs in ASL to her, but also vocalizes what he is tenderly saying to her. Both the Deaf members of the audience, and the hearing members are included equally in the story and conversation.  

As Lady M (Margaret) Dawn Jani Birley is such a vivid presence. Emotions bubble inside her. She is as eloquent with her hands signing as she is expressive dramatically with her whole body. There are so many ‘sides’ to her character: loving wife, perhaps sensual lover; deceptive participant, all compelling.  Sturla Alvsvåg is a boyish Macbeth; energetic in battle and tender in his embrace of Margaret. When he learns he has been deceived, he is brutal.  And as Duncan, Joshua Bosworth also has secrets and hides them well, until he gets the upper hand and plays it.

Director Ramesh Meyyappan has created some of the most arresting images in the theatre that I have seen in a long time. His staging of Margaret’s quick change from grieving mother to a younger time is almost balletic it’s so graceful and magical. His work is economical and startling. The lighting by Andre du Toit creates such a compelling, provocative atmosphere, as does the sound of Jenna Geen. It’s almost like a foreboding sound. Everything about this stunning production is exquisite and gripping.

Bravo to 1s1 and Why Not Theatre for bringing such a challenging, beautiful production to Toronto.

1s1 Production and Why not Theatre present:

Runs until Aug. 12, 2023.

Running time: 60 minutes.

www.theatrecentre.org

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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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