A Story of Love, not War

Could You Wait?
Book & Original Lyrics by W. J. Matheson
Original Music by W.J. Matheson, Louise Pitre and Diane Leah
Performed by Louise Pitre and W.J. Matheson
Directed by Miles Potter
Grand Theatre, London
October 23 to November 11, 2007

Live! On Stage!
Review by Mary Alderson

Could You Wait?, a new musical to start the season at London’s Grand Theatre, has been billed as a war story. With Legion members greeting patrons at the Grand’s entrance on opening night, the impression was given that this was a World War II play. But Could You Wait? is a story of love, not war, set in the early 1940’s. Yes, there is a war going on, but it’s almost forgotten as the plot is wrapped up in the romance of Matt and Mary.
When the action begins on stage, we meet Matt and Mary, an elderly couple out on a seniors’ bus trip today. They are revisiting the Royal York hotel, which apparently holds significant memories for them. Mary is thrilled, but Matt says they should have taken the trip to Casino Rama.
Then the clock jumps back in time. Mary and Matt meet at a dance in Halifax. He’s in the Navy and is just heading off to war. He’s a Saskatchewan farm boy, or “plough jockey” and she’s a French Canadian Catholic. The romance develops shyly through the mail, and both express concerns about what their mother would think. Mary moves to Toronto, and Matt, on leave, has to find his way to meet him there, planning to pop the question and ask her to wait for her. The proposal is made in the luxurious Imperial Room at the Royal York.
Mary is played by Broadway star Louise Pitre (the mother in “Mamma Mia” in both the Toronto and New York productions) while Matt his played by her real-life husband Joe (W.J.) Matheson. You may remember them in the Grand’s outstanding production of For the Pleasure of Seeing You Again last February. Matheson wrote this show for Pitre, and the two obviously enjoy working together. They collaborated on some of the songs, together with musical director Diane Leah.
It’s a heart-warming story, and the music is wonderful. Their original works are mixed in with some old favourite war songs, such as “I’ll be Seeing You in All the Old Familiar Places” and “The White Cliffs of Dover”. Both Pitre and Matheson have beautiful voices – whether they’re rendering spellbinding solos, or singing together in harmony, their vocal performances are flawless.
The couple also dance together. There are some romantic waltzes, but a favourite is the lively jive to the great swing song “Steppin’ Out”. Credit goes to another husband and wife team who handled the choreography: Janet Kelley and Glen Kerr.
The story contains a few anachronisms, but Matheson can be forgiven for taking some poetic licence. The elderly Matt comes on stage carrying a Simpsons shopping bag, but says he’d rather be at Casino Rama – I don’t think Simpsons and Casino Rama ever existed together in the same time frame. Lyrics in one song mention Diefenbaker, but I doubt that Dief was making much news during the 1940s. And the song “Steppin’ Out” was not popular until after the Second World War.
But no one said that it was going to be a history lesson – instead it offers us much to learn about romance, love and life.
Could You Wait? continues at the Grand Theatre in London until Remembrance Day, November 11. Tickets are available at the Grand box office at 519-672-8800 or 1-800-265-1593.

Mary Alderson offers her view of area theatre in this column on a regular basis. As well as being a fan of live theatre, she is a former journalist who is currently employed with the Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations.

Exciting to see local work on stage

Reverend Jonah
By Paul Ciufo
Performed by Darren Keay, Michelle Fisk, et al.
Directed by Marie Beath Badian
Blyth Festival Production
August 8 – September 1, 2007

Live! On Stage!
Review by Mary Alderson

Grand Bend Playwright Paul Ciufo hopes people will consider both sides of the conflict, with his new play that premiered last week at the Blyth Festival. Ciufo, a resident of Grand Bend works as a financial planner in Exeter, and writes and re-writes plays in his spare time. Reverend Jonah is the story of the new young minister who comes to a small town in Huron County to become the pastor at the United Church. Very soon, his youthful ideals are put to the test.
Jonah meets up with Phyllis who was kicked out of the church previously because she is in a lesbian relationship. It’s clear to Jonah that she should be back in the church that she once loved. But how to get there is not clear, and Jonah agonizes over the decisions he must make – to the detriment of his health. To Stacey, a quietly controlling church leader, homosexuality is sinful, and Phyllis does not belong in their midst. Stacey believes the young Jonah is misguided and assumes it’s up to her to maintain the status quo. Ciufo has cleverly woven together a very complicated story to create a worthwhile evening of reflection, grabbing and holding the audience’s attention.
Darren Keay is excellent as Jonah – he goes from youthful optimism to being torn apart, with his principals in conflict with the reality he’s facing. Michelle Fisk is also excellent as Phyllis – she shows us the exterior toughness that Phyllis has been forced to develop, but also reveals the gentle interior in a realistic manner. Randi Helmers is good as Stacey, quiet and demanding at the same time.
Adding depth to the plot are characters Barb (Rebecca Auerbach) as Phyllis’ partner, and Rachel (Ingrid Haas) who is Stacey’s daughter and develops a relationship with Jonah. Hands-on, hardworking church members Di (Elizabeth Thorpe-Hearn) and Fred (Jefferson Mappin) complete the cast. Mappin’s excellent portrayal of Fred also supplies some comic relief as the very intense story unfolds.
Credit goes to director Marie Beath Badian for bringing Ciufo’s characters to life. She has created them realistically – you’d recognize them as your fellow church members or your neighbours.
At the preview performance, some lines were flubbed, but we assume that will be corrected by opening night. The set – made up of sliding stained glass windows representing the church, that also become office walls, a store front or patio doors – moved too slowly and unsteadily at times. We hope that, too, is smoothed out as the show continues.
But overall, it’s a very moving story, addressing a difficult, divisive issue. It will leave theatregoers with much to consider and perhaps even offer a path to tolerance and inclusiveness.
It’s exciting to see a production written by a local playwright brought to life on stage. Credit goes to Blyth Festival for bringing great Canadian talent to the forefront.

Reverend Jonah continues in repertory at the Blyth Festival Theatre, Blyth until September. For tickets, call the box office at 1-877-862-5984 or check www.blythfestival.com.

Mary Alderson offers her view of area theatre in this column on a regular basis. As well as being a fan of live theatre, she is a former journalist who is currently the Community Economic Development Officer with the Sarnia-Lambton Business Development Corporation.

Musical Pioneers Rock the Stage

Legends: A Salute to Musical Pioneers
Conceived, written and directed by Alex Mustakas
Musical Director Bob Foster
Choreographer Gino Berti
Drayton Entertainment Production
Huron Country Playhouse, Grand Bend
August 8 – September 1, 2007

Live! On Stage!
Review by Mary Alderson

The balcony had better be reinforced at Huron Country Playhouse. With the show Legends: A Salute to Musical Pioneers currently on stage there, the audience is dancing and singing along. And that balcony is bouncing in time with the music.
Remember Twist & Shout: The British Invasion of two years ago? Well, this is the sequel. TV host Roy Solomon (The Ed Sullivan-like character) is retiring after having 1,000 shows on the air. So the audience is treated to clips of all the greats (but we get to see live re-creations) who have graced his stage, plus some have returned to honour Roy.
Huron Country Playhouse is set up to resemble a TV studio, with cameramen at both sides of the theatre. On big screens at both sides of the stage we see commercials or clips from the 50’s and 60’s, interspersed with close-ups of what we’re watching on stage.
Well over 100 songs and medleys are presented: memorable favourites such as Jerry Lee Lewis’ Whole Lotta Shakin’ to Roy Orbison’s Pretty Woman, along with medleys of the Beatles and Monkees, and even a Motown set. A cast of 12 very talented singer/dancers bring hit after hit. Joining the 12 are Keith Savage as announcer Sheldon Lubliner, and Houston MacPherson, a celebrity impressionist, who brings us the likes of Jack Nicholson or George Burns, as well as all the old crooners.
Everyone will have a favourite that evokes a memory. The showstopper is Danny Williams singing Bridge Over Troubled Waters with musical director Bob Foster. You may remember Williams from Twist & Shout when he brought the house down with Procol Harum’s Whiter Shade of Pale. He also recreates the Hollies sound with He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother, an emotion-filled favourite where Williams’ amazing voice is probably better than the original version. Another favourite is Ange Pagano portraying Janis Joplin with Me and Bobby McGee. The list of hits goes on.
Keith Savage, always popular with the Huron Country Playhouse audience, provides the comedy. In fact, the audience laughs as soon as they see Savage’s buck-toothed smile. As well as being the amusing announcer, Savage has several other roles – a magician (and some tricks are revealed), Tiny Tim tiptoeing through the tulips, and the lead Crypt-Kicker bringing us The Monster Mash.
Legends is an excellent production of good music and good fun. If you’re thinking about going, order your tickets immediately; it will sell out soon.

Legends continues with eight shows a week until September 1 at Huron Country Playhouse, Grand Bend. Tickets are available at the Huron Country Playhouse box office at (519) 238-6000 or Drayton Entertainment at 1-888-449-4463.

Mary Alderson offers her view of area theatre in this column on a regular basis. As well as being a fan of live theatre, she is a former journalist who is currently the Community Economic Development Officer with the Sarnia-Lambton Business Development Corporation.

Message about Vietnam war more meaningful than ever

Miss Saigon
By Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schonberg, Richard Maltby Jr.
Performed by Elena Juatco, Stephen Patterson and company
Directed by David Connolly
Drayton Entertainment Production
Huron Country Playhouse, Grand Bend
July 19 – August 4, 2007

Live! On Stage
Review by Mary Alderson

Miss Saigon’s timeless message about the inhumanity of war is being presented thoughtfully and spectacularly by Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend. Based on Puccini’s opera Madame Butterfly written in the early 1900’s, Miss Saigon, as the 1970’s update, is even more meaningful today with the United States currently at war in Iraq.
Like Madame Butterfly, the entire story is told in song, with a cast of amazing voices bringing the epic story to life. There are also some similarities to Les Miserables, which is written by the same creative team – it’s a doomed love story, set against a backdrop of war. This is the best dramatic musical to grace Huron Country Playhouse’s stage since Man of La Mancha in 2004.
Chris is a young American GI who falls in love with Kim, a Vietnamese prostitute. They marry in an Eastern ceremony, and then he is forced to leave as Saigon falls. When he can’t find Kim, he assumes that she is dead. Back home, he marries an American, Ellen. Then he learns that he has fathered a child with Kim. Ellen and Chris travel to Bangkok to meet Kim and little Tam, in heart-wrenching circumstances. Obviously, there are no easy answers in this situation created by the horrors of war.
Stephen Patterson is excellent as Chris. He conveys all the emotion of the role with his clear voice. Patterson appeared briefly in The World Goes Round, a musical revue in Playhouse II two years ago. He was a highlight in that show, but left early to move on to a Broadway touring show. Similarly, Stephanie Roth is excellent as Ellen, the American wife. Although her part is not big, her energy and raw emotion in Now That I’ve Seen Her is unforgettable. She was also memorable in The World Goes Round when she brought the house down with her rendition of Maybe This Time from Cabaret.
Lee Siegel plays John, Chris’ friend who informs him that he has a son in Asia. Siegel sings about the forgotten children of Vietnamese mothers and American soldier-fathers, known as ‘bui doi’ or dust of life. His powerful voice, together with the film showing the orphans left no one in the audience with dry eyes. Siegel’s voice will be familiar as Old Deuteronomy, the beautiful tenor in Cats earlier this season.
Elena Juatco plays the challenging role of Kim, the innocent and naïve girl forced into prostitution. Juatco does justice to the many emotional songs and the large, demanding part.
Franc-Anton Harcourt provides the comic relief as the Engineer, a euphemism for pimp. Harcourt has had extensive experience with this part, and plays it well, switching from being a smarmy wheeler-dealer to pandering to the Viet Cong.
Special mention goes to little Jonah Gonzalez-Martinez who plays Kim’s son Tam. He remains stoic and completely in the role in all his scenes.
The American dream number is a delight – all the symbols of the USA are on stage – Uncle Sam and the Statue of Liberty, right through to Elvis and Marilyn Monroe.
Credit goes to Director/Choreographer David Connolly and music director Charles Cozens for putting this amazing epic together. Jean Claude Olivier’s set and Jeff Johnston Collins’ lighting are flawless. It’s also good to see local talent – Michelle Vanderheyden, formerly of Forest, is costume designer. From the rich Asian silks to the sequinned strippers, and the American Dream extravaganza, Vanderheyden’s work is incredible.
This production of Miss Saigon is an emotionally draining show that leaves the audience exhausted, yet moved and enriched. How fortunate we are to have top quality entertainment in our neighbourhood.
It was a fitting tribute to Ed Mirvish that Miss Saigon opened at HCP the week that Mr. Mirvish passed away. The flamboyant owner of Honest Ed’s store on Bloor Street in Toronto was instrumental in bringing theatre to Toronto and Ontario, making King Street Canada’s theatre district. After refurbishing the Royal Alexandra Theatre Mr. Mirvish built the Princess of Wales Theatre, just to bring Miss Saigon to Canada. The Princess of Wales stage was big enough to land a helicopter and Miss Saigon was a hit! Ed Mirvish would have been pleased with this production of Miss Saigon, even without the helicopter. He will be missed.

Miss Saigon continues with eight shows a week until August 4 at Huron Country Playhouse, Grand Bend. Tickets are available at the Huron Country Playhouse box office at (519) 238-6000 or Drayton Entertainment at 1-888-449-4463.

Mary Alderson offers her view of area theatre in this column on a regular basis. As well as being a fan of live theatre, she is a former journalist who is currently the Community Economic Development Officer with the Sarnia-Lambton Business Development Corporation.

Bring your Mom on a Girls’ Night Out

Mom’s The Word
By Linda A. Carson, Jill Daum, Alison Kelly, Robin Nichol, Barbara Pollard & Deborah Williams.
Performed by Alex Dallas, Louise Gauthier, Sharon Heldt, Ginette Mohr & Birgitte Solem.
Directed by Robin Nichol
Drayton Entertainment Production
Playhouse II, Grand Bend
July 10 to August 18, 2007

Live! On Stage
Review by Mary Alderson

When six Vancouver women got together with their toddlers and babies in 1993 to write a show about motherhood, they didn’t pull any punches. The women, formerly glamorous professional actors, had become, by their own admission, exhausted, pathetic amateur mothers. So they put together a string of real-life vignettes about the trials of being a mother. And somehow it evolved into a five-character play, based on their anecdotes. (No explanation is given as to why the author named Barbara didn’t become a character in the play.)
Mom’s the Word has been staged across Canada and around the world, and has now spawned Mom’s the Word 2: Unhinged – an update on the group as they deal with teenagers. The original version is now being staged at Playhouse II at Huron Country Playhouse near Grand Bend. The cast of five women, all newcomers to Drayton Entertainment, are being directed by one of the authors, Robin Nichol. So we assume that they are presenting the vignettes in a fashion true to their characters’ namesakes (the original authors’) intentions.
Alex Dallas as Deborah is delightful with her slightly British accent and delivery of humour. And yes, she’s the one who has to chase her toddler when he runs from the poolside change room. Louise Gauthier plays Linda, who writes notes to her “dear partner” and stresses about keeping communication open with her husband. Sharon Heldt has the challenge of playing the character Robin, while the real Robin (Robin Nichol) directs the show. She has some great lines among her anecdotes: “When I pass another stroller, we give each other the high sign, like two Harley riders passing on the open road,” she says. Ginette Mohr is Jill, the character that moves away from comedy when she relates the story of her baby being born prematurely. Her poignant portrayal of a new mother’s worry is very well done, and this touching story provides a moving change to the performance. Birgitte Solem as Allison has some very comedic lines, such as when she asks “How am I supposed to resume my sex life, when I’m wearing a nursing bra?”
The challenges of caring for active, smart toddlers are related in various ways in the vignettes. Deborah tells us that she finds it much easier to be a good mom in public. Another character says that she starts out each day as Mary Poppins, but ends up as Cruella DeVille.
They also talk about the feelings of guilt they have, with one mom saying that the family’s favourite thing to do is to spend time all together. But her favourite thing to do is spend some time all by myself. But of course, they aren’t’ feeling too guilty to take advantage of the situation. As Jill says, “Some mornings when I’m really desperate for more sleep, I lie to my husband about how many times I got up with the baby.”
This show offers realistic slices of life, easily recognizable by anyone who has given birth and raised a baby into a toddler. For the most part, the anecdotes are laugh-out-loud funny, but in a few places, I felt things went a little too far. The squirt-gun breasts and a bit of the male-bashing made me uncomfortable – but that’s alright. Everyone else was laughing uproariously, so maybe I was alone. One doesn’t go to live theatre just to be comfortable. So go see it, and decide for yourself.

Mom’s The Word continues with eight shows a week until August 18 at Playhouse II, next to Huron Country Playhouse, near Grand Bend. Tickets are available at the Huron Country Playhouse box office at (519) 238-6000 or Drayton Entertainment at 1-888-449-4463.

Mary Alderson offers her view of area theatre in this column on a regular basis. As well as being a fan of live theatre, she is a former journalist who is currently the Community Economic Development Officer with the Sarnia-Lambton Business Development Corporation.

Tap Dancing through the Roaring Twenties

My One and Only
Music and Lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin
Book by Peter Stone and Timothy. S. Mayer
Performed by Cynthia Dale, Laird McIntosh and Company
Directed and Choreographed by Michael Lichtefeld
Avon Theatre - Stratford Festival
May 12 to October 28, 2007

Live! On Stage
Review by Mary Alderson

My One and Only is an extravaganza with all the glamour and glitter of a big Broadway production, and it’s sitting right on our doorstep at Stratford’s Avon Theatre. While the plot of this faux twenties musical may not be very deep, it’s done up in such a spectacular fashion that the shallow story is easily forgiven.
My One and Only is the pulling together of many of George and Ira Gershwin’s favourite songs and putting them into a new story, but one set in the Roaring Twenties. Producers knew that today’s audience doesn’t want to sit through the original, dated plots, so they had a new story written to make use of the great old tunes. The Broadway hit Crazy for You was put together in a similar fashion.
In My One and Only, Edythe Herbert, famous for swimming the English Channel, has joined The Ladies of the Aquacade, a water ballet/synchronized swimming entertainment troupe. She is being pursued by Captain Billy Buck Chandler, an aviator who hopes to beat Lindbergh in making the first trans-Atlantic flight. Edythe is trying to escape from an overbearing manager, while Billy is helped by Mickey, the female airplane mechanic.
The role of Edythe Herbert is ideal for Cynthia Dale. Dale, a perennial favourite of Stratford’s musical theatre audience, is the ultimate flapper – not only can she tap dance with the best, she can make the kewpie-doll faces to add laughs to the role. And the old Gershwin tunes suit Dale’s beautiful voice perfectly.
Her co-star Laird Mackintosh is wonderful as the tap-dancing aviator (yes, even the play itself makes fun of that combination). As Captain Billy Buck Chandler, Mackintosh goes through a transformation from a Texas hayseed to a polished gentleman, thanks to lessons from Mr. Magix, the smooth dancing Mark Cassius.
Kyle Blair, Julius Sermonia and Ray Hogg are delightful as The New Rhythm Boys. Their feet never stop tapping and their musical interludes add to the comedy. Together with the rest of the company, there is hardly a moment without tap-dancing feet on stage.
There is an amazing underwater ballet in black light with bubbles, where only the neon-trimmed bathing suits of The Ladies of the Aquacade are visible. While it’s similar in appearance to the Famous People Players, real people are swimming about the stage, rather than puppets, in this very interesting number.
In another scene, Dale and Mackintosh are tap dancing in the shallow water on the beach. Remember last year’s tap dance in the showers in South Pacific? That was so cute that they’ve repeated it this year, and it works just as well.
The costumes are fantastic – lots of colour and sparkle, with frequent changes.
The sets are also extravaganzas. Everything is oversized, from the big train the pulls into the station, to the air plane where we see both front & back, and even a giant camel. For the final curtain, we’re treated to an airplane with dancers tapping across the wingspan.
Even that repetitive (but necessary) announcement to turn off cell phones is glitzed up at the beginning of the show. The Ladies of the Aquacade come out in cute costumes and wait, tapping their toes, while audience members turn off phones and pagers. Just like the performance, the announcements are very cute and splashy.

My One and Only continues at the Avon Theatre, Stratford until October 28. For tickets, call the box office at 1-800-567-1600 or check www.stratfordfestival.ca.

Mary Alderson offers her view of area theatre in this column on a regular basis. As well as being a fan of live theatre, she is a former journalist who is currently the Community Economic Development Officer with the Sarnia-Lambton Business Development Corporation.

Oklahoma! is the place to be

Oklahoma!
Music by Richard Rodgers, Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Performed by Blythe Wilson, Dan Chameroy, Nora McLellan Jonathan Ellul, Kyle Blair, Lindsay Thomas, David W. Keeley and company.
Director & Choreographer: Donna Feore
Stratford Festival
Festival Theatre
April 10 to November 4, 2007

Live! On Stage
Review by Mary Alderson

Oklahoma!, this year’s musical at Stratford’s Festival Theatre, brings great energy to the stage. As Rogers and Hammerstein’s first collaboration, Oklahoma! changed the way Broadway musicals were presented and set the benchmark for future productions. A groundbreaking show, Oklahoma! was the first musical to have the songs as integral parts of the plot.
The story of Oklahoma! is based on the play “Green Grow the Lilacs” by Lynn Riggs. Riggs, a cattleman’s son, was born in Oklahoma in 1899. He tells the tales of the early pioneers in Oklahoma when it was still a territory. These settlers believed their lives would improve when Oklahoma was declared a state. The play relates the conflict between the cowboys and the farmers: the cowboys wanted their cattle to be able to roam free, while the farmers wanted to put up fences and work the land. The musical version includes the love story of Curly and Laurey. In addition, it touches on what might be considered a modern problem – stalking, as Jud Fry makes unwanted advances towards Laurey.
With Blythe Wilson as Laurey and Dan Chameroy as Curley, the singing is excellent. Wilson is in her 5th season at Stratford, and will be remembered for her voice as Nancy in last year’s Oliver! Chameroy has been at Stratford for 6 seasons, but last year appeared in High Society at the Shaw Festival.
Wilson also deserves credit for dancing the dream ballet herself. In many productions, a different dancer steps in for the dream sequence, but Wilson, in addition to her fantastic singing voice, shows she is a polished dancer as well.
Providing the comedy is Johnathan Ellul in his Stratford debut, playing Ali Hakim, the Persian Peddler. Ellul was at Victoria Playhouse last summer in Too Many Cooks, and before that, he was in Wang Dang Doodle and Annie at London’s Grand. (You will recognize him as the driver revving his engine in the car commercials on TV.) With his flair for humour, he will no doubt be showing up in more comedies in the future.
Nora McLellan plays a kinder, gentler Aunt Eller. McLellan was a favourite as Mama Rose in the Shaw Festival’s version of Gypsy a few years ago. Londoner Kyle Blair is back for his 7th season at Stratford and is excellent as Will Parker, the cowboy who can sing, dance and twirl a lariat. Lindsay Thomas is hilarious as Ado Annie, the girl who “cain’t say no.” David W. Keeley gives a very good interpretation of Jud Fry – scary but with a human element that evokes some sympathy. Stephanie Graham as Gertie has the most annoying laugh and handles her fight scene well.
The energetic cast does justice to the wonderful score – songs like “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning”, “Surrey with the Fringe on Top”, “People will Say We’re in Love”, and of course the theme “Oklahoma” has everyone leaving the theatre singing. “The Farmer and the Cowman” gives the cast a chance to show off some fun choreography – everything from acrobatics to square dance.
The lighting is excellent. From the darkened theatre, the light panels representing the sky slowly go from a dark blue-purple right through to orange and yellow as the sun comes up on a “beautiful morning’”.
Donna Feore as both director and choreographer has given this good cast an opportunity to show their true triple threat talent. With great singing and amazing dance, this production of Oklahoma! shows why the old musical continues to be popular.

Oklahoma! continues at the Festival Theatre, Stratford until November 4. For tickets, call the box office at 1-800-567-1600 or check www.stratfordfestival.ca.

Mary Alderson offers her view of area theatre in this column on a regular basis. As well as being a fan of live theatre, she is a former journalist who is currently the Community Economic Development Officer with the Sarnia-Lambton Business Development Corporation.

Perfect Wedding= Perfect British Farce

Perfect Wedding
By Robin Hawdon
Performed by Paul Brown, Colin Doyle, Joanna Douglas, Amber Montrose, Monica Nowak, Perrie Olthuis, Ari Weinberg.
Directed by Michael Lamport
Victoria Playhouse, Petrolia
July 3 – 21, 2007

Live! On Stage
Review by Mary Alderson

Perfect Wedding, currently on stage at Victoria Playhouse Petrolia is the perfect British farce – there are doors being slammed, lies being told and characters posing as other people. Thanks to fast-paced timing by Director Michael Lamport, this is the best farce on Petrolia’s stage since Confessions of a Dirty Blonde, when Lamport played the Robin Williams-like bellhop. Lamport’s experience in comedy has served him well in his direction of this hilarious farce.
On his wedding day, Bill, the groom-to-be, wakes up in the bridal suite to find a woman he doesn’t know naked in bed beside him. With his bride on the way, wanting to use the hotel room to dress in her wedding gown, Bill hides the stranger in the bathroom, hoping she’ll pose at the best man’s girlfriend, or maybe the chambermaid. These ideas might have worked, except that she really is the best man’s girlfriend, and the real chambermaid shows up. The problems are obvious – add to this, Tom, the best man who becomes increasingly high-strung, Rachel, the bride, on the verge of becoming bridezilla, and Daphne, the bride’s mother, who completes to the comedy.
In this production, the best man really is the best man. Ari Weinberg plays Tom brilliantly, with hilarious facial expressions, an endearing British accent, and a gentle humour giving way to near-insanity. This is Weinberg’s debut on the VPP stage, and with an obvious penchant for comedy, he’ll no doubt be seen more in the future.
Another newcomer, Monica Nowak is excellent as Julie the chambermaid. Like Weinberg, her over-the-top facial expressions, along with the vocal changes, make the audience roar with laughter.
Colin Doyle is good as the frustrated groom trying to remember what happened after his bachelor party, and Perrie Olthuis as the bride handles the role well – just snippy enough to be believable as a stressed-out bride, but pleasant enough to warrant sympathy. Joanna Douglas as Judy, the naked female in the bed, is very good as the other woman, also showing comedic talent with her facial expressions. .
Amber Montrose plays the role of Daphne, the bride’s mother. While she boasts quite a list of credits in the program, she hasn’t been seen on local stages before. I will say that it seems to be strange casting, but Artistic Director Robert More assures me that Montrose is right for the role. You’ll have to the see the show and decide for yourself if Montrose is really right. The program lists Paul Brown as an understudy, and unfortunately, he apparently didn’t grace the stage on opening night. Brown is a master of the farce, and was hilarious in previous VPP productions Confessions of a Dirty Blonde and Too Many Cooks, as well as many British farces at Huron Country Playhouse.
If you enjoy farces, you’ll like this one. Go see it, and maybe you’ll be fortunate enough to catch Paul Brown on stage.

Perfect Wedding continues with eight shows a week at Victoria Playhouse Petrolia until July 21. Call the box office at 1-800-717-7694 or (519) 882-1221 for tickets.

Mary Alderson offers her view of area theatre in this column on a regular basis. As well as being a fan of live theatre, she is a former journalist who is currently the Community Economic Development Officer with the Sarnia-Lambton Business Development Corporation.

A Moving Story Brilliantly Bought to Life

To Kill a Mockingbird
Based upon the novel by Harper Lee, dramatized by Christopher Sergel
Performed by Peter Donaldson, Abigail Winter-Culliford et al.
Directed by Susan H. Schulman
Avon Theatre - Stratford Festival
April 30 to October 27, 2007

Live! On Stage
Review by Mary Alderson

When Harper Lee wrote her only novel in 1960, she and her editor didn’t think it would amount to much. But To Kill a Mockingbird became a huge best seller, and if life imitates art, then it was likely very influential in the civil rights movement of the 1960’s.
But Nelle Harper Lee simply wrote what she knew – the story of life in the 1930’s in the fictional town of Maycomb, which is much like her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama. The tale is told by Scout, the 10-year-old tomboy, just like Lee herself. It covers the escapades and growth of Scout, her friend Dill, who is based on Lee’s real-life friend Truman Capote, and her brother Jem. The children are into usual childhood mischief, when they are suddenly forced to grow up quickly, learning about rape and injustice. Their father, lawyer Atticus Finch, is defending a young black man charged with raping a white girl. And although Atticus clearly presents Tom Robinson’s innocence, the jury finds him guilty, because that’s what must happen in that time of racial bigotry and hatred.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, currently on stage at Stratford’s Avon Theatre, Abigail Winter-Culliford plays the part of Scout exceptionally well. She captures both the innocence of the child and the insightful maturity at the same time, as Lee intended. She twitches and climbs trees and beats up boys, but then has a very adult-like conversation with her father, whom she calls Atticus, not Daddy or Papa. Winter-Culliford’s acting skills are well beyond her 10 years, and she particularly shines in the scene where she confronts the lynch mob.
Peter Donaldson is good as an understated Atticus Finch. He plays the role with quiet confidence, making Atticus a man very sure of himself and his values. Spencer Walker does well in the role of Dill – he could very well be a nerdy little Truman Capote, with his tiny bowtie, buttoned-up shirt and starched collar. Thomas Murray, as Jem, is also good.
The story is told by narrator Jean-Louise, the adult Scout, who has abandoned her nickname. Michelle Giroux walks quietly about the stage, stepping in to relate Scout’s story with a southern drawl, and looking somewhat like Harper Lee.
The neighbourhood is also well-cast: Patricia Collins as Miss Maudie is a gracious southern belle, in contrast to Joyce Campion’s Mrs. Dubose, a nasty old morphine addict. Barbara Barnes-Hopkins is excellent as Calpurnia, the Finches’ black servant who is charged with raising the children after their mother’s death.
The second act moves to the trial. Dayna Tekatch is outstanding as Mayella Ewall, the poor white trash who claims to have been raped, moving from a pitiful mess to intense anger. Dion Johnstone is excellent as Tom Robinson, the accused black man.
The set illustrates the dirty thirties – the homes are worn, dull and run-down, with Spanish moss barely swaying in the trees overhead. One gets the feeling of the heat of Deep South summer, the despair of the depression and the racial oppression, as the story unfolds. The feeling of oppression is further intensified when the black cast sing Negro Spirituals. The set includes a “bottle tree”, a tradition among the black townspeople at that time — the bottles were to capture evil spirits. In this case, however, evil prevailed – even though Miss Maudie points out that progress is slowly being made.
Director Susan Schulman deserves great credit for brilliantly bringing to life Harper Lee’s story, and remaining true to it. It’s a daunting task when most of the audience has read the book or seen the movie. Yet Harper Lee’s message about human rights comes through clearly in this gut-wrenching play, and the audience becomes completely enmeshed in the story. In the courtroom scene, the audience members are treated as if they were the jury. We become caught up in this compelling production, and wish we could change the outcome.

To Kill a Mockingbird continues at the Avon Theatre, Stratford until October 27. For tickets, call the box office at 1-800-567-1600 or check www.stratfordfestival.ca.

Mary Alderson offers her view of area theatre in this column on a regular basis. As well as being a fan of live theatre, she is a former journalist who is currently the Community Economic Development Officer with the Sarnia-Lambton Business Development Corporation.

Baby Boomers will love We Will Rock You

We Will Rock You
Music by Queen, Book by Ben Elton
Performed by Toronto Cast
Directed by Ben Elton
Produced by David & Ed Mirvish & Kimsa Group
Canon Theatre, Toronto

Live! On Stage
Review by Mary Alderson

We Will Rock You, or as it’s more commonly known, the Queen musical, will thrill anyone who grew up in the seventies and eighties. To hear the late great Freddie Mercury’s songs performed by a talented cast with strong, solid voices backed by a band complete with the right guitar riffs, is an exciting adventure.
The plot is also good fun – but don’t go expecting serious drama. It’s a little over the top with corny jokes and cheesy laughs. Nevertheless, there’s an element of Orwell’s 1984, along with some Biblical allegory.
The story is set 300 years in the future. The world is run by a company called Globalsoft. (Is this so far-fetched? At work, if Windows isn’t operating and the computers are down, nothing gets done, and when we arrive home, the first thing we do is check in with Outlook – who’s running our lives now?) The plot also condemns commercialism – the planet is now known as the Mall. Only music created by Globalsoft is allowed, and there are just vague rumours about an era called rock ‘n’ roll. When a group of rebels (young Bohemians) go looking for musical instruments, they seek a bright star to lead them in their quest. By the way, they don’t find any instruments of mass destruction, but they do come across a museum piece called a video tape (or vy-day-oh-tap-ay, as they pronounce it.) Pop music is satirized delightfully, and there is much Canadian humour included – with jabs at Degrassi and Celine Dion, as well as mentions of others such as Bare Naked Ladies.
Erica Peck as Scaramouche leads the cast with her amazing voice and sassy attitude. Peck was only in the second year of the 3-year musical theatre program at Sheridan College, when she auditioned for We Will Rock You and surprised everyone by landing the lead role. Peck can belt the rock tunes louder and longer than anyone else, her powerful voice performing eight times a week and never missing a show. She gives her all to Somebody to Love and I Want To Break Free. Her energy and enthusiasm is evident even in matinee performances. She also delivers the lines with a perfect sarcasm.
Equally as powerful is Yvan Pedneault as Galileo Figaro. His slight Quebecois accent is engaging, and the audience roars when Scaramouche accuses him of trying to “play the French card.” Pedneault’s voice has the range of Freddie Mercury’s and handles the Queen classics well. But on some performances, an understudy or swing has to step in for him, considering the demand of the Queen songs, such as We Are The Champions.
Susie McNeil as Oz, Sterling Jarvis as Britney and Alana Bridgewater as the Killer Queen all belt out the Queen repertoire with strong voices, giving us favourites such as I Want It All or Crazy Little Thing Called Love. An excellent ensemble of singer-dancers playing various roles completes the cast.
Not only does We Will Rock You quiz your knowledge of Queen songs with 25 numbers in the show, there are also dozens of references to lyrics of various rock artists to keep you on your toes. Baby Boomers should rise to the test and enjoy the nostalgia trip.
A piece of advice – like a rock concert, you have to stay ‘til the very end to enjoy the encore. Some folks left early and missed out – the cast had saved the best for last! Which brings me to one of my pet peeves – annoying people who try to push past me to get out, when I am still applauding the actors on stage. Come on, are you really in that much of a hurry to get to the parking lot? (Same thing goes for hockey games when so-called fans abandon their team to be first out of the arena. I love it when the hometown team ties it up with only five seconds left on the clock!)
The music in We Will Rock You is the very best of Queen, and it would make Freddie Mercury proud. Sure, the plot is a little schmaltzy, but as one theatre-goer said, “It’s the best schmaltz ever.”

We Will Rock You continues at Toronto’s Canon Theatre. Tickets are available by calling 1-800-461-3333. There is a 30% discount (for example, the high end $94 seats are $65) for some performances, if you use the discount code summer07.

Mary Alderson offers her view of area theatre in this column on a regular basis. As well as being a fan of live theatre, she is a former journalist who is currently the Community Economic Development Officer with the Sarnia-Lambton Business Development Corporation.