Theatre Review: Vigil (A Missing Link Theatre Company)

From the first terse words of Kemp – a lonely and long ignored malcontent – to the final wordless and touching tableau, Vigil by Canadian playwright, director and actor, Morris Panych, is a deliciously dark and witty comedy with a deep soul and unexpected ending.

Vigil is an odd couple grudge match that pits the scrupulous and scathing Kemp (Colin Legge) against the elderly and brittle mute, Grace (Carol Robinson-Todd). Kemp has been summoned by his dying aunt whom he hasn’t seen in 30 years (and partially blames for his maladjusted childhood) to attend to her and her affairs in her last days. As a result of his Aunt’s letter, he sweeps into Grace’s world and her decrepit little bedroom where she lies on her (supposed) deathbed.

Days turn into weeks and months, and suddenly a year has gone by. Kemp’s attentiveness to Grace increasingly turns to humourous if not macabre impatience as he waits for her to die. Over the passing days, Grace listens with wary curiosity to the tales he recounts of his wretched and lonely upbringing.

Carol Robinson-Todd’s physical acting brings the largely silent Grace to life exceptionally as you read the apprehension in her glazed but haunted reactions. Her brilliantly readable facial expressions and gestures are hard to miss and impossible to misread. Legge is perfectly deadpan and inscrutable in his depiction of Kemp, a jaded and cynical man who has hobbled through life, clearly broken and lonely.

“We’re all hobbling around, aren’t we? Missing bits and pieces of ourselves.”

An odd bond forms between the two as time passes – and Grace doesn’t. Kemp brings the elderly woman food, dusts her furniture, tends to the laundry and recounts neighbourhood tales to her as he watches from the window day in and day out. His mockery and scorn of the elderly woman sitting in the window across the street leads to a hilarious yet sad revelation, and turns the second act on its head with an unexpected twist. And on that, I will say no more.

Vigil is beautifully twisted and dark in its humour, and incredibly well presented in its acting and production. It is a refreshing change from the typical one-liner comedies that we often see presented on stage. The audience is in for an intoxicating roller-coaster ride of emotions ranging between horror, hilarity and heartbreak, and will exit the theatre with one touching and poignant question in mind:

“Why can’t we all go at the same time? That way we don’t have to watch each other die.”

Vigil is currently playing at the McManus Studio Theatre beneath the Grand Theatre, and continues through November 23rd. For tickets and more information, visit the Grand website here.

3/4 stars.

Theatre Review: Little Shop of Horrors (Iglesia Productions)

“Feed me. FEED ME!!!” These are the cries of Audrey 2 – a man eating plant at the centre of the musical “Little Shop of Horrors”, currently being presented by Iglesia Productions and continuing tonight through October 26th at McManus Studios.

Little Shop of Horrors has long been one of my favourite movies to watch around the Halloween season (or any time of year, really) so I was a little hesitant at the prospect of a local production of the show. I mean, how good could it really be?  How easy could it be to recreate Audrey 2, a giant, horrifying (yet hilarious) piece of horticulture, who feeds off the blood of humans? It probably wasn’t easy but I’ll tell you, they sure did it! And they did it very well.

I’m going to go on record right now saying that this is possibly the best local production I have had the privilege of seeing in London, Ontario. From the set design to the direction, props, costumes, actors and Audrey 2 herself – this show is brilliant and very well produced. I might have had a few complaints about volume during the show, and I’m not sure if they were the fault of the actors or the venue (I always seem to have complaints about acoustics after seeing a show at McManus, which leads me to believe it’s more a problem of the venue), but any such complaints become completely washed away by the thrill and joy you get at watching this show.

Wait? Joy? At a show called “Little Shop of HORRORS“? You read me right. Smiles and laughs and joy. I took my 11 year old daughter with me and the two of us walked out of the theatre smiling and giggling. We enjoyed ourselves immensely from the opening scene to the final ‘curtain’. That isn’t to say the show is without a certain element of dark macabre, but the darkness of the story is easily overshadowed by the upbeat presentation and incredibly witty writing.

I don’t want to give away anything about the plot. If you have seen the movie or another stage production, you know what “Little Shop of Horrors” is all about. If you haven’t seen it, you should. But don’t just sit down in front of the television and pop the movie in. Instead, get down to the McManus Studio Theatre (below the Grand) this week and support a local production company. It is every bit just as good as the movie or any Broadway production (in my opinion), but you’ll get an extra wonderful feeling knowing you are supporting actors and theatre in your community.

Four very deserved stars to this cast and crew, and another standing ovation from my daughter and I. Bravo to every last one of you, and I look forward to seeing what Iglesia Productions does next. They continually raise the bar on local theatre productions. Take notice, London, Ontario!

See me. Feel me: Tommy. Stratford Festival, 2013

“See me. Feel me. Touch me. Heal me.”

A melancholic refrain, music lovers and fans of The Who’s Tommy will recognize those haunting and evocative words. They resonate within the listener’s soul, conjuring up memories of the times we too have desired to be seen, heard and reached out to. In this story, based on the 1969 album of the same name, our hearts reach out to young Tommy; a boy left psychosomatically deaf, blind and unable to speak after witnessing a tragedy.

Tommy’s condition leaves him vulnerable to taunts, probing, a perverted uncle, a boorish cousin and parents who, exhausted with worry, want nothing more than to cure their son and get on with their lives. One day, having being placed in front of a pinball machine, Tommy begins to play and is regarded as a ‘wizard’, prodigy or some sort of mad genius who quickly rises to fame and develops a cult following. Adored by his fans, he is held on an even higher pedestal when he makes a miraculous recovery regaining his speech, hearing and vision, only to face an inevitable plunge back to reality when the adoration fades and the masses turn on him, the realization nearly shattering him once again.

Tommy is a tale of tragedy, lechery, adoration and redemption. It is at times, by its many twists and turns, happy, infuriating, disturbing, comedic and healing. This rock musical, written by Pete Townshend of The Who, and director Des McAnuff, debuted on Broadway in 1993 reportedly selling 1000 tickets per hour. The show played to consistently sold out audiences and was the recipient of several Tony Awards.

Twenty years later, Tommy made it’s Stratford Festival debut last night with writer Pete Townshend in attendance and Des McAnuff directing. I had the distinct privilege of seeing the first preview of the show on May 4th and, despite a glitch which I understand has since been worked out (hooray!), I was utterly blown away. Stratford’s production of Tommy is unequivocally the best, most provocative live musical theatre I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. I look forward to seeing it again on June 22nd, because honestly – once was not enough.

From the first, bold guitar stroke to the very last curtain call, this show will leave you breathless, spellbound and wishing for more. Every character is brilliantly acted, the music beautifully played, the set design and props perfect, and the special effects, captivating. But it is undoubtedly the writing and direction that makes this show the brilliant production it is, and my hat is off to Des McAnuff for striking theatre gold twice; first on Broadway twenty years ago, and reproducing that brilliance again in Stratford.

If you are only able to see one show at the Stratford Festival this season, I highly recommend you make it this one. See it, feel it, hear it and be touched by Tommy.  If history is destined to repeat itself, you might want to get your tickets fast. Soon, there may not be any left.

Tommy runs at the Avon Theatre until October 19th, 2013. My best wishes to the cast, crew and director, Des McAnuff, for a very successful run.

Five Women Wearing the Same Dress

One entertaining ensemble.

This one-scene, two act 1993 comedy-drama written by Alan Ball (American Beauty, Six Feet Under, True Blood), is a character driven piece about bridesmaids behaving badly. Set in the mid-1980’s in the upper bedroom of a Knoxville, Tennessee estate, five widely different bridesmaids are hiding out from a lavish wedding reception taking place on the lawn below.

A motley crew of women who have very little in common, the bridesmaids discuss their indifference towards the bride, their disdain for the hideous dress they are all wearing, and lament their encounters with the same womanizing man, Tommy Valentine, who is a guest at the reception. From the sweet Christian cousin, to the rebellious and angry sister of the bride, the lesbian sister of the groom, and two friends of the bride who question just how good of friends they are, all have had an encounter with Tommy at some point and lament their experiences over bottles of champagne and a joint or two. F-bombs, drunkenness and a little bit of herbal help provide plenty of laughs in the bedroom above.

The success of a script like this depends heavily on the cast performing it, and producer/director John Pacheco (Pacheco Theatre) was absolutely successful in casting a fantastic ensemble. Stand-out performances come from Alyson Nichols who is a scene stealer as the very drunk and equally unhappy romantic, Georgeanne, while Kalina Hada-Lemon charms the audience as the adorably naive and devoutly Christian southern good girl, Frances. With that being said, there was not a bad performance among them, each portraying their character quite believably.

The costumes and set design are period perfect and the stage is well laid out. The Robin’s Egg Blue paint on the walls, the cheesy brass bed-rails and peach puff-sleeved dresses with hideous bows and matching ridiculous hats transport the audience straight back to a time when bad music, heavy makeup and big hair was king. The set is detailed without being too busy, and the music choices are familiar and fun.

While I enjoyed Ball’s writing and the play overall, at times his script left me confused or feeling I had missed something and needed to catch up. The addition of the lone male character near the end, Tripp, left me momentarily bored and wondering what Tripp’s purpose was in the play, and if his character was truly necessary at all. But he, like the rest of the characters, was well acted and entertaining nonetheless.

Five Women Wearing the Same Dress is entertaining and well performed, and runs at the Grand Theatre’s ‘McManus Studio Theatre’ from May 9-18.  Congratulations to the cast and crew, and best wishes for a successful run.

STARRING	CREATIVE TEAM
Laura Di Trolio as Trisha	John Pacheco (Producer/Director/Sound Design)
Sarah C.E. Stanton as Mindy	Stephen Mitchell (Set Designer)
Aleen Kelledjian as Meredith	Becky Lenko (Costume Build and Design)
Kalina Hada-Lemon as Frances	Kim McCuaig (Costume Build and Design)
Alyson Nichols as Georgeanne	Rob Coles (Lighting Designer)
Kyle Mayer as Tripp	Melody Hudson (Stage Manager)
	Irene Nicholls (Props/Set Decoration)

 

 

 

Five Women; Six Ladies; One Mom (Yours!)

It’s less than a week to Mother’s Day which means sons and daughters everywhere are scrambling and asking themselves, “What do I get my mom??” Flowers wilt and die, chocolate will go straight to her hips, and she doesn’t need any more nicknacks or “World’s Best Mom” mugs. I, therefore, have a fabulous solution for you: give her the gift of theatre. As luck would have it, there are a couple of fantastic and totally appropriate shows starting very soon – both revolving around women – that I guarantee any mom would be delighted to see.

Five Women Wearing the Same Dress – McManus Theatre

Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, presented by Pacheco Theatre from May 9-18th, is a dramatic comedy  that revolves around five identically dressed bridesmaids with one thing in common: their shared hatred for the dress they are forced to wear, as well as the bride forcing them to wear it. While hiding out to avoid the wedding reception, the bond between the women deepens in hilarious and touching ways.

Written in 1993 by Alan Ball, writer of American Beauty and creator of the series Six Feet Under, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress touches on current topics, old stereotypes and challenges society’s preconceived notions of what it really means to be a woman. One of the five women could be you, your mother or someone you know. Who might you recognize in the characters? You’ll have to see the play to find out.

Six Funny Ladies – The Arts Project

Six Funny Ladies is being presented at the Arts Project by Maybles’ Productions from May 15-18th. This show features six actors (the funny ladies) performing 14 roles in 3 different one-act comedies which were written and set in the 1940’s.

Girls Must Talk – Storefront dummies are being prepped for the day, but it remains to be seen who the real “dummies” are.

Lady Rosa – A young woman and her roommates are busily preparing to meet her future mother-in-law, the mysterious “Lady Rosa” who they assume is close to royalty. But what happens when their assumptions about the mystery woman are wrong?

Gander Sauce – One mystery woman + two young, attractive women + one man = hilarity.

This unique production is one mom is sure not to have seen, and also one not to be missed. Who knows when these funny ladies will come around again?

So there you have it: my 2013 Mother’s Day shopping advice. Treat your mom to live theatre tickets (without breaking the bank!), and better yet, share the experience with her. ‘Things’ get dusty or broken, food is eaten and regurgitated, and flowers just wilt and die. But experiences will last a lifetime in her heart and memories. Show mom how much you really love her this year with a trip to the theatre. You’ll be her #1 kid, I promise.

Stepping Out

One of my good friends likes to remind me now and then of the response I gave in our grade two year book when asked the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” My reply:  “An actress, a teacher, or to own my own restaurant.”

The teacher thing didn’t happen after University. Well, not in a formal setting, anyway. I teach my own children every day, and I hope I “teach” people a little something through the blogs I write. I don’t own a restaurant, yet, though it is still a dream. Once I find the investment, I hope to make it reality. But the actress goal I figured was something I could make happen a little more easily, and something I had denied myself from doing for too many years. Why? Esteem, or rather, a serious lack of it. Years of teasing and criticism from various sources (kids, teachers, and a snarky – to be polite – grandmother) left me feeling vulnerable and not very well liked, so I pushed the dream aside and ignored its constant nagging. And believe me; it stayed there, nagging, every day.

In September of 2012, I decided to answer the nag. Hearing there was to be a production of To Kill a Mockingbird – one of my all-time favourite novels – at our local community theatre, I swallowed my doubts and fears and let my dream take over, pushing me into the Palace Theatre for a script. I decided that come hell or high water, I was going to audition for the role of “Miss Maudie Atkinson”. Not an overly significant character (though significant enough) in the book and play, but one I related to and admired. I appreciated Miss Maudie’s optimism, how she used her sharp tongue for good, and the way she respected those around her. She was the type of person who I, in my life, aspired to be.

Having my mind set on Mockingbird, I originally didn’t have any interest in auditioning for the play Laughter on the 23^rd Floor, but on encouragement I took a script to read anyway. I figured if nothing else, the audition would be a good warm up for Mockingbird. When I began reading the script, I realized just how much like the character “Carol” I was. A politically minded writer who enjoyed a good laugh, and a strong woman in a “man’s world”, Carol suddenly spoke to me. I began to think, “What if I got the part? Maybe I should go for it.”, and put my all into knowing the lines for the audition. The more I studied the lines, the more I wanted to be “Carol” and a part of this production.

On September 18, 2012, I walked into Procunier Hall at the Palace Theatre, dressed in a black and white polka dot dress which looked somewhat period to the setting of the play. My hair was curled, makeup applied in a 1950’s fashion, and I gathered up every ounce of confidence I could muster. Nervous and feeling completely out of my league, I put on a big smile and gave it my all. Never in a million years did I expect to get either role – Carol in Laughter, or Miss Maudie from Mockingbird – but with my 40^th birthday fast approaching, I was determined to live out a dream. So onward and inward I went, and walked out of that hall a completely different person with a new found confidence. I auditioned for a play, and no harm came from it. I left the rest up to fate from there.

A few days after my Laughter audition I received a call from the director, Tim Condon, offering me the role of Carol. My face went hot, my breath caught in my chest and my heart raced. I didn’t know what to say. “Yes! I’d love to!” I said, “But you know, I haven’t done this before, right?”  Tim said he understood, and they didn’t mind helping me along the way. I was their choice, and it was a chance they were willing to take. I had no clue what was in store for me, but it was exciting nonetheless. I also realized at that point that the dream of playing Miss Maudie Atkinson was going to be put on hold indefinitely, and I was taking on a very different role from the one I had originally intended to chase, but I took the part anyway.

A few weeks later, we had our first reading together as a cast. I looked around the table at the actors I would be sharing the stage with, and felt completely out of my league. All but one had previous acting experience and here I was, completely green, reading a part I wasn’t sure I was entirely cut out for.  I mean, for a first role, it was pretty big! Perhaps they should have picked someone more seasoned, I thought, nearly backing out after the first night. But I wouldn’t let my fears take over again. No way, no how. This was the opportunity I had dreamed of since I was a little girl in grade two, and I was going to give it my all.

We began rehearsals in October, picking away at the lines and blocking bit by bit. There was so much to learn in what I felt was a relatively short time, and I wasn’t sure I would ever get it down. But I worked hard and kept at it, pouring my heart and soul into the character and everything that entailed. I recited my lines in my head day and night, committing them to memory and developed an idea of who I felt “Carol” was; how she would speak, act, move and react to situations. I followed the advice of the director, stage manager and my fellow actors trying to improve my performance day by day, week by week, month by month.

As rehearsals wound down and became previews, my nerves began to jump. I looked towards the exits thinking, “Maybe if I run now, they won’t find me and I can back out of this.” I was terrified. What had I gotten myself into? How were people going to react to my performance and interpretation of Carol? Would I shake so badly on stage I couldn’t get my lines out? Or worse! Would I pass out cold on the stage as soon as I entered, or vomit on the opening night? I kept telling myself, “Just get through the first audiences with the preview shows and the rest will be smooth sailing.” So that’s what I did. I focused on perfecting my lines, calming my nerves, getting through those previews upright and stomach intact, and when I accomplished that – I knew I could accomplish anything.

Last Friday night, January 18^th, 2013, my long awaited dream came true. Suddenly, I was an actress performing on stage for my first opening night audience, ever. And I didn’t fall down, vomit or screw up. The audience laughed, smiled, groaned and applauded. And afterwards, they congratulated me on a job well done and told me I should do it again.

All the doubts and fears that I had carried around for nearly 40 years disappeared in those few hours. Everything I was told I couldn’t do and figured I wouldn’t do, I did. And I did it well. The dream of a little girl became the reality of a grown woman, and now neither the dream nor reality will ever die. I vow to continue to live this dream and push myself on to the next role, and the next, and the next, and the next… Because fairy tales are real, and they almost always have happy endings. Mine has.

Just four more shows remain for Laughter on the 23rdFloor, and then it’s all over. It’s hard to believe that this final week has creeped up so fast. I can still picture that first table read. That first rehearsal in the room of the box office, dreaming and impatient for the day we would be rehearsing on stage. Returning from Christmas break to see the stage ready to be set and used for the rest of our rehearsals and eventual run. I will never forget this experience, the people I have met, friends I have made, and the absolutely wonderful time I have had. At the end of all of this I believe more than ever before, that laughter is the key to happiness.

So, if you happen to be in the neighbourhood (or nowhere near the neighbourhood, wink wink – nudge nudge), why not join us for the final shows of my stage debut in Laughter on the 23^rd Floor?  Come see what a lucky girl I am to live out a dream, acting beside some of the funniest, talented and most interesting people I have met in a very long time. Their friendship, advice and example made this fun and easy. (And I can’t begin to tell you how much I’m going to miss them after the final show!)

Thank you to everyone who has believed in me and encouraged me in this little personal journey. I dedicate this experience to all of you, with love. You know who you are.

Live, love, LAUGH! xo

Review: London Fringe, 2012 – The Dark Fantastic

Storytelling At Its Absolute BEST

Martin Dockery’s The Dark Fantastic is both: Dark and FANTASTIC. Dockery is scintillating, his delivery unearthly, bordering on macabre. Subtle humour lightens the tone without taking away from the dark mystery of the story, and the jagged turns it takes to the end.

With a low musical accompaniment, Dockery’s rhythmic storytelling is entrancing and ethereal. He will have you hanging on every word, watching every movement, searching every expression. And when it’s over, you will wish for more.

Making its WORLD DEBUT at the London Fringe, this Master Storyteller must not be missed.

Review: London Fringe, 2012 – In Their Shoes

Put Yourself In Their Shoes

Put yourself in another person’s shoes, just for a moment. That’s what the playwrights and cast of In Their Shoes would like you to do, and likely not just for the hour long show.

Performed and written by Dylan Chisholm, Carlyn Rhamey and Melanie White, the characters speak to their individual “I AM”, and bring to life other characters who are not on the stage but whose stories beg to be told.

Tales of the human experience are woven together using humour, social commentary and interpretive dance. This is another “make you think” piece at this year’s London Fringe Festival, and well worth a view.

Review: London Fringe, 2012 – Forty Wonderful

Yes, Wonderful.

Forty Wonderful is, in a word, wonderful.

A surprise party gone bust doesn’t stay dull for long when an unlikely guest arrives to make it a little livelier. Not missing a beat, this show will have you in stitches from beginning to end. Genuine and endearing, the characters have soul and hold your interest for the full 50 minutes.

The writing is clever, the acting is superb, and the delivery spot on. This party is too much fun to miss. It takes a high position on my ever-growing “must see” list at this year’s Fringe.

Review: London Fringe, 2012 – Geek Quest 4.0

The Geeks Shall Inherit The Earth!

Ponder some of the coolest things you can think of in this world, and you can bet a “geek” probably created it. Geek Quest 4.0—a tale of four Dungeons and Dragons-loving friends who bring a fifth into their hilarious Lair of Geekdom—is now at the top of my list of “cool things created by geeks”.

Witty, non-stop funny and very well played, Geek Quest was much more enjoyable than I first expected (when the “D&D” jokes flew straight over my head). But my confusion didn’t last long. The characters are loveable, the laughs constant and the writing is incredibly clever.

This show has Charisma, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom and Dexterity. (Hey Geeks, see what I did there?) You must see this show. It is an absolute treasure.