MacEwan Theatre Arts: “The Addelpated Nixie”

I had been looking forward to Stewart Lemoine’s The Addelpated Nixie for some time. A collaboration with MacEwan’s Theatre Arts Program, it was the first Lemoine-penned show I’d seen since Happy Toes at the Fringe last summer – I was ready to soak up some quirky, nonsensical fun.

The crux of The Addelpated Nixie is just that – a confused water-elf who has found herself on a 1950s college campus and is wreaking havoc in an effort to stay alive. This was entertaining enough and the high-pitched squeal of Mnimninmni (Ashley Plomp) garnered many laughs. The rest of the play – with subplots ranging from the coeds staging a show to helping a Soviet ballet dancer defect – was superfluous. It felt like the playwright had created roles to fill a quota of twenty, a cast inordinately large even for a Lemoine production. The show-ending non-romance between Irene and Press was also unnecessary, as their semblance of a relationship seemed forced, without chemistry between them to justify even flirtation.

There were a number of bright spots in the play, however, including the sparkling lead actress Robyn Wallis as Irene, who asserted herself just as she should have with spunk and sass. I appreciated Michael Davidson’s comic timing, in the role of the wandering groundsman, and Eric Wigston’s obvious potential as a leading man.

If anything, The Addelpated Nixie has renewed my excitement for the upcoming Teatro la Quindicina season, which starts at the end of April. For the first time, Mack and I are subscribers – I figured if there was a good time to support a small theatre company, that time is now. If you’re looking for a preview of their season, look no further than April 4, when Teatro will be revealing their season with snippets and interviews. Tickets are $20, $15 for subscribers. See you at the Varscona!