Category: theatre

Catalyst Theatre: “Frankenstein”

Frankenstein is frightfully good.

Now that I’ve gotten that out of my system – Frakenstein was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Theatrical in the purest sense of the word (if I can claim such a definition exists), the production demonstrates a remarkable congruence of the script, music, lighting, and design – no one element is out of place or is anything except seamless within the musical as a whole. I am almost certain this is due to the very close collaborative relationship between writer/director/composer Jonathan Christenson and production designer Bretta Gerecke. While I can’t speak to what the typical process is, I gather that it is an apt luxury for the development of a show’s design to take place alongside alterations to the script.

I do believe I read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein early on in my university years, but to tell you the truth, I can’t remember much of the story. I thought this would be a disadvantage coming into this production, but was I ever wrong. The tragic tale of Victor and his fall from grace was not only accessible, but perhaps even more rich and powerful with Christenson’s interpretation supported by Gerecke’s design. The text was re-written in ABCB rhyming form, allowing for a less jarring transition to the musical segueways. This version of Frankenstein was also not without some black humor – there were more than a few moments where the audience’s hesitation at whether laughing out loud was acceptable or not was palpable (the “going to Hell in a handbasket” number was one of these instances). My only nitpick with the words chosen was a slight overuse of the term “fate” – I think Victor’s story is more meaningful with less emphasis on destiny and more on the context of his life that led to the unfortunate decisions he made. Sure, “fate” allows for many rhyming options, but it is the monosyllabic equivalent of an easy way out.

The cast was fantastic – I was impressed with Nick Green’s agility as Henry, Tracy Penner’s ethereal presence as Lucy, and Andrew Kushnir’s consistent contortion of his hands, physically manifesting Victor’s twisted internal emotions. George Szilagyi as the Creature, however, deserves to be singled out – not only was he able to sympathetically convey the heartbreaking discovery of his monstrous appearance with a near full-face mask on, but even in his moments of unforgiving revenge, there lay a resonating note of injustice and misunderstanding.

As for the design – I will admit to needing to rely on the program for confirmation that Gerecke used paper to form the backbone of the costumes. I don’t feel too bad, however, as the texture, structures, and appearance she was able to achieve with paper was unique to the point of being magical. The fact that all characters were dressed in white neutralized each of them, allowing the audience to focus more closely on facial expressions and words spoken. Moreover, I am not sure if this was deliberate, but I loved the effect of seeing bits of white material being left behind on the stage as the actors moved about – it formed a literal representation of the impression left by individuals.

Frakenstein is the best candidate I have ever seen to offer a continuous production, Broadway-style, here in Edmonton. It must be a physically and emotionally taxing run for the actors, even for the three weeks in this remount, but I do believe it is too good for locals and tourists alike to miss. It thus goes without saying that Christenson and Gerecke’s next collaboration, Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Improbable Death of Edgar Allan Poe (scheduled for early 2009), will debut with expectations never before seen in the city’s theatre community.

Edmonton Opera: “H.M.S. Pinafore”

I had heard about Edmonton Opera‘s Explorers’ Club a few years ago, but it didn’t seem economical to join until I read about their 2007/2008 lineup. The venerable Stewart Lemoine would be rewriting Gilbert & Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore, and thus, even if I didn’t use my membership to purchase tickets for the other shows that season, it would still be worthwhile.

As the play neared, it was released that Jeff Haslam would be among the cast members. At the time, I thought his involvement was more of a token gesture; a thoughtful inclusion of a longtime Teatro associate. Little did I know that he would play a leading role, if not one that upstaged the rest of the cast all together.

While this was my first opera, it wasn’t my first experience at the opera. I had volunteered during the earlier run of Carmen, so I knew that many, if not most of the patrons dressed to the nines (yes, cocktail dresses and four-inch heels in the dead of winter). The majority of the audience was not surprisingly comprised of the older set, though I do think the Explorers’ Club is doing a fine job of trying to foster appreciation of this art form with younger professionals.

I convinced Mack that the Opera Talk prior to curtain was a good way to orient ourselves to the history, plotline and characters of Pinafore, so we arrived earlier enough to join a modest crowd in the Kasaa lobby. I didn’t understand all of Dr. David Cook’s jokes, but the overview of the story would be helpful to my appreciation of the show later on. Mack and I both thought that he seemed a little too keen on Jeff Haslam, however.

I don’t know Gilbert & Sullivan well enough (well, at all, really) to recognize how Lemoine “improved” the script, but in the end, Pinafore really didn’t seem like that much of a leap for him – farce is his specialty, romance his standard, and unusual settings his forte. This opera could be considered typical Lemoine…with musical interludes. I will admit that it was no small joy on being able to hear “He is an Englishman” sung live, as it was used in one of my favorite episodes of West Wing (“It’s from Penzance!” “No, it was from Pinafore!”). And Haslam? He was tailor-made for the role of flamboyant, self-centered Sir Joseph Porter, so much so that I can’t help but think that Lemoine must have specifically requested his participation, as the part was undoubtedly written with him in mind. He was hilarious in his mannerisms, delivery, and even his uproarious laughter (because no one has a cackle as distinctive as his).

As for the production itself, I had a few nitpicks. The lighting was odd throughout, bordering on distracting, actually (was the blue, spinning, simulation of the waves really necessary?). It also seemed that the costume designers should have given Ralph Rackstraw’s character some kind of distinctive piece to wear; otherwise, he too easily blended in with the rest of the ship’s crew. The symmetrical set was functional and allowed for great visuals and movement during the chorus numbers, but I couldn’t see how it was as “special” as continuously touted in the program and in the show’s introduction by Artistic Director Brian Deedrick.

As a member of the Explorers’ Club, Mack and I were able to partake in a pizza and beer reception during intermission. Getting to and from the second balcony to the basement of the Jubilee Auditorium in twenty minutes was a slight challenge though.

Opera really isn’t my area of expertise, but all I hear is how expensive it is to produce, and how ticket prices barely cover the costs (Deedrick offered the statistic that only 42% is reimbursed through ticket sales, while the rest is supported by government donations and private sponsorship). If that’s the case, isn’t it possible to offer more than three shows, given what must be a very large overhead to construct sets and costume from scratch, on top of rehearsals and expenses that I can’t even begin to know? Perhaps there isn’t enough demand (or people who can afford to see it) in Edmonton, but it just seems an extraordinary waste of resources to only offer three opportunities to see a very good local production.

I’d like to attend Falstaff in the spring (my last chance to get “cheap” tickets this year), and I do think that will be a more genuine litmus test as to whether or not I truly enjoy opera. Pinafore was a treat, there being just a slim chance that I wouldn’t find it entertaining – it was in English (making the availability of supertitles less of an issue), penned by Lemoine, featuring Haslam, and more light hearted than what I’d expect from more traditional operas. This was “opera-lite”, so after Falstaff, I will reassess my feeling about the medium then.

Haslam in H.M.S. Pinafore

MacEwan Theatre Arts: “Good News!”

After dinner, Dickson and I headed to the John L. Haar Theatre for the latest Grant MacEwan Theatre Arts production, Good News! From the website:

“At Tait College, football is the big game and star player, Tom Marlowe (Matt Van Boeyen), is a prime catch. While most students will drop everything to watch him practice, one girl seems oblivious to the football-mania – Connie Lane (Kim Bunka). An intensely studious woman, she is recruited to help when Marlowe fails an exam he needs to pass in order to play in the big game. Soon the football star and the tutor fall for each other. Inevitably though, their love can only survive if the team wins the big game.”

I had high hopes for a musical set in the roaring twenties – likely to be fun, flamboyant, and filled with flirtatious flapper fashions, I was expecting a great follow up to fall’s Little Women, which I enjoyed for the most part. While not a complete disappointment, Good News! didn’t live up to its potential.

Some of my issues with the play were unavoidable because the production ultimately must fulfill the needs of the theatre program. The cast, first of all, felt bloated – too many unnecessary coeds. Secondly (and Dickson disagrees with me), the set changes after every scene were excessive and distracting; the director attempted to pull the audience’s attention to the characters at the forefront of the stage while stagehands rolled away set pieces behind them, but to me, this created an amateur busyness that should have been avoided. Moreover, the oddly painted mishmash of a backdrop (really only utilized for the electric “stars” in the night sequences) should have been more versatile, hence eliminating the need for so many individual sets.

That said, Good News! itself isn’t that great of a play. There were no memorable songs, and the storyline doesn’t flow – scene transitions between character groups were jarring. Of course, it is true that great acting in some instances can save a play – here, the only notable standout was a supporting character. Dickson and I were in agreement that Alissa Keogh (our favorite in Little Women), stole the show again as the forward flapper Babe O’Day. Honorable mentions go out to Candice Fiorentino, who portrayed the mature and headstrong Professor Kenyon with a believable grace and Bunka as the ignored and very sympathetic bookworm Connie. The weakest link was Van Boeyen as the campus football star, as he didn’t have the charisma or the physical stature to carry off the role.

It was difficult to relate to the fervor surrounding college football (being the hockey mad country that we are), but the countdown to the big game did allow for the most hilarious sequence of the play – a slow-motion enactment of the game’s winning touchdown, complete with play-by-play commentary.

Good News! finished its run this weekend, but you can catch MacEwan’s last production of the season, Hot Mikado, in March.

Fringe Opinions: Fringe Festival Town Hall

I seriously considered abandoning Anna on Monday night. With the choice to either return home on a frigid evening or brave the cold and head to the Arts Barns in Old Strathcona, the former was without a doubt the more inviting option. Still, I didn’t want to go back on my word, so I bundled up after work and headed to the Town Hall Meeting organized by the Board and staff of Fringe Theatre Adventures. Advertised as a means to gather comments and suggestions from artists, volunteers and patrons, among other stakeholders, Anna and I were banking on some intense drama to arise from the perceived “us versus them” mentality between the Administration and the “Other”.

After checking in, Anna and I joined about 40 other people seated in the Westbury Theatre. A brief welcome and introductions of the Board quickly led to a description of the meeting format. Al Parsons, Vice President of the Board, would recognize up to four people per round of speakers, each entitled to a three minute comment. The pre-selected topics included: 1) Ticket process and procedure; 2) Grounds and site; 3) Volunteer issues; and 4) Other (the catch-all basin).

I suppose I shouldn’t really comment on the lack of attendance by certain parties who had heavily criticized the new ticketing procedure in the media, as I really wasn’t there to do anything more than passively observe the proceedings, but I was still expecting a larger presence from Edmonton’s artistic heavyweights. That said, there was quite the breadth of representation in the group, from past and current volunteers, patrons, vendors, media (Liz Nicholls and Colin McLean) and a handful of artists (including Fringe favorite Kenneth Brown).

Over the course of the evening, a theme emerged from a majority of the comments – artists and volunteers felt that the Fringe had stopped being about them. These two groups felt ignored, undervalued, and couldn’t see themselves represented in Board leadership. From the jilted ex-volunteer Team Lead who claimed he repeated the same ideas of improvement year after year with no results, to the artists who resented not only the inability to usher in last-minute ticket sales at the door, but also having the opportunity to market through posters and handbilling patrons at the beer tents withdrawn.

Some less obvious effects of top-down decisions were made clear by the green onion cake and mini doughnut vendors, and provided a perspective I had never before considered. When the busker circles were moved away from their stands, they noticed a significant difference in their profits. When they approached staff about the changes to the site layout, they were confused with the response that “vendors had requested that their areas remain congestion free.” The vendors had already met amongst themselves and decided unanimously that more traffic ultimately meant more business potential.

Along with the very vocal opinions were several good suggestions from the audience. While everyone expressed that the online ticketing system was a plus, changes had to be made. For example, setting up two lines at the advance ticketing booths (one for express pick up and the other for general purchases). As well, a percentage of tickets should be held at the door (10-25%), or, at a set time before the show, all unsold tickets should be returned to the door (a tactic that would make better use of otherwise drifting Front of House volunteers).

Ken Brown, the penultimate speaker, really stayed with me, and not just because of his status in the Edmonton theatre community. He had been involved since the first Festival, he said, and in the last 25 years, last year’s Fringe was the worst in his entire experience. He even essentially offered a thinly veiled threat that if something drastic wasn’t done, he would be taking his “gems” elsewhere.

At the end of the meeting, the Board President actually read from a prepared statement, but did end it with an improvised note that the Board would take the issues expressed into consideration, and as standard for such an administration, would produce a report in a few months with recommendations.

For the sake of the Festival, one that has grown to such prosperity and currently maintains a worldwide reputation for great theatre, an inclusive philosophy, and an atmosphere unrivalled in North America, it would be a shame if last year’s changing of the guard results in a continued downward spiral.

At any rate, I will be eagerly looking forward to The Big Kahuna, and not just for the plays.

Citadel Theatre: “Beauty and the Beast”

I’d like to think I’m a bit of a reverse snob when it comes to theatre – I overlook the Citadel in favour of community companies like Shadow and Teatro la Quindicina. Of course, the fact that I am an admitted cheapskate when it comes to ticket prices also has something to do with this, and the only reason I have even set foot in the theatre (to see A Christmas Carol), was actually because the tickets were purchased by my friends. So when Dickson invited me to see Beauty and the Beast with tickets he had bid for in a charity auction at work, I jumped at the chance to “see what I was missing.”

While waiting for the show to begin, I did a bit of local celebrity spotting. It seemed to be media night, as the Journal’s Liz Nicholls, the Sun/CBC’s Colin McLean, Global’s Lorraine Mansbridge and Edmonton Opera’s Artistic Director were all on hand (my question – did Nicholls’ mid-centre seats represent her relative review power? McLean was seated to the far left of the stage, quite the snub, in my opinion). The house was filled with a fair number of children – and after seeing the show (ignoring the expense), I could see why – it is a great way to expose young children to the spectacle and possibilities of theatre.

I loved the cartoon-tinged set, and was amazed at what they were able to do with such a small space. The costumes were impressive for the most part (the gold and silver theme was rich, eye-catching, and coupled with a reliance on yellow lighting tones, gave the scenes a necessary mystical quality about them), with my favorite of the household items being the functional wardrobe and the napkins. I had to wonder, however, about the choice to dress Belle in an oval-shaped hoop dress as opposed to a more flowing ensemble in the last half. I would have preferred a gown that moved with her and the Beast while they danced – another mainstay of fairytale romance sequences.

The songs were catchy (I wanted to run home and listen to whatever version of “Beauty and the Beast” I could get my hands on), and while I agree that the Citadel should be lauded for the incredible feat of “Be Our Guest”, I was actually most drawn to “Gaston”, if not only because I was absolutely craving a dance number by then. The Beast’s solo, “If I Can’t Love Her” was a weak way to end the first act, but plot-wise, it did make sense. And while I understand the constraints of time (especially with a children’s production), the jump to an immediate love connection in “Something There” in the opening of Act 2 was much too sudden.

The cast as a whole had excellent comic timing, but more than that, they seemed to have a great time with the play. Standouts: Kharytia Bilash as Belle (fabulous voice and spunk to boot!), John Ullyatt as a hilariously sexual Lumiere, Sean Hauk as a hyperbolized Gaston, and last but not least, the very agile and acrobatic Colin Heath as LeFou.

Beyond the ticket prices, going to a show is more than a stand alone experience for me. I really do enjoy following the theatre community in Edmonton: knowing which playwrights are up-and-coming, getting a feel for the flavour of a theatre company, and most of all, having the privilege to see the same consistent talents on stage. The majority of the Citadel’s Mainstage cast are brought in from other cities, and while I understand the need to do this, I don’t think I could ever build a “rapport” with the Citadel if the faces and names are revolving on a continuous basis.

So while I enjoyed the show, unless someone extends a free invitation to me again, I doubt I will be back at the Citadel in the near future.

Workshop West: “The Mighty Carlins”

The return of Workshop West from financial oblivion was much heralded in the media, and I am certain the title of their current series, “True Grit”, is as much a reference to the company’s resurrection as to the content of their productions.

Piqued by the choice of Mill Woods as the setting of The Mighty Carlins, I asked Mack to join me for a pay-what-you-can showing on Tuesday night. From the website:

“On the anniversary of his wife’s death, Leo Carlin and his two adult sons come together for their traditional night of drinking until they can’t stand, reminiscing until they can’t remember, and accusing each other of horrible things until they are bonded together as a family once again.”

Walking out of this play, Mack immediately commented on the amount of yelling that had taken place, while I was glad to be out of a space surging with testosterone – the three men were relentless in their display of aggression, one-upsmanship, and macho behavior. It was clear that Carlins is not for the faint of heart – between the language, the drinking, and continuous references to sex, this wasn’t a play for everyone. That said, such a framework couldn’t be avoided; this was the reality of relating to each other for these men. An undertone of blame and guilt was a subtext of the entire play – with Leo’s son Mike in particular questioning his father’s role in his wife’s death. The resolution, albeit tinged with a sad truth, was all too brief given the build-up towards the confrontation.

What small misgivings I had about the script were more than made up for by the stellar performances, however. Veteran John Wright as the snarky father was a presence and force to be reckoned with throughout: stalwart, stubborn and feisty. James Hamilton (who reminded me very much of Chris Fassbender in this role) was fantastically vulnerable and pathetically spineless, and displayed to a T all of the internalized mannerisms by the bullied, picked-on member of the family.

While set in Mill Woods, this could have taken place in any suburb in any major city, with the reference to the “hour long bus ride” and numerous drive-by shootings seeming more like a gimmick than anything else. And oh the drinking – Mack and I wondered how the men were able to avoid running to the bathroom after opening and “consuming” at least fifty cans of beer over the course of the show.

This was my first Workshop West show, so if The Mighty Carlins is any indication of the content they gravitate towards, its productions are a departure for my admittedly narrow theatre experiments. Of course, I will still keep my eye on their schedule, and at the very least, offer them the congratulations they deserve for giving up-and-coming playwrights a platform for expression.

Random Notes

  • Turkey at Christmas not your thing? How about a hamburger for the holidays instead? The popular American chain Fatburger opens its first Edmonton location in South Edmonton Common on December 18, reports Judy Schultz.
  • In this month’s Food for Thought, an article about the nutritionists working for the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames also mentions the series of charity cookbooks that have been published by the team. It seems that the Flames have topped the Oilers on this one, printing three to Edmonton’s one (remember Cooking with Oil?). I think it’s about time we find out what some of the current team members like to eat.
  • Gamers of the world, rejoice: the Merriam-Webster word of the year is “w00t”.
  • Theatre fans, take time to read Paul Matwychuk’s article in this week’s See Magazine. Addressing a controversial piece by Eugene Strickland appearing in December’s edition of Alberta Views, it debates the idea that Edmonton’s theatre scene isn’t as grand as it appears to be. Matwychuk argues that new works by new or unestablished playwrights are more difficult to produce in Edmonton, and cites the burgeoning Fringe as a factor. I will have to give this more thought, but without real knowledge of what goes on down south, it’s difficult to know how true this is.
  • The article does mention Workshop West’s as a barometer of sorts for the theatre climate in Edmonton. Thankfully, its one-year layoff has come to an end, as the company just announced their 2007/8 theatre season (aptly named “True Grit”). I can’t say I’ve been to any of their productions as of yet, but I will be glad to give them a shot in the new year.

Roxy Theatre Performance Series: “BitchSlap!”

After reading numerous interviews with the stars of BitchSlap!, I was more excited than ever to see the show. So on Saturday night, Dickson and I joined a near full house at the Roxy Theatre for a remount of the 2005 Fringe hit. From the website:

“Joan Crawford (The Movie Star) and Bette Davis (The Actress): the ultimate Screen Goddesses. Too bad they hated each other so much! In this real-life showbiz feud, Crawford and Davis battle royally (like Queens) over roles, top billing, Oscars and MEN.”

Reading the brief history of the women as told in the program before the show began really helped anchor the story for me, but I’m certain I would have understood even more of the references if I was actually familiar with the actresses and their work (I kept wondering whether Davis actually spoke with such punctuated silences, or if Crawford was so appreciative of her fans). Still, a lack of prior background knowledge didn’t infringe on a general enjoyment of the play, as there were enough puns and zingers (Trevor Schmidt, as Davis, got to deliver most of them, “[Crawford]’s slept with every man at MGM except Lassie” or “You can lead a whore to culture but cannot teach them to think”) among other comedic funniness to keep me entertained.

The acting was first rate – there was an undeniable chemistry between Schmidt and Darrin Hagen (as Crawford), but more than that, the two actors seemed to be having the time of their lives sparring and one-upping the other. Their scenes together were undoubtedly the most enjoyable. Even though the Whatever Happened to Baby Jane filming sequences felt a bit long, they provided some of the best moments of the play – Crawford’s deliberate hunch while wheelchair bound, and Davis’s building fury in a climactic confrontation between their screen characters.

The closing dialogue tracing the death of both stars’ careers (appropriately delivered by the reporter, Hedda Hopper, played by the always reliable Davina Stewart) was ultimately melancholic in tone, but necessary. No matter how popular or respected they were, in the end, it didn’t matter – as female entertainers, they were treated as disposable commodities – easily replaced once past their prime by the next new up and comer.

Despite the good acting, the laughs, and the story of a feud between two legends of the silver screen, there was something missing from BitchSlap! I have no doubt why it was a hit during the Fringe, but as a full-length, theatre season play, I was expecting more.

2008 Fringe: The Big Kahuna

As reported in Tuesday’s Edmonton Journal, the annual theatre festival is going without the word “Fringe” in their name. The 2008 theme is “The Big Kahuna”, and will legitimize, at least for two weeks next summer, shopping in one of the many surfing-label clothing shops, which continue to curiously proliferate in this landlocked city (Hollister, Quicksilver, etc.).

In her article, Liz Nicholls hints at Festival Director Julian Mayne’s desire to signify a change. But with last year’s stalwart camps of those against the new ticketing system and those more willing to embrace change, it seems Mayne will be bending a little to tradition, as dependent on financing, “all sales are happening at the door,” with the assistance of computer technology at each venue.

The complete list of production companies selected through the lottery system has yet to be uploaded onto the official Fringe website, but after it is, I will be eagerly combing through it to check if any of my recognizable favorites made the cut.

Shadow Theatre: “Almost, Maine”

I’d been looking forward to Almost, Maine for quite some time. Standing in somewhat for Teatro la Quindicina while I await the release of their new season, Shadow Theatre, also based at the Varscona Theatre, offers similar, if not just as quirky fare. From the website:

“Set in a mythical New England small town, Almost, Maine is a witty, insightful, delightful exploration of loves lost, found and mislaid.”

I had heard that this play was one sweet confection, almost overly saccharine, and they weren’t mistaken. But not every one of the eight vignettes were sentimental, so overall, I’d say Almost, Maine was for me, the equivalent to a warm cup of cocoa on a cold day.

The play is perfect for someone with a short attention span, as the scenes didn’t last longer than fifteen minutes or so. I loved the visual metaphors for love – pillows in the scene titled “Getting it Back,” quantified the ‘amount’ of love one gives to another, and in “They Fell,” the literal act of falling to the ground accompanied the epiphany of realizing one’s true emotion. It was great to see Jeff Haslam in a role that was genuinely less kooky than usual, and one that didn’t require the wearing of a tight shirt (he’ll be in the Edmonton Opera’s H.M.S. Pinafore as well!). He was especially good in “Sad and Glad”; my heart broke for him as he encountered his ex for the first time – at her bachelorette party. The music was also a notable achievement – Chris Wynters’ score delicately supported the beauty that is love, and could easily have a place amongst media larger than a community stage (my only nitpick – I could have done without the overly obvious “ding” that indicated the scene’s turning point).

Almost, Maine was a lovely play – no pun intended.