Tag: Edmonton

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.

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.

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.

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.

Grant MacEwan Theatre Arts: “Little Women”

After dinner, the three of us proceeded to John L. Haar Theatre for Grant MacEwan’s production of Little Women. From the website:

“Set in New England during the Civil War, Little Women follows the adventures of four sisters – Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy March – as they grow up. After their father leaves for battle and under their mother’s guidance, the girls must rely on each other for strength in the face of tragedies both large and small. The story will captivate audiences of all ages while telling of the sisters’ progress into womanhood with the added strains of the romance, illness, the pressures of marriage and the outside world.”

The success of this musical wholly depended on a charismatic and talented Jo, and here, the casting was pitch-perfect. Alissa Keogh had a believable headstrong, tomboyish charm, and vocal abilities that put her stage mates to shame. I mean the following as nothing but a compliment: her voice is made for the wholesome songs of the Disney canon, and I have no doubt she has a bright future ahead of her.

As for the rest of the cast, the choice of Yemie Sonuga of African descent was an inspired choice for Marmee (with the backdrop of the American Civil War), but it was a shame that her acting was uneven and forced. Jaclyn Nestman as Beth and Kristy Neufeld as Meg were quite good in their roles, however, and Matthew Van Boeyen did his best to play with dignity a man at least thirty years his senior.

As for the rest of the production, I have an admitted difficulty avoiding obvious comparisons with other adaptations, and in this case, it would be with the 1994 Winona Ryder film. While the play’s Amy was able to redeem herself, and win over the audience (unlike in the movie), I sorely wished for the impossible appearance of a young Christian Bale to reprise his role as Laurie. As in the movie, I still find Jo’s “hasty” marriage to Professor Bhaer an unbelievable, unsatisfying ending. Though Jo’s happiness in finding a connection with someone literary, who challenged her and supported her work as an author is understandable, I can’t believe this happy ending would come so quickly.

For a student production, Little Women was quite good, and it was a treat to watch Alissa Keogh perform, undoubtedly a star in the making.

Theatre Network: “A Beautiful View”

My first show of this theatre season was Theatre Network’s A Beautiful View, showing at the Roxy Theatre (with newly renovated bathrooms!). Website synopsis in a nutshell:

“Two nameless women come together, drop out of each other’s lives, and meet again to the realization that some things are impossible to give up.”

The two women were played by Davina Stewart and Caroline Livingstone, and were the principal reason behind why I decided to see this play. But even now, after some reflection, I’m still not sure what to make of it.

The play began on a laboriously slow note – without any speaking for the first few minutes. And between the dim lighting and soundtrack of crickets, May and I struggled to keep up. The set throughout was very much bare bones (something I am not used to seeing at the Roxy), almost to the point of Fringe-like simplicity. This did ensure that the audience would not be distracted from the two leads.

The constant repetition of the phrase “nothing is enough” (whether it is interpreted as nothing can ever be sufficient, or to have nothing is fine) was and interesting thread throughout, especially as the women traversed jobs, marriages, and deaths in the family.

At the crux of it, I did resonate with the central message of the play – questioning society’s constant need to label everything (e.g. “couple”, “heterosexual”) because I know I am sometimes guilty of jumping to naming as the easy conclusion. I could see that for these women, whether they were friends and/or lovers really didn’t matter – their connection, and only the connection that they felt with one another without judgment or expectation was important.

The ending was another story entirely, and one that felt to me like a cop-out. But I am willing to admit that I may simply not have understood or appreciated the possibility of it coming across as beautifully simple.

A Beautiful View wasn’t the best way to start off the new theatre season, but then again, it can only get better from here.

Film: “Roman Holiday”

I was craving some classic escapist fare, as it has been quite some time since I have been to an Edmonton Film Society screening. Roman Holiday was a good pick – Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck frolicking amongst Rome’s most famous sites – what could be better?

Surprisingly, the city wasn’t highlighted as much as I remembered (the Trevi Fountain was only shown in passing, boo), though of course, the Vespa ride through the streets has perhaps surpassed the film itself to become an essential activity for tourists. The comic scare at the “Mouth of Truth” was also memorable, as was the scene in front of the supposed “Wall of Wishes,” which no longer exists as shown in the movie.

Director William Wyler created some fantastic moments of tension, particularly at the end. Her move to meet the press representatives, for example, had audiences holding out for the moment she arrives at Peck’s character. And with Peck’s final walk out of the hall, the camera positioned to capture any movement from the door which Hepburn exited moments before…who wasn’t eagerly awaiting a flash of white to appear?

What is undeniably wonderful about Roman Holiday, however, is Audrey Hepburn. Dazzling in her film debut, I am sure part of the reason she ended up winning an Oscar was because the voters simply couldn’t take their eyes off of her. Radiant and charming, she nailed the steady, aristocratic tone of controlled acknowledgement (if I could just learn how to say “Thank you” as she does in the movie…) and conveyed the difficult choice of duty above self. Clothed in Edith Head’s stunning gowns, Hepburn is unforgettable as Princess Anne.

Roman Holiday is likely stocked at your local rental branch, but here’s a tip – it’s also available at the Edmonton Public Library.