K-W & Beyond

Shaw Festival 2009

It is this time of the year again – Niagara-on-the-Lake in bloom, five of the plays already opened, some to standing ovations, more to come in June and July.

I enjoy the end of May on the Niagara Peninsula – it is warmer than in Central Ontario, the vines are growing, lilies-of-the-valley dispersing its fragrance, the grass so green and fresh. The town and merchants ready for tourists and visitors.

Noël Coward’s Tonight at 8:30 – Brief Encounters – directed by Jackie Maxwell

We are witnessing a very celebrated event of all 10 plays of Tonight at 8:30 series on stage, the first event of this kind. The groups of 3 plays were performed many times. Some of them individually as a single short play, the best-known Still Life produced on film twice, once in 1945 and again in 1974. This summer the Shaw Festival is presenting all 10, three groups of 3 and the 10^th as a lunch performance.

Some of them are stronger, like Still Life, some are just entertainment, and very much depending on the director, staging and acting to either draw the attention or fall flat. The first trio Brief Encounters has a common repetitive motive of exactly such brief encounters, people accidentally meeting – be it at the train station, on the dance floor in We Were Dancing or suddenly facing total strangers in their own living-room as in Hands Across the Sea.

What is interesting in this group of plays – and also in the next two trios – is that the same group of actors performs in all three, changing their personalities, changing relationships, settings, dress and wigs for each of them. In Brief Encounters actress Deborah Hay plays a married woman involved in an unconsummated love affair with a married doctor by meeting him over months on the same day same time every week on the train station (please imagine it to be England in the mid 1930’s), Actor Patrick Galligan in the role of a rather enthusiastic and cheerful doctor. Then the same pair of actors is playing chance partners swept away in their dance in We Were Dancing, then in the third play, Hands Across the Sea both of them acting roles of a couple of flamboyant socialites encountering strangers into their home and trying to figure out who those people are and how come they are in their salon. From quiet drama of lost (potential) love to dancing comedy to farce, we see changing stage décor, changing pace and changes in characters. Very interesting, surprising, involving, what a precious piece revived and what an opportunity to see it.

Other actors, also memorable in their transformations and acting skills – Thom Marriott and Corrine Koslo. Specially Marriott excels in his changes, sometimes almost unrecognizable in his personalities – and changes in dress and make up as well. Bravo for Jackie Maxwell, great productions, so much variety and inspiration.

The next trio Play, Orchestra Play opens in June with music having very important part in the show, Ways of the Heart comes in July – more strange and unexpected love stories, and the single lunch play Star Chamber opens in June.

It is a unique opportunity to see these plays and enjoy Noël Coward, as it should be, at a good repertory theatre, in summer and after a good meal.

Born Yesterday by Garson Kanin, directed by Gina Wilkinson

Born Yesterday is a comedy with the twist – although written in the late 1940’s it contains the elements of politics – in this case American but existing in other countries too – continuing over time and existing in present days: corruption, bribery, lobbying, greed, deception. Even the caricature in the program alludes to some current days dealings.

The newly rich businessman arrives in Washington and needs to mingle with well-connected political society. It would be beneficial for his junk business to secure some changes in the legislature. Never mind the law, people or environment. A lot of papers need to be signed ("no need to read it, dear"); his girlfriend needs some refinement of her manners and presentation as well. The tutor is engaged. The farce begins.

What is absolutely fascinating was that mostly the same group of actors from Brief Encounters had acting parts in Born Yesterday. Thom Marriott so magnificent in his role of Harry Brock, the crude junk king, trashing his way around, Deborah Hay as his stupid blond girlfriend suddenly unexpectedly expanding her knowledge and growing into quite an independent woman, Patrick Galligan as a devoted attorney, and even marginal roles executed so well. Their acting was great, so different in each role, so well executed. Stage decor was welcomed by the audience with applause. It is a pleasure to see the details of the production so well taken care of; it is the difference to the credit of the professional theatre one can appreciate.

Born Yesterday is an absolutely guaranteed piece of summer entertainment, good time and laughter. It runs till November, so there is lots of time to plan.

A Moon for the Misbegotten – by Eugene O’Neill, directed by Joseph Ziegler

It is a very famous play, from after WWII times, one that caused a lot of upheaval and furor in the literary circles both in North America and in Europe. The censorship demanded altering or removing some "language". It was difficult to cast it. Some theatres did not want to stage it. Eventually the times have changed.

The play is about a father and his daughter, impoverished farmers living in a dilapidated shack, who find themselves in danger of losing their home – their landlord has received an attractive offer for the land. However, they are not the poor and virtuous kind. Both are crude, tough, knifing and determined to solve the problems their own way. The father plans to induce the daughter to seduce the landlord, then find them in the compromising situation therefore force him to marry her. The daughter has been in love with the landlord for a long time and with her sleazy past finds it difficult to play an innocent girl. The landlord is also in love with the daughter, cherishing in his head an image of a beautiful and virtuous woman. He is a miserable alcoholic unable to come to terms with the pain and abuse of his childhood. The wily plans of the father played superbly by Jim Mezon turn out to have hidden intention: he wants his daughter to get married and have some security. Josie, the daughter, played by Jenny Young, cannot go through with the vulgar seduction. Jim, the landlord, played by David Jansen, discloses he would not sell the farm because it would mean loosing Josie. It is a sad tragedy of people with lost dreams, lost opportunities, no future.

The real moon for the misbegotten.

Jim Mezon as Phil Hogan is the best. The role fits him well. Jenny Young as Josie does not fit the character as created by O’Neill – she is too pretty, too soft. Josie was supposed to be a tall, fat crude woman; - the comments about her huge body in the play do not coincide with Jenny Young’s appearance. David Jansen as a drunk James Tyrone could be stronger too. The stage setting is good, and I was delighted to see this play on stage.

Shaw Festival 2009 Guide can be mailed to you calling Shaw Festival Box Office at 1-800-511-SHAW or through the website www.shawfest.com.

Whether it is a day’s drive or several days visit – Niagara-on-the-Lake is always a pleasure to visit, shops and restaurants beckoning. With the spring and sunshine here, make driving to Shaw Festival one of your summer plans.