Ottawa Tonite.com : Section Title
Posts Tagged ‘Ottawa Tonite’
A Midwinter’s Dream Tale: A Very Serious Conversation with AL Connors*
*AL and HM are married, and as such are completely incapable of having a serious conversation
Photo courtesy - Andrew Alexander
HM: AL Connors. First of all, I would like to thank you for joining me in the house that we both live in.
AL: It is a pleasure to be here, as always, Heather Marie.
HM: I wanted to ask you a few questions about “A Midwinter’s Dream Tale”, opening this week at the GCTC, very big deal…
AL: Yup.
HM: Can you give me your basic 140-character summary of what the show is?
AL: #GCTCmwdt is about two clowns on a quest for ice cream who get wrapped up in a Shakespearean mash-up of the characters from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and some of the storylines from “The Winter’s Tale”.
HM: And the two protagonists in this story are…
AL: Two clowns, named Pomme Frites and ‘Restes, played by Scott Florence and Margo MacDonald.
HM: Right. And this isn’t the first time that audiences have seen Pomme and ‘Restes – I wonder if you could talk a bit about the genesis of those two characters.
Photo courtesy - Andrew Alexander
AL: Pomme and ‘Restes were first seen on stage at the 2001 Ottawa Fringe Festival in a show called “The Danish Play” (later re-made as “Shakespeare’s Danish Play”)…but rehearsing Danish Play in 2001, I don’t remember Scott or Margo ever ‘workshopping’ either Pomme or ‘Restes.. I just remember them being Pomme and ‘Restes, and, me trying to keep up as the clown named Landis in that play. So, yeah, Pomme and ‘Restes, to my knowledge, poofed into existence in 2001.
HM: That’s amazing. Midwinter’s Dream Tale takes place in what we’re told is a winter wonderland, but it’s sort of a magical winter wonderland – can you tell me about the world of the play?
AL: Yeah, it’s a land inhabited by fairies. Presumably if you’re familiar with Shakespeare, you’ll start to place the setting in reference to a “Midsummer Night’s Dream” because we’re talking about Oberon and Titania, the King and Queen of the fairies. Oberon suspects Titania of being unfaithful, which is one of the stories from “Winter’s Tale”, and he suspects that she’s been with a mortal, which is presumably Bottom from “Midsummer Night’s Dream”. And it’s been about nine months since that play, so, I guess we’re outside the Athenian woods in a crazy snowy Canadian winter? Kind of? Really, it’s fairyland.
HM: Um, do we want to address the fact that our cat is meowing incessantly?
AL: That depends on what you intend to use this recording for…I was told you were going to transcribe this. But if it’s going to be released, the cat clearly has opinions.
HM: I think she wants to be included.
AL: Yes. There is no reason why she shouldn’t be.
HM: This is the first ever co-production between a Company of Fools and the GCTC – how did that happen?
AL: I don’t really know, honestly. When we produced the show in 2009, Lise Ann and a whole bunch of folks came to see the play. I know that immediately following, Scott or Margo or both had conversations with the Great Canadian Theatre Company that were ‘hey wouldn’t it be great if we could do this big silly show at your house’. And then…14 months of nothing…and then I found out through Scott Florence, who was doing all of the actual wheeling and dealing on behalf of the show, that it was happening. Then we had to hold our tongues (that was in November/December) and not tell anyone about it until April, when the GCTC announced their season. So, that was hard. I told all kinds of people. I was pretty excited.
HM: Well, you are the director of this show…
AL: Yup.
HM: …and you directed it in 2009, and for that work you were nominated for a Rideau Award…
AL: I suppose I was.
HM: …what’s it like to be working as a director at the GCTC?
AL: I’ve had nothing but very positive experiences working at the GCTC – first as sound designer for the Lawyer Play, for Mr. Pat Gauthier’s “The Crucible” – and I feel very fortunate for the opportunity to work on that show; to get to know everyone in the theatre and get to know how that building works, before having to come in as a director. So that experience was great for all sorts of reasons. This time around, yeah… I could totally work there, just, forever. Or at least, I don’t hate it yet. It’s still all fun and exciting and new, and a novelty for me. Everybody’s been very supportive and, I’m sure it helps that the show we’re working on is a big, inclusive, ridiculous affair that is easy for people to get excited about. You know, all the stuff gets moved into the building, and you know that there’s clowns on site, all the time.
HM: So…let’s talk about the fact there are clowns on site all the time. What is it like to direct clowns?
AL: You have to resign yourself to the fact that…um, they’re gonna want to do what they want to do, and so…sometimes you have to ask Pomme and ‘Restes what they want in a scene. It’s great. It’s truly…look, let me put it this way: working with clowns, in real life, as a professional, you’re basically just in a somewhat state of make-believe, all the time. There’s always some play happening when Pomme and ‘Restes are in the room. Period. And you can try to overthink it, which is what I just did – but the bottom line is: when clowns are in the room, at some level, no matter how hard you’re working or how frustrated you are, there’s still some play happening.
HM: Right. So, Midwinter’s Dream Tale is a comedy…
AL: Yeah, I hope so.
HM: …you work a lot in comedy…
AL: I enjoy working in comedy, yes.
HM: Tell me about directing comedy. Who are your influences when it comes to your own brand of comedy?
AL: I have never been asked who my influences are…in any situation…before…
HM: Inquiring minds want to know, AL Connors.
AL: Yeah, well, they’re about to find out. And you know who most of these influences are: I’m a fan of Judd Apatow movies, big fan of Will Ferrell…growing up my folks showed me Monty Python, so, British comedy stuff…um, lately, Stephen Colbert is probably my favourite comedian…that type of political satire is fun…I don’t have it in me to do that kind of comedy, but I enjoy it.
HM: So what kind of comedy are you thinking about when you’re directing Midwinter’s?
AL: I guess if I had to put a label on it, the kind of comedy I’m thinking about is Company of Fools.
HM: Nice.
AL: ‘Cause I’ve worked with them for over 10 years now, and over that time I’ve really come to respect and understand that flavour of comedy – it is pretty unique to that company. And I’ve watched other people try to do it, and have it be a struggle, ’cause it’s a really difficult style of comedy to pull off. Partly because… it’s in the bones of that style of comedy to be accessible. It has to be accessible to the whole rainbow of ages, and, basically we’re forcing ourselves to work within that box – to come up with ways to get the most out of not breaking all the rules. (to the cat) Isn’t that right, kitty?
HM: (to the cat) Kitty, we are doing a very serious interview right now, and you need to respect that. Now be quiet.
So, back to the topic of inspiration…
AL: You really told our cat off. And she listened…is the most impressive thing…I just had to comment on that.
HM: You just have to reason with her.
AL: I guess I didn’t give the cat enough credit.
HM:<ahem> Inspirations.
AL: Yes.
HM: How much have I inspired you, during this creative process?
AL: Um…well…okay…the writing process for the play started in August of 2009, and throughout that Fall, the Fools would have these writing meetings, where we’d get on our feet for some bits and we’d pitch story ideas…we’d get homework where everyone would have to come up with a scene and bring it back. And so I’d come home from some of these meetings, and like, toss ideas around with you, in a similar manner. And, in memory, because I love you, some of those ideas get mishmashed together, and I can’t remember whose idea some things were…
HM: That’s okay. I am just surprised you came up with an answer to that question, cause I was just kidding.
And finally, AL Connors, opening night is this Thursday night…what will you be wearing?
AL: <Sigh> I don’t know. Probably this pinky, pinstripey shirt I have that matches, or at least ties in with, some of the costumes in the show, and then with that, maybe a white tie.
HM: Thank you for this.
AL: Hey, it was my pleasure. I am happy to talk about myself.
A Midwinter’s Dream Tale, a Company of Fools production, opens December 1st at the GCTC and runs until December 18th. Family pricing is available, please see gctc.ca for all the details.
APPRAISE of the Theatre: . . . EXIT UP.
[Ken Godmere is an Ottawa-based freelance actor/director with 35 years experience and offered his theatre reviews as an unbiased professional appraisal. www.kengodmere.com]
It was quite a year for Ottawa theatre and quite a year for me in the role of a reviewer. And now, as this new theatre season begins, I have decided not to renew my column commitment with Ottawa Tonite.
Even with some indications that “APPRAISE” may not be what the Ottawa theatre scene wants, it is actually my fresh focus on acting and directing that is driving my decision (performing in a television series pilot with Parktown Productions, creating two films for the Digi60 Festival, developing a new webseries with Tim Anderson, performing a new solo show for a national Fringe tour, and more). I am full-plated. And sated.
To wrap a whole year of experience and experiences, I graciously thank Ottawa Tonite Producer and Editor, Cheryl Gain for such faith and support. A big thanks to the theatre companies, casts, and crews for inviting me and trusting me to review their work. And so much appreciation to the readers and the commenters for sharing in the life of my “APPRAISE of the Theatre” column.
Au revoir, merci, et merde.
>> Ken
.
APPRAISE of the Theatre: Disney’s “The Lion King” at the N.A.C.
[Ken Godmere is an Ottawa-based freelance actor/director with 35 years experience and offers his theatre reviews as an unbiased professional appraisal. www.kengodmere.com]
* Opening Night, Saturday July 16, 2011 *
It’s big. It’s bold. And it’s blatant. The first few lines of credits in the programme read: Disney presents The Lion King. Music & Lyrics by Elton John & Tim Rice. Additional Music & Lyrics by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor, Hans Zimmer. Book by Roger Allers & Irene Mecchi. Adapted from the screenplay by Irene Mecchi & Jonathan Roberts & Linda Woolverton. (Whew!)
Bringing a ‘classic’ Disney movie to the live theatrical stage poses two very big questions. Why? And how? Both magnified exponentially when the original film is animated and the characters are animals. Why would someone want to do a staged musical about animals? Although Cats has had a very long and successful run, my first point was going to be that it should have a strong story as a core. (And Cats didn’t. So go figure that one out. And then let me know.)
The Lion King‘s story is from Disney’s 1994 animated film of the same name, which is thematically from Shakespeare’s Hamlet (and that was probably from some earlier fable or lore) — a Prince’s succession is sidetracked by his father’s death at his uncle’s hand. Okay, with a story to tell, art to create, and money to make, the next question is: how?
Julie Taymor. Her name is all over this show – Director, Costume Design, Mask/Puppet Co-design, and Additional Lyrics. Very well known for risky, novel creativity, Ms.Taymor tapped deeply into the roots of Africa for concepts, style, and story-telling. Strong and stirring. Creative and courageous. And costly. So the questions is, still, how? Money. Who has more money than Disney? And it is their property. So now I have another question. Were they trying to bring the story to the stage? Or the movie? (Which is, to me, a dangerous mix and misuse of media.) Or are were they fighting to do both?
In the staged production I saw on Saturday night, there were several powerful plusses. The opening pageant of animals was truly moving. And magical, in seeing through the rough and raw mechanics to the humans living inside. Also profoundly apparent were the strong feelings of this cast of fifty creating a village of tribal story-telling with their puppets, shadows, dance, and colourful cultural costumes. Even the highly-technical and complex staging of the wildebeest stampede worked well because it was dramatically countered with the bare, simple, human moments between Simba, his fallen father, and his sinister uncle, Scar.
Where the production struggled and clashed with itself was, ironically, in some of those same areas. Spectacle often trumped spirit. Machine over human. Being. The masks and puppetry of key characters were inconsistent in extremes ranging from the lions’ simple head-top masks allowing them full access to motion and emotion; through the awkwardly distracting and varied versions of the hyenas; all the way to an exact replica of the movie’s cartoony Timon the meerkat, leaving his puppeteer walking awkwardly and separately behind him in floppy feet, green camouflage and face paint. These extremes were also reflected in staging and characterization. Some characters were allowed to grow in the story and in the evolution of the production with new scenes and songs for the scheming Scar and for the maturing Simba and Nala. But that growth and life were completely absent in the characterizations of Timon and Pumbaa which ended up being a strict and rigid parroting of the movie’s original cast soundtrack. Even delicate design choices of organic fabric leaves and plants were slammed with glaring kiddie-kitsch when two giant plastic inflatable plants were pushed onstage, then deflated to sagging as an illustration of the thirteenth Pumbaa fart joke.
With such a sprawling show, there are bound to be bald spots. And when the show is as big and busy as The Lion King, over-mechanized devices and cloying gimmicks and jarring irregularities can mortally wound the story and the heart of the show. This fighting between indigenous African story-telling and American Disney-factory fodder may simply be the timeless friction between the piece of art being painted and the wall of money it’s hanging on. (See Woody Allen’s Bullets Over Broadway.) (I mean it. Literally. See it.)
Thankfully, there were also some individual spirited performances growing and glowing between the machines and the marketing. There were memorable notes in the performances of leading characters like Scar, Mufasa, Simba, and young Nala. But worthy of special mention were Buyi Zama’s playful charm and chants in the role of the mystical Rafiki. And Syndee Winters, who brought it all together, acting, singing and dancing (and fighting) with power, grace, and that “something else” in the way of believing and discovering it all as new. I would also like to spotlight the actor who played young Simba on opening night (no programme indication whether it was Niles Fitch or Zavion J. Hill). For a performer with smaller stature, age and experience on this big stage in a big show with big players to find real moments to be present and to believe (in a way few “Disney Channel actors” can or do), his character earned my sentiments; and his “character” earned my respect.
There is something deep in Disney’s The Lion King as it takes us on a spectacular walk along an earthy path. And something cheap in being served plastic-wrapped mechanically produced process cheese slices at every intersection.
MY ASSESSMENT: | Brilliant | Clear | Murky | Flawed | – a tangled charm bracelet.
————————————————
Disney’s The Lion King
continues at the N.A.C.’s Southam Hall
through August 7, 2011.
Tickets available ONLINE
by phone through Ticketmaster 1-888-991-2787 (ARTS)
or at the NAC Box Office
————————————————
[Requests for "APPRAISE of the Theatre" reviews should be directed to info@ottawatonite.com]
Ottawa Fringe Festival 2011: Momma’s Boy – “Just listen to the music”
Momma’s Boy, a script hot off the pen of Ottawa’s most-produced playwright, brings to the stage a slice of everyday life—with all its joys, fears, and choices.
The show features Rachel Eugster as Daphne, who has spent most of her adult life raising goats in the North; Bronwyn Steinberg as her daughter Ginny, who wants nothing more than to make a life anywhere else; and William Somers as Jordan, who in coming North has finally found everything he wanted—and then some. Eleanor Crowder’s tight storytelling style, as playwright and director, brings this story to life without a wasted word or gesture.
Rachel Eugster stepped out of the frame to interview her fellow actors about this exciting project for Ottawa Tonite.
In Ottawa, Crowder is known primarily for her work with Salamander Shakespeare Co. and GNAG theatre. Momma’s Boy shows off a depth and breadth of skill that may surprise this audience. Rachel sat down with Eleanor to learn more about the show’s genesis and the playwright’s intentions.
Music and improvised sound provide the driving pulse of Momma’s Boy—a theatrical manifestation of the soundtrack that Crowder believes we all carry in our heads. A stellar team of musicians brings that to life: Tony Nguyen on clarinet and Daniel Tarof, alternating with Kevin Guerette, on guitar and bass. Rachel sat down with the guys to get their perspective on providing the musical spine of the show.
All videos courtesy: Kevin Burton
APPRAISE of the Theatre: Orpheus Musical Theatre’s “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”
[Ken Godmere is an Ottawa-based freelance actor/director with 35 years experience and offers his theatre reviews as an unbiased professional appraisal. www.kengodmere.com]
* Opening Night, Friday June 3, 2011 *
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels‘ book by Jeffrey Lane and music and lyrics by David Yazbek are almost great. Based on the 1988 Michael Caine/Steve Martin film of the same name, the musical has many energetic elements – a big story of the seductive greed of two American conmen in the south of France, with twists and turns, comedy and action, colourful characters, and a few memorable songs. But size and quantity of elements doesn’t always translate to ‘greatness’ as an enduring piece of theatre. Usually, the “Hey, let’s make a musical out of that” practice results in lumps of stage gags, schtick songs, and low comedy set-ups shoved in to bulk it up and package it in a broad way. Some of Dirty Rotten Scoundrel’s songs and bits do seem, as in the golden age of musicals, designed more for the personalities of the specific stars that originated the roles (think Rex Harrison, Bert Lahr and in this case, for those of you who know: John Lithgow and Norbert Leo Butz). And its lengthy list of scene changes certainly feels the stresses of cramming all those film edits onto a live, real-time stage – at the risk of a company’s cast, crew, budget, and audience interest.
Orpheus’ new (Ottawa premiere) production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was plugged into many of the energetic elements and found the heat and humour. Almost. The set was a definite and dramatic asset. Designer Jennifer Donnelly and her team found a beautiful balance of math and art in making all those changes possible with clean French Riviera style. Some of the “almosts” were in the lighting, sound and costume departments. Hey, they each had a lot of things working well, quite well, but imbalances (cast members in dark clothing lost in under-lit areas, starkly unbalanced follow-spots cutting across an extremely white jacket, opening night glitched sound cues and microphone qualities) occasionally took more work to keep us in the play.
Director and 14 year Orpheus member, Shaun Toohey brought sense and sass to this potentially unwieldy vehicle. His story-telling was strong — almost strong enough to endure the lags and sags and stray, hollow gags. In the lead roles of Lawrence Jameson and Freddy Benson, actors Rob Henderson and David McLaughlin were very capable of hitting every note, every mark and every joke with fun size and energy, but with less depth, truth and connection they seemed to rely on the situation to lead the story, the company, and our interest. Mr. Henderson did find some sincerity in the understated moments and clever comedy, but Mr. McLaughlin’s strings of physical bits and bawdy humour were not very meaningful or memorable without the core or the care. It was Shawna McSheffrey’s completely generous joy on stage as Christine Colgate that felt, well, “felt”. Ms. McSheffrey, with no ego or excuses, invested everything for the character, the story and for us. And she was not alone. Specifically comfortable on stage was Lawrence Evenchick as the dirty police chief, André Thibault, who put both the ‘supporting’ and the ‘character’ into supporting character. In a standout turn as Jolene (one of the dirty rotten scoundrel duo’s targets), Christa Cullain was an electromagnetic force from the moment we saw her, through her show-stopping number, onto her solid support in her colleagues’ scenes, and well after her departure. Irish O’Brien also brought some stylish fun and the entire supporting ensemble was sharp even through some fraying dance numbers.
I did laugh out loud a few times and with its strong energy and some plugged-in performances, this production was almost bright.
MY ASSESSMENT: | Brilliant | Clear | Murky | Flawed | – an oversized rhinestone with some wiggle room in the ring.
————————————————
Orpheus Musical Theatre Society’s production of
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
continues through June 12, 2011
at Centrepointe Theatre.
The Box Office is located at:
Centrepointe Theatre
Ben Franklin Place
101 Centrepointe Drive
Please visit their website at www.centrepointetheatre.com
Tickets may be ordered by phone at 613-580-2700
(or toll free at 1 866 752-5231). A service charge applies.
Visa and Mastercard accepted; Interac available (in person only).
————————————————
[Requests for "APPRAISE of the Theatre" reviews should be directed to info@ottawatonite.com]
APPRAISE of the Theatre: “Lauchie, Liza and Rory” at the NAC
– by Ken Godmere
[Ken Godmere is an Ottawa-based freelance actor/director with 35 years experience and offers his theatre reviews as an unbiased professional appraisal. www.kengodmere.com]
* Opening Night — Thursday April 7, 2011 *
Sheldon Currie’s Cape Breton born and raised script follows the unassuming life of Lauchie (pronounced “law-key”) MacDonald, a coal miner living with his widowed mother. A fateful evening at the bingo hall spins Lauchie into the arms of the vivacious Liza. Following a $500 bingo win, Lauchie and Liza announce their engagement and their plans to move in next door — just as Lauchie’s smooth-talking twin brother, Rory returns home. As the years pass, Liza’s choice of brothers weighs heavily on her and on the family.
The production design was aptly quaint and simple for the “company house” in a coal mine town. A little on the dark and drab side, it may have been too clay a base for life to grow or glow. An unfortunate wilting occurred with the choice of music. Although the play began with the acoustically brisk colour of Mairi Rankin’s mastery of the fiddle, she was then sat upstage in the dark as many of the musical moments underscoring the dancing, mood, atmosphere and scene transitions came from generic audio recordings. Director Mary-Colin Chisholm has been at the helm of this play from its 50-minute version; through its long and winding road; to this current full-length production by the Mulgrave Road Theatre in association with Frankie Productions. The direction is strong in the pleasant charm of the storytelling, but really thins out in want of focus, pace and energy on the stage. There are a few cleverly tight moments – the four-handed card game performed by two actors certainly stands out; and the bible/priest was good for a laugh. But with so many different staging styles (a parade of bits and bobs and tricks and schticks) the play as a whole was inconsistent and, at times distracting. The mother for example was portrayed as a painting (first by one actor, then the other actor, then a hand, then a fist). I thought perhaps she was dead and her portrait ‘coming to life’ was part of their memory, imagination and decor. I was wrong. Most of the production depended on the actors jumping back-and-forth between characters. So, when Rory Junior was played as an empty space with a disembodied voice, it took some getting used to. And then, in the next scene, he was played by one of the actors. I want to follow the “laws of the universe” created by a production, but when they drop them, they drop me.
Christian Murray, playing half of the characters in the play, brought physical, humorous, and crafty experience to his performance. His ability to snap fully between characters, especially the disparate twin brothers was often moving and memorable. Natasha MacLellan’s vocal and physical energy was lower and slower, but she did bring a sincerity to both the conflicted Liza and Lauchie’s plain-jane sister, Anne.
The line between the touching story at one end — and our theatre evening at the other — felt stretched and sagged with the loads of ideas clothespinned onto it.
MY ASSESSMENT: | Brilliant | Clear | Murky | Flawed | – a simple little stone buried in a brooch.
__________
“Lauchie, Liza and Rory” by Sheldon Currie continues at the NAC Studio through April 16, 2011
Tickets are available for purchase:
In person at the NAC Box Office
At all Ticketmaster outlets
By telephone from Ticketmaster, (613) 755-1111
Online through the Ticketmaster link on the NAC’s website (www.nac-cna.ca)
A service charge applies on all purchases made through Ticketmaster.
__________
[Requests for "APPRAISE of the Theatre" reviews should be directed to info@ottawatonite.com]
APPRAISE of the Theatre: The NAC’s “Saint Carmen of the Main”
– by Ken Godmere
[Ken Godmere is an Ottawa-based freelance actor/director with 35 years experience and offers his theatre reviews as an unbiased professional appraisal. www.kengodmere.com]
* Tuesday March 22, 2011 *
Michel Tremblay’s script has the elements of classic greek tragedy, iconic character types, and geographically cultural folklore that may see it studied and staged in 2500 years as well. This new translation by Linda Gaboriau is a smart balance of the 1976 fabled French characters as they live on a 2011 English stage. The “language” within the monologues and around the choral structure holds fast and strong as Carmen returns to her roots in Montreal’s “Main” nightclub scene with new ideals and ideas about herself, her world, and her role in it.
The National Arts Centre’s English Theatre, in co-production with Canadian Stage (Toronto), has brought together a powerful team of artists, designers and performers for this project. Set and costume designer Eo Sharp boldly threw the red-light district straight at us. Her creative costuming took a dozen uniquely human body types and dipped them in red hot wax giving the chorus strikingly individual uniformity. This was contrasted with the extreme blacks and whites of the antagonists and protagonist respectively. The powerful set was extremely clean and smooth (though possibly overly grand for a gritty burlesque inner-city night club). I especially appreciated the passionate marriage of those designs with Bonnie Beechers lighting – using the shapes and textures to bounce, reflect and shade her own electric visions. Director, Peter Hinton brought all of this together with clean, clear life and leadership. The daring style was not welded on as a sidecar to an older vehicle, but a texture and tone living in, around and through the entire ride. The high-heeled boots, pumps, and stilettos provided acoustic rhythms in the fluidly patterned staging. And the simple power-plays in the round room were efficiently effective most of the time. Featuring a full roster of the NAC English Theatre Acting Company, “Saint Carmen of the Main” was both ballsy and believable. Solidly surrounding Carmen were three sharp and angular performances from Diane D’Aquila as Harelip, Carmen’s dresser; Jean Leclerc as Maurice, her boss; and Jackie Richardson (rightfully) as the dangerous diva and Carmen’s early mentor, Gloria. These were performances that easily swept me away from my job as reviewer. Thank you. Now, with such tall towers, Laara Sadiq’s bar was set quite high in the title role. Although Ms. Sadiq stood with professional strength and stamina, she was not able to climb very far; or find her upper ranges – making Carmen’s fall less important and less involving.
This production of Linda Gaboriau’s new translation of “Saint Carmen of the Main” by Michel Tremblay is positively charged in its words and its world, but Carmen herself was not hot enough to really ignite the core.
MY ASSESSMENT: | Brilliant | Clear | Murky | Flawed | – a classic crystal in a bold clasp.
__________
Saint Carmen of the Main by Michel Tremblay and translated by Linda Gaboriau plays at the NAC Theatre through April 2, 2011
Tickets are available for purchase:
In person at the NAC Box Office
At all Ticketmaster outlets
By telephone from Ticketmaster, (613) 755-1111
Online through the Ticketmaster link on the NAC’s website (www.nac-cna.ca)
A service charge applies on all purchases made through Ticketmaster.
__________
[Requests for "APPRAISE of the Theatre" reviews should be directed to info@ottawatonite.com]
APPRAISE of the Theatre: Orpheus Musical Theatre’s production of “Into The Woods”
– by Ken Godmere
[Ken Godmere is an Ottawa-based freelance actor/director with 35 years experience and offers his theatre reviews as an unbiased professional appraisal. www.kengodmere.com]
*Opening night, Friday March 4, 2011.* Stephen Sondheim’s music and lyrics explore the literal and metaphorical journeys into the woods by classic fairy tale characters, Cinderella, Jack, and the Baker with his wife. Magically tying these together is James Lapine’s script — along with the Witch, who not only lives next door, but has connections to the other characters by what she needs from them: the cow as white as milk, the cape as red as blood, the hair as yellow as corn, the slipper as pure as gold. It is brilliant and it is magical. It is bold and it is blunt. Be careful what you wish for. The path through the woods is not always straight.
The Orpheus Musical Theatre Society’s production began on such a strong note – the bold, bright, crisp, clear, music and vocals. Such an intricate score was met with confidently clean tone, harmony, and balance. Measured and meticulous throughout. Wow. But that strict structure quickly became the production’s main obstacle. Not much else could survive that regime. The set design’s sparse and barren feeling seemed to affect and reflect the entire show. Thin, bare twigs painted on the backdrop (and a few fluorescent green risers and flats) looked like a post forest-fire environment with no organic life, growth or interconnectivity. And when the text put so much emphasis on “the woods” themselves, then the dead, open spaces ended up feeling even more awkward and barren. The lighting had some dramatic effect on the backdrop and occasionally on the stage (despite opening night cue problems), but, again, with little connectivity to the life and flow in those woods. Even the costumes and wigs were a hodgepodge of suitable, dull and distracting.
Director Michael Gareau may have hit a couple of moments with strength, but more often left his cast far afield to scurry on and off, unprotected and disconnected. Choices such as having the cow character dance a vaudeville soft-shoe during the buoyantly bonding “It Takes Two” between the Baker and his Wife completely deflated any building conflict and involvement. Many of the characters were lost or dislocated in the bleakness. While a few performers did try to compensate, only a couple managed to find both root and blossom. Graeme Parke, as Jack returning from his adventure up the beanstalk, was the first to really reach out to us with the song “There are Giants in the Sky”. His warm and quirky humanity was truly fun – a “dim bulb” that was fully plugged-in. The true belle of this ball was Skye MacDiarmid as Cinderella. Without missing a note or sacrificing a syllable, Miss MacDiarmid grew and flew in the role, using her superior vocal talents as a facet, and not the focus, of her daring and demure character. She believed. And so did I.
With all the potential magic in the script and the score, this production of “Into The Woods” simply sat as a three hour cardboard concert that could have been recorded as a nice CD for us to listen to in the car.
MY ASSESSMENT: | Brilliant | Clear | Murky | Flawed | – plainly cut and poorly set.
__________
Orpheus Musical Theatre Society
“Into The Woods” plays at Centrepointe Theatre through March 13, 2010.
The Box Office is located at:
Centrepointe Theatre
Ben Franklin Place
101 Centrepointe Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K2G 5K7
Visit their website at www.centrepointetheatre.com
or call 613-580-2700 (toll free at 1 866 752-5231) for their hours of operation.
Tickets may be ordered by phone at 613-580-2700 (or toll free at 1 866 752-5231).
A service charge applies.
Visa and Mastercard accepted; Interac available (in person only).
__________
[Requests for "APPRAISE of the Theatre" reviews can be directed to info@ottawatonite.com]
Looking back and looking within…
As the new year begins, and I am looking back on what has been accomplished and covered over the past 12 months over at Ottawa Tonite, and I am really forced to examine why anyone would want a space like this to exist. What is the value of showcasing Ottawa artists and experiencing art?
What I’ve learned above all else through maintaining this online space - is that as human beings we all have this constant need to express and really struggle with how to do it effectively.Whether it is the like-minded people that we seek, or a place to learn more and get some new ideas – getting our emotions “out there” is essential to our well-being. Artists are actually designed to help us with that.
The artists that I have met and have been lucky enough to work with in Ottawa have depth and sensitivity that shapes their art. They struggle just like the rest of us, to express what they are feeling…and often feel things with a higher intensity. Luckily for us (and them) these people have the ability to express what they perceive - whether it’s through performance or written words - singing or speaking to us – capturing a visual or writing it all down for us to read and share. They live and breath for their art. They have figured-out how to shout it from the rooftops.
For anyone who has ever attempted to describe impact of a moment and what it is that brings tears to the eyes, or a warm feeling and new hope – it can be a relief to read a poem or song lyrics – and to hear those emotions accurately described by someone who has a gift for words or an eye for an image that speaks to for us.
Thank you to the artitsts for their work and to the incredible contributors of Ottawa Tonite for your interest and your passion throughout the past year. You are really giving us all something that we are looking for - helping us find a balance in life. This is why I want to continue to dig-in and learn from this community. You are sharing what you do naturally, and we are all benefitting.
Cheryl
