Finally a good role for Colm Feore. Cyrano allows him to use all his talents - comedy to tragedy, but still permits him to talk about love and passion without having to demonstrate it.
Mike Sharra was excellent as the lover Christian de Neuvillette.
Amanda Lisman was a new face for us and was excellent as Roxanne.
This is a strange play, as it covers a wide range of time and space. The last act is dramatic, but could easily be cut out and the play could end with the battle, leaving the results ambiguous.
The cators at Stratford again demonstrated their level of professionalism, restarting the play after it had to be stopped for a medical emergency. They came back on stage and picked up where they left off perfectly.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Jersey Boys
Lots of fun and a lot better than I expected. But Des MacAnuff does this kind of show really well.
Great music of my youth. I went with my mother and sister, and realised that my mother was only in her early 30's when this music was first around. So she not only knew it but it was part of her youth, too! My sister was too young to have heard it when it came out.
Great music of my youth. I went with my mother and sister, and realised that my mother was only in her early 30's when this music was first around. So she not only knew it but it was part of her youth, too! My sister was too young to have heard it when it came out.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Rock'n'Roll
This was so bad we left at the intermission.
Stoppard could not seem to decide what play he was trying to write so he just mashed them all together - the revolution in Prague, the fight with cancer, the relationship between the cancer victim and her husband; his role as a communist coming to grips with failure etc.
The music added nothing but did serve to slow the whole thing down, as set changes were delayed so you could hear more music.
The sets were boring and flat. They moved slowly from side to side, but added nothing to the play.
Really a waste of a very good cast which included Fiona Reid and Kenneth Welsh.
Stoppard could not seem to decide what play he was trying to write so he just mashed them all together - the revolution in Prague, the fight with cancer, the relationship between the cancer victim and her husband; his role as a communist coming to grips with failure etc.
The music added nothing but did serve to slow the whole thing down, as set changes were delayed so you could hear more music.
The sets were boring and flat. They moved slowly from side to side, but added nothing to the play.
Really a waste of a very good cast which included Fiona Reid and Kenneth Welsh.
The Walworth Farce
Very interesting - takes a traditional Irish family tragedy and presents in a farce form. It takes a while to figure out what is going on, but once you catch on, it is fascinating. funny and sad all at once.
This was part of the worldstage at Harbourfront, and was produced by Druid Theatre from Ireland. Good cast of very solid performers.
This was part of the worldstage at Harbourfront, and was produced by Druid Theatre from Ireland. Good cast of very solid performers.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Albertine in Five Times
Michel Tremblay writes great parts for women and this play is no exception.
As usual a very strong cast - Patrica Hamilton, Mary Haney, Wendy Thatcher, Jenny L. Wright and Marla Mclean play Albertine; Nicole Correia-Damude plays her sister.
This play may be stepping outside the Mandate, but it seems a good step to me. And you can argue that at least part of the play deals with things that happened in Shaw's lifetime.
The structure of the play brings to mind Magic Fire, one of the best things done at Shaw in recent years, but the subject matter is much more subdued. You have to believe that this is a difference between the political cultures of Canada and Argentina, but it does make the Magic Fire a much more dramatic play.
As usual a very strong cast - Patrica Hamilton, Mary Haney, Wendy Thatcher, Jenny L. Wright and Marla Mclean play Albertine; Nicole Correia-Damude plays her sister.
This play may be stepping outside the Mandate, but it seems a good step to me. And you can argue that at least part of the play deals with things that happened in Shaw's lifetime.
The structure of the play brings to mind Magic Fire, one of the best things done at Shaw in recent years, but the subject matter is much more subdued. You have to believe that this is a difference between the political cultures of Canada and Argentina, but it does make the Magic Fire a much more dramatic play.
Ways of the Heart
The third of the Coward trilogies and the best.
The Astonished Heart was depressing, so quite unlike the usual Coward fluff. David Jansen and Claire Julien were believable lovers, Laurie Paton the forgiving wife.
Family Portrait was great fun. The costumes - Victorian with a hint of bondage were great. Again the strong cast and when Laurie Paton finally breaks out with the truth - such a sense of relief and fun. Michael Ball clearly enjoyed himself as the family retainer, staggering on and off stage.
Ways and Means was more typical Coward - amusing and larcenous.
The Astonished Heart was depressing, so quite unlike the usual Coward fluff. David Jansen and Claire Julien were believable lovers, Laurie Paton the forgiving wife.
Family Portrait was great fun. The costumes - Victorian with a hint of bondage were great. Again the strong cast and when Laurie Paton finally breaks out with the truth - such a sense of relief and fun. Michael Ball clearly enjoyed himself as the family retainer, staggering on and off stage.
Ways and Means was more typical Coward - amusing and larcenous.
Star Chamber
More Coward. This one the lunch time version - on it's own.
We've all been to this meeting, so it was very funny to watch. Neil Barclay, Fiona Byrne, and the rest all ready to leap out of the discussion and take the meeting off on a wild tangent at any moment.
We've all been to this meeting, so it was very funny to watch. Neil Barclay, Fiona Byrne, and the rest all ready to leap out of the discussion and take the meeting off on a wild tangent at any moment.
A Moon for the Misbegotten
O'Neill clearly had a miserable life and this play gives us more in the form of James Tyrone.
The play is interesting, but depressing and the cast was fantastic - Jenny Young as Josie Hogan was amazing. We have never seen her before, but will definitely be looking for her again. Jim Mezon as Phil Hogan and David Jansen as James Tyrone both gave brilliant performances. But there really should be a rule against having two drunk scenes in one play. Even two great drunk scenes!
The play is interesting, but depressing and the cast was fantastic - Jenny Young as Josie Hogan was amazing. We have never seen her before, but will definitely be looking for her again. Jim Mezon as Phil Hogan and David Jansen as James Tyrone both gave brilliant performances. But there really should be a rule against having two drunk scenes in one play. Even two great drunk scenes!
In Good King Charles's Golden Days
A very talky Shaw play - in fact it is almost three plays in one, since the three acts have almost no connection beyond the fact that the characters are occasionally the same.
Ben Campbell was excellent as usual as the King. Claire Julien was a suitably selfish Duchess of Cleveland; and Laurie Paton gave her usual excellent performance as Queen Catherine.
In these political times, the issues of the need to maintain power even by sacrificing principles, resonate with a Canadian audience accustomed to the the daily struggle among Ignatief, Harper and Layton.
No need to see this one again for many years, though.
Ben Campbell was excellent as usual as the King. Claire Julien was a suitably selfish Duchess of Cleveland; and Laurie Paton gave her usual excellent performance as Queen Catherine.
In these political times, the issues of the need to maintain power even by sacrificing principles, resonate with a Canadian audience accustomed to the the daily struggle among Ignatief, Harper and Layton.
No need to see this one again for many years, though.
All's Well That Ends Well
Another broadcast of a play form the National Theatre in London. This time they were using the big Olivier theatre where we saw the Revengers Tragedy and they have clearly learned a few things about camera placement.
This is a very strange play - part stalker story, part commentary on the risks of arranged marriage (relevant in Elizabethan times, since the court was anxious for her to marry.)
It is hard to imagine a better production than this one. The director took a view that is rather like a fairy story (Grimm brother's style) and made it quite fantastic. Horror was the underlying theme - creepy things can happen and often do.
The cast was excellent and largely unknown to us, with the exception of the King, who plays lots of mystery theatre type roles.
Casting a very young man as Bertrand made it possible to hope he would eventually grow up and turn inot a decent human being instead of the selfish and foolish young man he starts as.
This is a very strange play - part stalker story, part commentary on the risks of arranged marriage (relevant in Elizabethan times, since the court was anxious for her to marry.)
It is hard to imagine a better production than this one. The director took a view that is rather like a fairy story (Grimm brother's style) and made it quite fantastic. Horror was the underlying theme - creepy things can happen and often do.
The cast was excellent and largely unknown to us, with the exception of the King, who plays lots of mystery theatre type roles.
Casting a very young man as Bertrand made it possible to hope he would eventually grow up and turn inot a decent human being instead of the selfish and foolish young man he starts as.
Mimi or A Poisoners Comedy
It was interesting and amusing, but I doubt it will take off. The essential question about this play is why? Sweeny Todd has already dealt with the basic theme, with better music.
Why a costume drama? The period is not really relevant to the theme so just makes the whole thing look dated, instead of like a new musical.
We went to the pre show lecture on the history of musical theatre in America. The lecturer finished by wondering if this musical would be the next break through and we would all be able to claim to have been in at the beginning, or whether it would die a quick death and we could all be among the very small group who ever see it. My money is on the latter!
Why a costume drama? The period is not really relevant to the theme so just makes the whole thing look dated, instead of like a new musical.
We went to the pre show lecture on the history of musical theatre in America. The lecturer finished by wondering if this musical would be the next break through and we would all be able to claim to have been in at the beginning, or whether it would die a quick death and we could all be among the very small group who ever see it. My money is on the latter!
The Guardsman
A very slight, but potentially amusing play, but a dreadful production. We left at half time.
Albert Schultz is a fine actor, but totally wrong for the part of the Guardsman. He is too old and he is not charming. Nor does he have the required comic timing. In my opinion, to play this part you need someone like Mike Sharra, who has both the timing and the charm. He can connect with the audience in a way that Schultz cannot. One watches Schultz; one joins the conspiracy with Sharra. It would have made all the difference in the world.
Loved Diego Matamoros, though!
Albert Schultz is a fine actor, but totally wrong for the part of the Guardsman. He is too old and he is not charming. Nor does he have the required comic timing. In my opinion, to play this part you need someone like Mike Sharra, who has both the timing and the charm. He can connect with the audience in a way that Schultz cannot. One watches Schultz; one joins the conspiracy with Sharra. It would have made all the difference in the world.
Loved Diego Matamoros, though!
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