Richard the Third

There were no disappointments with this production! It was almost perfect- great staging, great costumes, sound and lighting.

Seanna McKenna was perfect as Richard- amoral and funny and evil. Her many asides to the audience -both oral and physical were always spot on. It is amazing what she can convey in a glance or by raising an eyebrow. She maintained the physical characteristics of Richard flawlessly, scuttling around like a beetle from one plot to the next. Definitely a standing ovation performance!

Martha Henry delivered Queen Margaret's curses brilliantly - totally in control, never over the top and deliciously nasty. I am inspired to memorize that speech just for the fun of thinking about who I might deliver it to.

The one weak character was David Ferry as Edward IV. The production added a scene at the beginning celebrating his coronation, but it seemed like a dumb show, largely because of the way he was made up and his strange behavior. It was a relief to hear the usual first line.

Sean Arbuckle was delightfully evil as Catesby and Shane Carty was amusing as the Lord Mayor of London. Yanna McIntosh gave a strong performance as did Bethany Jillard as Lady Anne.

Forests

We had high hopes for this play by Wajdi Mouawad the author of Scorched.
But this play did not meet the high standard set by the earlier one.
The elements of magic realism did not add to the story but made it unnecessarily complicated.
The idea of a family that will live an isolated life in a zoo is a strange point of departure
and leads directly to the inevitable result - -insanity and incest.
Mouawad's obsession with the subject of incest is curious to say the least.
We left the play agreeing that it was interesting, but not gripping. And definitely
wondering what the point was. It seemed more like a collection of experiments than a
well crafted, well constructed play.
The cast was good and it is always a pleasure to watch R H Thomson. Lisa Ripo-Martell and Vivien EndIcott-Douglas e becoming favorites.

The Grapes of Wrath

Our first play of the Stratford season. I wanted to see it, Keith did not. It was superb!
Evan Builung was brilliant as Tom Joad Janet Wright equally strong as Ma Joad and Tom McCamus was great as the preacher. There were no weak links in the rest of the cast, but these three carried the play.
The staging was brilliant. Using three bluegrass musicians to abridge the scene changes was great -they really kept the play moving forward, even as they drew your attention away from the changes.
It is a depressing story, but the production was so good that it was thrilling to watch.
The dead silence by the audience was a tribute to the director and the cast.

The Cosmonaut's last message to the woman he once loved in the former Soviet Union

two cosmonauts stranded on the space station discuss life, love and the meaning of the universe.
Unfortunately it was Friday evening and I was very tired. So after sleeping through most of the first act we went home at the intermission.
Not fair to comment, since it may have been more the circumstance than the play.