The Homecoming

For decades Keith has raved about seeing this play with Vivian Merchant as Ruth, so I was curious to have a chance to see it at last.
We had the pleasure of hearing Brian Dennehy and Stephen Ouimette talk about the play and their roles before we saw it. both talked about how hard it is to do Pinter, but how much they were enjoying the challenge and enjoying working together. Both turned in wonderful performances, as expected.
The director (Jennifer Tarver) made the right decision in not pushing everyone to have the strong north London accents - it would have been much harder for the actors and the audience.
Aaron Krohn as Lenny was beautifully menacing; Ian lake was the charmingly stupid Joey and Mike Shara was wierdly effective as Teddy, the one who seems to come home.
But of course it is really Ruth who comes home in the end. Cara Ricketts was calm and in control and left no doubt that she would be running the family now.

Exit the King

Eugene Ionesco wrote this play in 1962, when he feared for his own life and was interested in examining death and its inevitability.
Soulpepper assembled a very strong cast for this production, but somehow it was not enough to overcome Friday evening exhaustion. I coudn not sit still and Keith could not stay awake, so we left at the intermission. Clearly we would have been better served had this been a one act play.
Oliver Dennis and Brenda Robbins are two of my favourite Soulpepper actors and both delivered great performances in this play. Dennis as King Berenger was both mad and sad, but definitely funny. Robbins (Queen Marguerite) used her amazing voice and delivery to great effect, pointing out reality to the King and to everyone around him.
Trish Lindstrom was hilarious as the maid, William Webster cynical as the doctor and Karen Rae swanned around fantastically as Queen Marie. Derek Boyes announced everyone and everything with great sincerity.
I would like to see it again, but not soon and not when I am tired.

Hosanna

Having seen what has long been considered "the" performance of this play starring Richard Monette and Richard Donat at Tarragon in 1974, a production that we found astoundingly good, we were nervous about many things: would the play itself stand up after forty years? had we changed too much for it to have the same impact? Could anyone else do justice to the role that Monette had done so perfectly?
Gareth Potter as Hosanna and Oliver Becker as Cuirette pulled it off. Potter demonstrated that he can carry a play and has moved into the first rank of Stratford actors, a big step up from the strong supporting parts he has had in the past. His Hosanna was funny, sad, bitchy, vulgar and tender.
Becker had the supporting role in many ways, but managed to make his character come alive. The audience sympathized with him and his struggle to love Hosanna and convince him that he loved Claude, not just Hosanna. His performance was outstanding.
The play itself stands up to the test of time. It is just as relevant today as when it was written, although the shock of the subject matter is less. At heart it is a play about identity, self acceptance and love, all of which are themes that resonate.
It was good to know that we have not changed too much for the play to have an impact. The impact is different today, as we are certainly more experienced and mature, but not too old to know a good story and good acting!

The Misanthrope

We saw a modern version of the play last winter. Looking back I concluded then "that while it was funny it was not a very good play."
This time around the play seems better, but I am struggling to figure out why. The quality of the acting was good in both productions and in this one Ben Carlson, Sara Topham, Kelli Fox and Peter Hitt know how to deliver the lines, but it still did not quite click for me.
At one point Carlson and Topham burst into laughter, and I wondered if it was planned or if one of them had slipped. I suspect it was planned as both are so professional, but it still jarred.
The costumes were fantastic - just gorgeous. The staging was good with the director making full use of the double staircase. The combination of the very full skirted dresses and the stairs gave Sara Topham a wonderful opportunity to flounce and she took full advantage.
My overall conclusion is that it was a good cast in a good production of a not very relevant play.

The Little Years

John Mighton , the founder of the JUMP math program and fellow of the Fields Institute wrote this play and several others. The others have won awards - this one did not, a act that I do not find surprising . Billed as an an exploration of time and talent and the value of art, it seems instead a dramatic portrayal of depression and the impact it has on the depressed person's life and everyone around them. I would not recommend the play to anyone who has to live with a depressed person, as it seems all too realistic.
The play lacked structure, but was interesting in that one of the important characters does not appear at all.
The affair between Grace and Roger seems to pop in out of nowhere, possibly to fill time.
The cast did a great job with weak material. I am always happy to watch Evan Buliung and Yanna McIntosh. Bethany Jillard is a young actress to watch. Irene Poole and Chick Reid were terrific as Kate and her mother - two people who could not connect at al, but who were stuck with each other because they did not now what else to do.