The 2011 Summer Stage Review (Part I)

That's right. There's a third feature this year in The Summer Stage Review. Basically, it's turned into a summer of much theatre viewing, so I figured I'd toss this into the mix to keep Sonya happy.

I'm no review writer, so I'll just drop a few thoughts and comments about the live shows I see between July 1 and Labour Day, and there will be a few. Already, I've several shows to comment upon and we're only a week in. Here we go.

9 to 5: The Musical at the Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts (Dancap)

They've taken the movie from the 80s and developed it into a musical with music by Dolly Parton and featuring Ms. Parton in a video-recorded narrative role to bookend the show.

In a nutshell, three women working under an absolute chauvenist end up working together to take revenge upon him for his abuses and to take charge of the company where they work. Is this high art? No. Does it pretend to be high art? No. Is it good fun? Absolutely!

Two things stood out for me.

One: Dolly Parton truly is a skilled songwriter.

Two: Diana Degarmo, runner up in season somethingorother of Americal Idol does a decent impersonation of Dolly.

The Admirable Chrichton at the Shaw Festival Theatre

I wasn’t familiar with this play of J.M. Barrie’s so I was intrigued to see it.

The play plays with the notion of classes and their “natural order”. Crichton, a butler to end all butlers, is mortified by his master’s monthly tea parties in which servants mingle with the aristocracy to prove that they are all equal. Each in its place is his preference. When the family, along with Chrichton and one other servant, are marooned on a desert aisle, the natural order shifts dramatically, as the servants are the only ones equipped for survival. Upon a return to England some years later, the question becomes whether things can be as they once were.

The show is still in previews and suffered, at times, from some pacing issues as energy and momentum waxed and waned a bit. Lighting was also a bit erratic, particularly during the second and third acts. Overall, though, it was an enjoyable performance. Of particular note was the use of a narrative structure which, I’m quite certain, was developed specifically for this production. Anthropomorphized animal narrators contribute to the storytelling using (I’m quite certain), stage directions – the wit and detail of stage directions is something for which Barrie is known – and documented comments he had made about the performance. Unlike Stratford’s narrator-based structure for Peter Pan last year, which for me conflicted with the intent of the original and continually caused me to withdraw from the play’s action, this use of narration brought new energy and helped to keep momentum going, and further acted to highlight the play’s core in social commentary.

In short, while not a spectacular production, at this point approaching opening in a few days, it was solid and pleasant.

And then there was ...
The Grapes of Wrath at the Avon Theatre (Stratford Shakespeare Festival)

I went into this show feeling really pumped up, eager to learn the story – I’ve read several of Steinbeck’s novels, but not this one – and open to being moved, touched, and wrecked by the performance.

The lights dim.

The haunting sound of a saw being played with a bow fills the theatre.

The lights come up behind the scrim revealing a trio of musicians, whose melancholy melody accompanies the arrival of Tom, home on parole from prison.

And that was the moment in which I was most emotionally engaged in the performance.

That probably seems terribly sarcastic, but it’s true. Those first moments held so much promise, but the promise went unfulfilled. My greatest disappointment amidst many disappointments was the lack of connection I felt with the characters. I felt nothing and I was very much a viewer throughout, watching the action from an emotional distance and basically waiting for it to end. The characters, on the whole, seemed painted with very broad strokes, creating a “folksy” tone that kept them at an arm’s length. It was too comedic for The Grapes of Wrath, not comedic enough for an episode of the Hillbillies.

Believe me, that’s the short version of my critique.

Jesus Christ Superstar at the Avon Theatre (Stratford Shakespeare Festival)

I was told to expect good things from this production and was not disappointed.

Jesus Christ Superstar is a show which, as a vehicle, I like but don’t necessarily love. I’ve seen good productions, I’ve seen weak productions. This was certainly the strongest I’ve ever seen.

From the overture, staged to establish the tensions between Jews and Romans, to the final scenes, in which Jesus’ body suspended before a stark white cross is backdropped by scrolling text from the Gospels, I was quite gripped. Choreography was inventive, but not intrusive. Vocals from the entire cast were strong (though Paul Nolan as Jesus seemed to be a bit strained at times), and the set was versatile yet deceptively simple.

Most importantly, however, was the clarity of the story. Judas’ struggles with conflicting emotions about Jesus and his celebrity come to the forefront. He betrays his friend because he cannot fathom, or even envision, the scope of Jesus’ mission. The ending, often controversial for its lack of a resurrection, allows for interpretation without seeming contrived or like a safe “out”.

Incidentally, a friend of mine is in his first season at the Festival, and plays Simon Zealots in this production. Needless to say, he’s thrilled to have his Stratford premier in a show getting the sort of “buzz” that JCS is getting. He also does a darned good job.

Richard III at the Tom Patterson Theatre (Stratford Theatre Festival)

I often enjoy going to see plays by Shakespeare with which I'm unfamiliar, as it allows me to judge the production based on its storytelling, not any prior knowledge I have to "fill in the blanks". Going into Richard III, I was doubly intrigued to see whether I believed their casting of a woman -- Seana McKenna -- in the title role would transcend "stunt casting".

I was utterly impressed with the production as a whole and complete sold on her right to play the part.

The story of Richard III and his bloody quest for power was simply and effectively staged on the thrust of the Tom Patterson theatre, with minimal set and strong lighting design, and Seana McKenna played the role without a hint of self-consciousness about the cross-gender casting. She became Richard and brought a wry humour to the part which made us think, "You're horrible, I hate you ... but I can't wait to see what you do next." She was well-supported by a strong cast and, most importantly, the story was clear and engaging.

Excellent!