Blog

This Marlowe — A Mystery by a Master Storyteller

An Avid Reader Comments

There are authors and books that make a powerful first impression. When that feeling is sustained through subsequent encounters in person and with their writing, then I know I’m in the presence of someone with a gift. Michelle Butler Hallett is such an author.

This MarloweI met Michelle in the early 2000’s at the Humber School for Writers in Toronto. We were both in Alistair MacLeod’s seminar group and we have each written about that honour. Michelle was a student whose commitment to form and language was articulate and impassioned, yet quietly and respectfully stated. I, who was secretly stumbling about on my keyboard, was in awe that anyone could find the words to speak about writing. Since that time, Michelle has produced five novels and several short stories. Writing is as natural for her as breathing.

Michelle’s most recent novel, This Marlowe, a work of historical fiction is set in the twilight of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. It’s a tense spell-binding story of the last year of Christopher Marlowe’s life. Marlowe, the son of a cobbler, was also a graduate of Cambridge. The two facts, an unlikely combination for a poor boy, add fuel to the speculation that Marlowe may have been a spy for the Queen’s Secretary of State, Sir Robert Cecil. Marlowe’s violent death at the age of twenty-nine adds to the mystery and the rumors of espionage.

This Marlowe immerses the reader in the political machinations of an unstable time against the backdrop of Elizabethan England with all its beauty and grit. There were times when I felt like I could see, hear, smell, and touch the surroundings and experiences of Marlowe and his lover Thomas Kyd. The writing is taut, yet eloquent. Michelle has captured her characters, their language, phrasing and cadences in a way that is just shy of magic. She writes vividly about pain and suffering whether it comes from pneumonia, arthritis or torture.That same skill of offering the reader a virtual experience is equally present when she writes about love and compassion.

This Marlowe is one of the few books in my library I will be re-reading, as much for the pleasure of doing so as for the challenge of deciphering how Michelle Butler Hallett created this masterpiece.

Bonnie Lendrum is the author of Autumn’s Grace, the story of how one family manages the experience of palliative care with hope, humor, and knowledge, despite sibling conflicts, generational pulls and career demands.

A Theatre Buff Reviews: Matilda The Musical 

A Theatre Buff Comments

Matilda The Musical is the delightful tale of a little girl who survives the emotional abuse of her narcissistic, conniving and stupid parents, and the spirit crushing conduct of the headmistress of Crunchem Hall Elementary. The book upon which this musical is based was written by Roald Dahl, so we know that there will be both harrowing and hilarious moments as the story unfolds. Matilda survives these wretched adults because she is a precocious reader and a gifted storyteller. And she thrives because she has support: her Grade One classmates and two mentors (the librarian and her teacher).

Matilda The Musical - Mirvish

The role of Matilda is demanding. The night I attended it was performed by the talented Hannah Levinson.  She shone, and she was capably supported by her ‘classmates’ who are also triple threat performers.  Matilda’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood (Brandon McGibbon and Darcy Stewart) were suitably despicable, and the headmistress, Miss Trunchbull (Dan Chameroy), was the embodiment of a mean spirit. The roles of teacher and librarian (Miss Honey-Paula Brancati and Mrs. Phelps-Keisha T. Fraser) were understated by comparison. Both were performed with engagement and compassion.

Kudos to Tim Minchin who created the tuneful music and spirited lyrics and to Rob Howell who designed a set that incorporates colourful and eclectic tiles from the game of Scrabble.

If you plan to see Matilda, do take one or more children with you. The children surrounding me were totally absorbed in the story, as were their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Matilda is a superb introduction to the joy of live performance.

Matilda The Musical is playing at Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto until October 16, 2016.

Bonnie Lendrum is the author of Autumn’s Grace, the story of one family’s journey through palliative care.

A Theatre Buff Reviews: Master Harold And The Boys

A Theatre Buff Comments1 Comment

If the United Nations aspired to be a dancing school for world leaders and if politicians learned to dance life like champions moving with grace, never colliding with other leaders, then the world would be a better place. That’s the hope expressed by characters in Master Harold And The Boys as they struggle to find ‘place’ during apartheid in 1950.MasterHarold

Master Harold And The Boys is set on a rainy afternoon in a tea room in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. It’s a single act play that immerses the audience in the story of a boy and two men. Master Harold/Hally is a schoolboy — white, and the son of the tea room’s owner; “The Boys”, Willie and Sam, are two black men — the family servants who operate the establishment and have known Hally since he was in short pants.  The three reminisce about the events that have bound them together, explore the notion of social reform and men of magnitude, and dread the return of the sickly patriarch from the hospital.

It’s a compelling story, told with compressed energy that is intermittently released by Willie as he practices the fox trot and the waltz in preparation for a state championship. We become aware of the affectionate father-son relationship that has developed over the years between Sam and Hally. We also see and hear Hally’s dismissive and imperious treatment toward others he considers not equal: his mother and Willie.  What the three characters ultimately share is their struggle to find their places in a society that seems ruled by the “principle of perpetual disappointment”.

The play is elegantly and tightly written by Athol Fugard. It is performed by three actors with superb chemistry: Allan Louis, André Sills and James Daly.

Master Harold And The Boys is a play for our time — a ‘must see’.

Master Harold And The Boys is playing at the Shaw Festival’s Courthouse Theatre (Niagara-On-The-Lake) until September 10th, 2016.

Bonnie Lendrum is the author of Autumn’s Grace, the story of one family’s journey through palliative care.

A Theatre Buff Reviews: Alice In Wonderland

A Theatre Buff Comments1 Comment

Alice in Wonderland 1

Aspiring set and costume designers will love the Shaw Festival’s Alice in Wonderland, as will anyone who remembers the book with fondness. Others not so much.

The production itself  is spectacular. There is a stunning merge of audiovisual effects with the stage that is playful (the drinking of the potions), eerie (the pop-up appearances of the Cheshire Cat), terrifying (Alice drowning in her ocean of tears), and peaceful (the skiff on the river). The technology magically extends the meaning of ‘set.’ The costumes match the quality of the production. They are colourful, richly designed and creative.  As one expects at Shaw, the actors are uniformly superb in their roles. Alice (played by Tara Rosling) is onstage for the entire production and never once flags.

So why my reservations? Once into the play I remembered I had never really enjoyed the book. There are points of clever wordplay but the story has always lacked an emotional core for me. How Alice emerges from a dream believing she has  grown up is as much a mystery to me today as it was decades ago.

If you have fond memories of the story, then see the play. If you cannot recall your impressions of the book, then take along an observant, artistic and inquisitive child. Had I done so, I may have enjoyed the production more than I did.

Alice in Wonderland is playing at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake until October 16, 2016.

Bonnie Lendrum is the author of Autumn’s Grace, the story of one family’s journey through palliative care.

 

A Theatre Buff Reviews: Our Town

A Theatre Buff Comments

Our town

The stark simplicity of the set and stage props in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town belies the depth and breadth of life on the eastern seaboard in the early 1900’s. The setting is Grover’s Corner, New Hampshire and we are introduced to it by the Stage Manager who takes the audience on a social tour of individual, family and community life over a ten year span. It’s a relatively quiet period of history, after the Civil War (1861-1865) and before the outbreaks of World War 1 (1914) and the Spanish Influenza (1918).

The play reveals a truth about life both then and now: Days, weeks and years go by so quickly that we seldom see, hear and appreciate the complexity, richness and beauty before our eyes and ears. The point is underscored by Wilder’s commitment to the staging of this play through miming of domestic chores and the use of a minimalist set and stage props.

There is much to celebrate in this production. The actors portray their characters with consummate skill from the precocious Emily, to the cynical and worldly Mr. Webb. The props are multi-functional and elegant in their simplicity, and the lighting effectively portrays changes in time of day and season. My only reservation was with some costumes for every day wear. The fabrics would not have lent themselves to scrubbing on a washboard, which would have been the mode of cleaning at that time. Having said that, I also doubt that the folk of Grover’s Corners would have had Scandinavian styled household furnishings. So consider my comments to be only a minor irritant from someone who examines costumes perhaps a tad too closely!

Our Town is definitely worth your while. It runs until October 14, 2016 at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Bonnie Lendum is the author of Autumn’s Grace, the story of one family’s journey through palliative care.

 

A Theatre Buff Reviews: The Ladies Foursome

A Theatre Buff Comments

If camaraderie, confessions, and competition are the hallmark of a golf foursome, then director Marcia Kash has hit this production of The Ladies Foursome straight down the fairway. Playwright, Norm Foster, has captured women’s voices and social tics in an uncanny manner. It’s funny to the point where laughing is not enough. Spontaneous applause and foot stomping broke out several times. There were moments when I wondered if Foster’s research had involved activating hidden recorders in golf bags — in my foursomes’ bags to be specific.

The story begins on the first tee. It’s the morning after one of the members of the foursome, Katherine, has been buried. Her place has been taken by Dory who is a stranger to the remaining three members. Dory had known ‘Kathy’ for twelve years; the three remaining members have known each other and ‘Katherine’ for fourteen years. The knowing and not knowing of Kathy/Katherine creates a core of tension which leads to the revelation of secrets. The character profiles are strong: the narcissistic, flirtatious Connie (Gabrielle Jones); the anxious but pretty Tate (Stacy Smith); the tough talking, beer guzzling Margot (Karen Wood); and the earth mother, scripture spouting Dory (Carmen Grant).  Foster gives them lines that have the audience howling. Each of the actors has a powerful grip on her character, and her clubs.

The set by Douglas Paraschuk is spectacular— a lush golf course which has the actors entering and exiting from three different points. It supports the illusion that the tee box at centre stage is specific for each of eighteen holes. The lighting by Siobhán Sleath produces the effect of the passage of time during the course of four hours of play.

The Ladies Foursome is the final production of the 2015-2016 season at Theatre Aquarius. It should leave theatregoers eager to come back for more. The Ladies Foursome plays until May 7, 2016.

2016-the ladies foursome

A Theatre Buff Reviews: If/Then

A Theatre Buff Comments

If/Then is a musical that delivers through story, song and dance. It’s engaging and it’s clever. The premise explores possible futures for Elizabeth (Jackie Burns), a young and recent divorcée, as she learns how to make a life in New York City after moldering in Phoenix for ten years.

If/Then seamlessly blends two versions of Elizabeth’s life from the pivot point of one day in Central Park. As Liz/Beth’s futures evolve, then so do the lives of her friends. Not surprisingly, the story-line becomes complex. Audience members who prefer a linear tale could find the play/musical confusing. Mirvish often has a synopsis in their programme, but not this time.

This musical examines the fabric of living and loving in the city. Elizabeth, who has a PhD in urban planning,and her social activist friend, Lucas (Anthony Rapp), explore the form-function question: How does one design city space to enhance constructs like social justice and hard realities like personal safety? The same question plays out in relationships. How does one weave in threads of love, joy and spontaneity into structures of marriage, job and family. These complex questions are explored through characters who are intelligent and reflective, and they are handled in a way that is funny yet serious, and light-hearted yet poignant. As one character notes, “How much you love your life is what every life is worth.” This statement summarizes the ethos of the play perfectly.

While I will admit to preferring musicals where I leave the theatre humming, If/Then’s music and lyrics are compelling. The performers are energetic and they are ‘on their game’ for both acts. Jackie Burns, is the lynchpin and she never wavers. She has an outstanding ability to convey a range of emotion through song.

The set designers skillfully convey a range of space in NYC by the creation of two levels: A walkway, like an industrial High Line, runs the length of the stage. Above the walkway, images of brownstones and iconic NYC buildings are projected and  often overlaid on city planner grids of neighborhoods. Most of the performance takes place below the walkway using a movable feast of stage props to proficiently create a variety of scenes: city park, office, living room, bedroom, bathroom, and subway.

If/Then is a musical, which much like Rent, is likely to bring a young audience into the theatre. And that’s a good thing for those of us who enjoy the artistry and energy of live theatre!

If/Then is performing at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto until May 8, 2016.

2016-If-Then

A Theatre Buff Reviews: If I Were You

A Theatre Buff Comments3 Comments

If I Were You is billed as a comedy, but there is little to smile about in the first act. My advice… stay for the second act to appreciate the humour. It’s there, and it provides an engaging and welcome redemption of social roles based upon gender. Not only is the writing and acting cleverly done, it’s laugh out loud funny.

The first act introduces us to a series of dysfunctional conversations between and amongst family members: an entitled father/husband, a depressed mother/wife, an angry teenage son, a married and anxious daughter, and a brash son-in-law. The exchanges are raw, angry, and had me cringing; I felt like an unwilling voyeur. Not surprising, a number of audience members left at intermission. That was their loss. They missed out on what was an uplifting resolution of family distress.

Through the intervention of magical realism, one night the father/husband and mother/wife mysteriously have their personalities switched. Each is left to inhabit the other’s body. They are horrified, but decide to maintain a front of normalcy, and that is where the humour and the insights kick in. It’s a premise that could lead to some interesting conversations during the ride home from theatre, or over breakfast the next day.

Brigitte Robinson and Brad Dury do a magnificent job of playing their own gender roles, and each other’s. They are capably supported by Maria Dinn, Sean Hauk, and Kyle Orzech. The set is superb in that it works as the interior of a modern home and as a furniture showroom. The transformation between the two is accomplished by something as simple and as powerful as lighting.

If I Were You is well worth your time…if you stay to the end of the second act! It’s playing at Theatre Aquarius in Hamilton until March 19, 2016.

A Theatre Buff Reviews: Bigmouth

A Theatre Buff Comments

Bigmouth is an inspired production, brilliantly executed.

It’s a one man show with Valentijn Dhaenens as the writer and performer, and Jeroen Wuyts as his sound and light design technician. They make a powerful team.

The seminal idea for the production grew from Dhaenens’ decision to read one political speech a day. In the course of a year he had read more than 1000 speeches that span centuries, and cover a range of concerns that include political, religious, military, and moral issues. In time, patterns emerged. Dhaenens wove the speeches together to exemplify and profile the messages: war mongering, manipulation, mourning, celebration, defiance, apology, and abdication.

While the line-up may sound dry, the delivery and staging is anything but. The mash-up of the speeches by Goebbels and Patton was spellbinding. Dhaenens moved between microphones as he did an onstage ‘quick character change,’ multiple times, between the two historic speakers. In doing so, he captured the individual and diametrically opposed power of their respective delivery styles —elegant vs. brash, tempered vs.vociferous.

Dhaenens engages whether he is speaking in Latin, French or German. (For those of us who are less than multilingual, there are super-titles.) He captures cadence and accents superbly to portray English speaking characters that include Robert Kennedy, Nicola Sacco and F. Van Hecke.

The set is simple: multiple microphones are attached to an extended conference table, on which several glasses of water sit. Without giving anything away, I will note that the water is used for more than drinking. Looping music is interspersed throughout the production as an effective transition between themes and mood. The last piece, which I will not disclose, is a poignant finale.

I managed to see Bigmouth on Tuesday this week. It runs until Sunday February 7, 2016. It’s definitely worth your while.

Bigmouth

A Theatre Buff Reviews: It’s A Wonderful Life

A Theatre Buff Comments

Theatre Aquarius’ It’s A Wonderful Life is a superb transformation of a classic Christmas movie to the stage. Thomas M. Sharkey’s re-working of this piece comes complete with an engaging mash-up of secular songs and Christmas carols. Tunes will be sufficiently familiar, such that some theatre attendees may find themselves humming, as did the lady behind me!

It’s A Wonderful Life is a retrospective for George Bailey who has decided one Christmas eve that his family would better off if he were dead. Over the course of an evening, his guardian angel, the bumbling Clarence, is able to show George what life in Bedford Falls would have been like if George had never been born. It’s an opportunity for reflection that many of us might benefit from, and that’s probably why It’s A Wonderful Life is a movie that many families watch year after year.

The triple-threat cast for this production is strong. They act, sing, and dance with ease. With the bridge as the backdrop, the set is a creative interpretation of life in small towns — from the intimacy of living-rooms, to the commerce of offices, and the sociability of front porches. The series of suspended windows that frame the stage are used effectively to illustrate the health and well-being of a community. The period, World War II, is represented well in the costumes. I noticed details that were attended to, like a fur stole complete with head and tail, and seams in the nylon stockings.

My only regret is that I did not get to see and write about this play earlier in its schedule. If you can find the time between now and December 27th to see It’s a Wonderful Life, it will be an afternoon, or an evening, well spent.