Gretchen Hall (Barbara Undershaft), Dean Paul Gibson (Andrew Undershaft), Jennifer Clement (Mrs. Baines).  Photo by Pak Han.

Major Barbara

Max Bell Theatre

February 11  – March 9, 2014

http://www.theatrecalgary.com/plays/major_barbara/more_info/

Listen to my review from CBC’s Calgary Eyeopener at 

http://www.cbc.ca/eyeopener/columnists/theatre/2014/02/18/jessica-goldman-reviews-major-barbara/

RATING

For George Bernard Shaw fans – The overwhelmingly talented cast bites into Shaw’s language with glee in this slick  production. Yes it’s one of Shaw’s wordier pieces, the second act is a bit of a slog in places and the play’s resolution is a tad improbable. But all that is easy to toss aside in this production with its splendid set design, solid direction and many stand out performances that allow Shaw’s comedic satire to be the real star.  SEE IT

For Shaw newbies – I’ve heard from many people who find this play difficult to like because they simply couldn’t get into the dialogue. To that I say, yes, Shaw’s plays are hard work. They require attention and a good ear to catch the meaning and humour – this one more than other’s due to the wordy nature of the script that lacks in attention-grabbing action. Shaw is worth your time and this production is beautifully cast and presented. Perhaps go with the foreknowledge that you’ll need to keep on your toes, or perhaps wait for an easier Shaw play to start you on your journey with the playwright. MAYBE SEE IT

For occasional theatre goers – You won’t find a more talented cast and as usual, Theatre Calgary’s (in co-production with San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theatre) production is visually splendid. However the satiric nature of the debate-like heavy dialogue may not be your cup of tea. MAYBE SEE IT

For theatre junkies – We don’t get Shaw all that often in Calgary and this production does a terrific job of bringing his work to us. With a killer cast, the best direction I’ve seen to date from Dennis Garnhum and an unexpected but visually striking set design, this is well worth your time. SEE IT

Joel Cochrane, Tara Laberge, Jennifer Roberts & DJ Gellatly. Photo by Jason Mehmel.

No Exit

February 14 – 22, 2014

Endeavor Arts Gallery

http://www.theatrebsmt.ca/Theatre_BSMT/Whats_On.html

 

It’s a good thing for me that Hell isn’t seeing No Exit. I’ve seen it in a black box setting, set in an asylum, done with multimedia effects and even staged as a puppet show. But no matter where or how the 1944 Jean-Paul Sartre one-act, existential angsty play is presented, my measure of its success is the same. Does the production convey the claustrophobic atmosphere and revelatory character development/narrative message that Sartre intended? In judging Theatre BSMT’s and VIA Theatre’s production against these criteria, I’m afraid the answer is no.

Director Jason Mehmel ensures all the pieces are there. Set on a stage outfitted with a door, three couches and a sculpture, we meet three newly dead and damned souls — a journalist, Cradeau (Joel Cochrane); a secretary, Inez (Tara Marlena Laberge); and a socialite, Estelle (Jennifer Roberts). Ushered into the space by a formally dressed valet (an overly smiley DJ Gellatly), the three are locked together in a room they come to understand is their permanent place in Hell. What the three also come to realize is that their damnation consists not of thumbscrews and hell-fire, but instead of having to marinate in their own despicable true natures as reflected back to them through the eyes and opinions of the other two characters. While the play’s famous line, Hell is other people, is often misunderstood to mean that the worst torture is the bother of other people, Sartre was instead making a far more disturbing and insightful observation with his play. Hell is other people who see through our façade and expose us for who we really are.

But Sartre doesn’t want the audience to understand this too quickly. The play’s slow reveal takes place through the interaction, argument, confession and ultimate horror of its characters. Cradeau sheds his civilized demeanour, exposing the war deserting coward and wife abuser he really was.  Estelle starts off as a savvy, albeit immodest, flirt.  But the batting of her eyelashes and need for a mirror to check her lipstick soon belies a vanity so evil that no less than a newborn child was murdered to satisfy her wishes. Inez, the smartest of the bunch, is the quickest to admit that underneath her calm bookish exterior, lies a person who would gladly manipulate another (in her case another woman) out of a marriage in order to fulfill her own lustful desires.

Mehmel’s and ultimately his cast’s misstep is that these evolutions are more flatlines than story arcs. Cochrane’s Cradeau projects so strongly right off the bat that any effort at being civilized is overshadowed by a performance that sounds more like yelling than acting. Furthermore, the emotional divide between Cochrane’s portrayal of Cradeau’s initial confidence and what is supposed to be his final dismay at being thought a coward is negligible, rendering his journey impotent. Roberts with her breathy southern-bell-like voice manages to conjure a manipulate vixen well enough but shows no range when Estelle’s true nature is exposed. With a hand always awkwardly placed on her hip and another hand over her stomach (which weirdly brought to mind visions of pregnancy belly-cupping) Roberts makes no effort to advance her character emotionally or physically after her secret is out. In fact, the more she complains that the other characters can’t possibly want her now that she is a baby-killer, the less believable it is as a result of her one-note performance. The bright spot in all this is Laberge’s Inez. An incredibly strong performance in an otherwise lackluster cast, Laberge manages to capture the emotional subtleties of the script and give them flight. As the characters in turn describe events they can still see on earth, only Laberge is able to take the audience on the journey with her. We sit rapt as she describes seeing her love nest being rented out to of all things, a straight couple, and the palpable pain she exudes ensures that our eyes will always be searching for her onstage. The same strength is shown in Laberge’s singular ability to manage the emotional nuances of torturing the others versus being tormented herself.

If the cast performances and direction were lacking, the choice of venue and resulting design didn’t help matters. Set in the Endeavour Art Gallery, the stage made the production problematic right from the outset. Instead of a stark, claustrophobic space, the square stage (which was ‘walled off’ on two sides by the audience) backed onto one wall covered in art and another with semi-curtained ceiling high windows. Hardly the suffocating and oppressive room Sartre called for. That Mehmel had the actors seemingly contemplate the pretty pictures of birds and branches hung on the wall for the first while and then pretend that they weren’t there, made the setting even less ideal. In addition,  a roaring on again, off again noise that I assume was the gallery heating system not only competed with the cast for volume (save the voluminous Cochrane) but was a distinct distraction from the headiness of the dialogue.

Sartre believed that in the end, we should be judged by the sum total of our behaviors which we executed of our own free will. Using this system to judge this production of No Exit, I’d say that overall no malice was done to Sartre’s script, but then very little justice was done to it either.

 

RATING

For angsty existentialist lovers – Despite one terrific performer, this production suffers from too much blandness and not enough believable tormented emotion. SKIP IT

For Sartre newbies – I do mean it as a compliment when I say that it’s certainly not the worst No Exit I’ve seen. The bones of what makes the play so compelling are there, you just might not get why it’s such a classic from this production. MAYBE SEE IT

For occasional theatre goers – I have to image that your version of hell is a ninety-minute existentialist exploration of the true meaning of damnation. SKIP IT

For theater junkies – The space is problematic, the effect muted and the performances generally lacking. Yes Laberge is a bright spot, but better to tuck her name in your back pocket and look forward to seeing her another time. SKIP IT

 

 

 

West Side Story Company | Photo: Carol Rosegg

 

West Side Story
February 11 – 16, 2014
Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
http://calgary.broadway.com/shows/west-side-story-baa2/

 

When asked to describe the various roles in the classic musical, West Side Story, Stephen Sondheim (the show’s lyricist) was blunt. “There are no characters in ‘West Side,’ nor can there be.” They are and must be, he said, “one-dimensional characters for a melodrama.”

Not exactly the kind of publicity line you want on your poster.

There are lots of other critical things one can say about the famed 1957 musical that takes star-crossed lover inspiration from Romeo and Juliet and transplants the story to mid 50’s Manhattan in the midst of the Latino vs Anglo gang violence. There’s the ridiculously speedy manner in which the show’s leads, Tony and Maria, meet, fall in love and plan to marry all one night. There’s the ill-timed comical “Gee, Officer Krupke” number that sees boys from the American gang, the Jets, joking around about a nuisance cop just hours after their leader is tragically murdered. Then of course there is the fact that all the so-called tough street-gang boys spend most of the musical singing and dancing around in tight pants.

But here’s the thing – despite all these ridiculous elements – it’s almost impossible not to fall in love with West Side Story. Leonard Bernstein’s aggressively emotional music, Sondheim’s clever lyrics and Jerome Robbins’ macho and sexy choreography is just simply a trifecta you can’t argue with. But in the version that opened in Calgary and is presently touring across Canada, some arguing with the original production is going on. Directed by David Saint, this West Side Story is based on the Tony Award winning 2009 Broadway revival by the show’s original librettist, Arthur Laurents. The story is the same, as are the dancing and music, but in this new version there is a language twist that both intrigues and heavily undermines the show’s success.

What Laurents brings to this production is Spanish. Makes sense, right? Half the characters in West Side Story are from Puerto Rico and it’s reasonable to think that they would speak Spanish to each other. It’s an astute addition that would have been very welcome but for its overkill. The audience had no problem following along when the Spanish was kept to incidental banter between Maria, her Sharks gang-leader brother Bernardo and his girlfriend, Anita. Hearing these characters speak in their native tongue adds a gritty reality to the show and gives this 50 plus year old play a welcome kick into modernity. But when the Spanish flowed heavily over into the music, things suffered.

The “America” number where Anita expresses her love of Manhattan and berates a friend for her Puerto Rico nostalgia, fails to be funny because fifty per cent of the song is sung in Spanish which flies over the heads of the audience. Similar issues plague the sweetly charming “I Feel Pretty” number that has Maria in the rapture of love while her girlfriends tease her for it. Adding to this problem is the heavy-handed directorial decision to have all the Puerto Rican women in the cast (except Maria) sing in such heavy accents that even when it is English they are singing it’s often impossible to discern what’s being said. For those who know and love the musical, they could follow along with the sound track that’s been burnt into their brain. However for those that were new to the show or less familiar, I heard a lot of “what were they saying/singing about?” at intermission. Shame, that.

There were triumphs in the production as well. The dance at the gym where the Sharks and Jets uneasily inhabit the same space and set in motion the turf rumble that results in tragedy for both sides is wonderfully slick in its shadowy lighting, stark set design and exciting choreography. The actual rumble is a feat of spectacular direction and violent choreography that still manages to choke us up after all this time.

The cast certainly had its knockouts as well. Michelle Alves as Anita embraced the strong and sexy character and gave her musical numbers more than an extra dose of sassy oomph. Alves also deftly handled the disturbing rape scene at the hands of the Jets with actorly confidence, showing her range. Fluidly masculine in the performance, Michael Spencer Smith as Bernardo had swagger that oozed the testosterone of angry youth. When it came to sweetness of voice and character, no one could top MaryJoanna Grisso as Maria. Not only does Grisso have an angelic voice equally blessed with strength that charmed from the first note, she also managed to bring a realness to Maria, making her far more human than the script usually allows.

The Anglo’s held up their end of the cast well enough, albeit without stand out performances. Jarrad Biron Green as Tony opened strongly with “Something’s Coming”, a number that sets him up as wanting to leave gang life. But the strength and charisma he showed early faded to a somewhat limp performance despite his lovely vocal range. Benjamin Dallas Redding as Riff, the tough leader of the Jets, seemed ill-cast due to his inability to fully embody either toughness or leadership. This combined with dance skills and a signing voice inferior to his other gang members made him a confusing choice for the role.

Not a ticket was left for sale the night I saw West Side Story proving that over half a century later, there is still a healthy appetite for this tale of tragic love amongst urban gang warfare. The version we were served up certainly delivered on the emotional aspects of the story. But in making it grittier and more linguistically real – it felt like all the fun was taken out of the performance. I have never been to a Broadway Across Canada show in Calgary where audiences didn’t jump to their feet and applaud at the end of a performance. For this West Side Story, they sat and clapped. Perhaps it was the language and accent issue. Perhaps some things are better left in memory. Or perhaps we just need a little bit of honest laughter with our violence these days to get us out of our seats.

 
RATING

For West Side Story fans – It’s all there, the music, the dance numbers, the energy. Given that you already know all the lyrics, the heavy accents and Spanish won’t be an impediment. In fact, you may welcome it as a sensible and interesting addition. Then again you may feel the new language twist gets in the way of listening  to the lyrics you fell in love with in the first place. MAYBE SEE IT

For West Side Story newbies – It’s not that you won’t understand the stories or follow the gist of the partial Spanish/heavily accented songs. It’s just such a shame that you won’t get to enjoy this musical to its fullest in this production. Sondheim’s lyrics are a large part of the reason audiences love this show and unfortunately, unless you speak Spanish, you’ll miss some of the best of them. MAYBE SEE IT

For theatre junkies – The gym and rumble scenes alone are worth seeing this production. Both are a perfect confluence of staging, set design and choreography evoking the arrogance and sexual energy of youth and the disturbing nature of racism. SEE IT

 

Ishan Davé in Wajid Mouawad’s A Bomb In the Heart. Benjamin Laird Arts & Photo.

A Bomb in the Heart

February 5-8 & 11-15, 2014

EPCOR Centre Motel

http://www.downstage.ca/bomb.shtml

Listen to my full review on CBC’s Calgary Eyeopener at

http://www.cbc.ca/eyeopener/columnists/theatre/2014/02/10/jessica-goldman-reviews-a-bomb-in-the-heart/

 

RATING

For occasional theatre goers – The non-linear nature of the show in combination with the overly poetic/mystical writing may frustrate and confuse you. Still there is no denying the talent of the performer and the incredible production design. MAYBE SEE IT

For theatre junkies – Frustration may also be your feeling as you  work your way through an overwritten script that tries so hard to be allegorical, it threatens to pull a mystical muscle. However, if you can focus on Ishan Davé’s effortless performance, Simon Mallet’s deft direction and Erin Gruber’s terrific video projections, you’ll be well-rewarded. MAYBE SEE IT

Georgina Beaty (as Hazel Sheehan) and Nathan Schmidt (as James Flynn) in the Vertigo Theatre BD&P Mystery Theatre Series production of HURON BRIDE by Hannah Moskovitch. PHOTO by: Benjamin Laird |

 

Huron Bride

Vertigo Theatre

January 25 – February 23, 2014

http://www.vertigotheatre.com/main/index.php?site=mystery&id=production&production=221

Listen to my full review of Huron Bride on CBC’s Calgary Eyeopener at http://www.cbc.ca/eyeopener/columnists/theatre/2014/02/03/goldman-reviews-huron-bride/

 

RATING

For those that like to be spooked – The dark set, shadowy lighting and jarring sound design all do well to conjure an eerie effect. But a spooky atmosphere can easily be made mute by unintentionally comical direction that has characters washing the floors in the dark by lantern light. How do you not miss spots? Add to this the over-used desecrated Native burial ground trope and characters so flat there is little possibility of connection to their horror. SKIP IT

For the occasional theatre goer – As usual, the set design at Vertigo is impressive and apart from their horrendous misuse or absent accents, the cast is decent enough. The constant blackouts and shadowy ghost scenes may tickle your fancy and perhaps you won’t be bothered by the lack of originality in the story. MAYBE SEE IT

For the theatre junkie – A Moscovitch/Rose collaboration falling flat? How disappointing. Trust me, I know. But they both failed to follow their own advice as written in the program – “make sure the audience can connect with the characters in order to feel tier horror”. Moscovitch fails to do this by writing flat and senseless characters and Rose nails the coffin with his use of constant blackout direction that only highlights the banality of the scenes in between. SKIP IT