2009 Shaw Festival Season Reviews
By David Grapes
Productions are listed in order of preference
DON’T MISS!
Devil’s Disciple (Festival)
• Straightforward and uncomplicated direction by my least favorite Shaw director Tadeusz Bradecki
• Strong cast lead by Evan Buliung, Peter Krantz and Fiona Byrne carried this uneven production
• Ensemble acting work was weak among the soldiers
• The set - when open to the gallows worked very well but I found the look of it really ugly and flat when the interior scene drops were placed in front of it
• Needed more cast members to populate the world of the play
• Shaw’s wit at its sharpest. The play raises lots of fascinating questions
• I thought the breaking of the fourth wall for direct address monologues was intrusive and that the additional references to Niagara on the Lake added nothing to our enjoyment of this great play
• Jim Mezon came in as Gentleman Johnny near the end of the play and stole every moment that he was on stage with his impeccable comic timing and wry smile. Shaw gives him many of the funniest lines in the play and Mezon lades every joke without ever breaking a sweat.
Star Chamber (Royal George)
• Coward’s rarely performed comic gem about actors and their egos
• Eccentric characters played to the comic hilt
• Great physical business
• Wonderful comic spark and energy from everyone in the cast
• Simple but effective set with costumes that exploded with character and style
• Funny and very accessible
Brief Encounters (Festival)
• Three Noel Coward one acts (Still Life, We were Dancing, Hands Across the Sea)
• Still Life – well acted, nice control of time, wonderful atmospheric setting, nice sound and lighting design, excellent performance by Deborah Hay, solid direction, stunning train image at the end of the piece
• We Were Dancing – lots of humor, nice supporting performances by Thom Marriott and Goldie Semple, exquisite costumes, captured Coward’s style, energy and wit
• Hand Across the Sea – Some wonderful physical farce, nicely paced, big characters who were well acted and remained truthful, a fun way to end the evening
A Moon for the Misbegotten (Court House)
• A tour de force acting vehicle for Shaw veteran Jim Mezon, who plays Phil Hogan. His scenes are worth the price of admission. Every young aspiring actor should be made to watch his drunk scene. He brings power, humor and pathos to every scene.
• The set and lights really established the harsh environment of the world in which the characters live and suffer
• Jenny Young makes a valiant effort to capture the soul of Josie Hogan but she is just too frail and too attractive to be a “cow of a woman” that O’Neil intends. The role belongs in the hands of Kelli Fox or Cherry Jones, who are both more physically suited to the demands placed on the character by the playwright.
• David Jensen is also miscast as James. He is too soft and does not have enough rough edges or masculine charm to make this role his own.
• Still, despite the odd casting I enjoyed seeing this piece performed at Shaw. It was a good production of a great play
Born Yesterday (Festival)
• A strong production of a seldom produced American classic
• Nice original music score that added to the spirit and style of the production
• Good use of comic business
• Play was well anchored by Thom Marriott and Deborah Hay who share a nice chemistry on stage
• Strong acting work from the ensemble cast
• I thought the costumes were ugly and unflattering and the scenery too mundane
• Pace was slow in a number of places (ie the gin game)
• Patrick Galligan was effective as the play’s troubled lawyer
• Interesting choice of play in light of the past decades political scandals
WORTH A LOOK
In Good King Charles’s Golden Days (Royal George)
Sunday in the Park With George (Royal George)
NOT WORTH YOUR TIME
Ways of the Heart (Court House)
Play Orchestra Play (Royal George)
DID NOT ATTEND
Albertine in Five Times (Court House)
The Entertainer (Studio)
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
2009 Stratford Festival Reviews
2009 Stratford Shakespeare Festival Season Reviews
By David Grapes
Productions are listed in order of preference
DON’T MISS!
West Side Story (Festival)
• Exceptional Production – Perhaps the best musical in Stratford’s history
• The best direction of the 2009 summer season from Gary Griffin
• Marvelous acting and singing
• Brilliant dancing – masculine and athletic
• Steamy chemistry between Maria and Tony (Chilina Kennedy, Paul Nolan)
• In fact, Kennedy gives the best performance of the summer as Maria and if I were Des McAnuff, I would be searching to find her another star vehicle for next summer. Having observed her work at the Shaw Festival, I can tell you that she can do much more than just musicals.
• Marvelous use of the Festival Stage
• Outstanding orchestra
• Full of energy, passion and life
• Strong ensemble work from the large and talented cast
• Set was functional and provided a nice “period” feel
• The sound design and mix was stunning
• Reminded me of that fantastic Romeo & Juliet with that featured two young and hungry actors by the name of Colm Feore and Seana McKenna
The Importance of Being Earnest (Avon)
• The best Earnest that I have seen at Stratford
• Desmond Healey’s set and costume designs will take your breath away
• Director Brian Bedford dusts off this witty old chestnut and gives it new life
• Bedford is hilarious as Lady Bracknell and gives a very human and at times touching performance
• The Avon was packed the performance I attended and the audiences loved the production
• Nice use of an offstage piano
• Creative use of stage business
• Cast has a great comic energy and handled Wilde’s language with aplomb
• The players were well acted
• The only weak links in the cast were Sarah Dodd and Stephen Ouimette (Prism and Chasuble) who were neither funny nor interesting. They made no comic contribution to an otherwise delightful production.
The Trespassers (Studio)
• New Canadian play by Morris
• An interesting mix of mystery, drama and dark comedy
• Simple yet effective design concept
• Joe Ziegler was excellent as the grandfather whose story lies at the core of the play
• Wonderful ensemble cast that featured Noah Reid Kelli Fox, Lucy Peacock and Robert King
• Nice directorial work and use of the Studio stage by director allowed the acting to shine
• This was a beautiful and sensitive piece of work that is certain to have a life at regional theatres in Canada
• The play raises some interesting questions related to what makes a life worth living
• I left the theatre and could not get the play out of my mind.
• An unusual ending that raises more questions than it answers
• A bit long in stretches. Some cuts could be made for future productions.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Avon)
• A visual and aural feast
• Strong direction from McAnuff who really seems in his element with proscenium musicals
• Simple set with lots of surprises built in
• Marvelous cast led by the always-delightful Bruce Dow (Mr. Dow suffered an injury in July and was out of the production for a number of performances) While the production and the comic chemistry suffers in his absence, the show is still a fun evening out.
• Fast paced and amusing opening sequence
• Great work by Dan Chameroy as Miles Gloriosus
• Strong work from the female dancers
• Precise and effective sound design and live mix work, which supported a cast who could really sing and an orchestra who could really play
• The production had a real Broadway quality feel to it
Julius Caesar (Avon)
• Highly conceptual production set in a modern world
• A masculine production full of testosterone
• Solid performances by Ben Carlson as Brutus and Geraint Wyn Davies as Caesar
• A number of very effective visual images involving blood
• Excellent casting and strong ensemble work from the senators
• Well staged and some wonderful crowd/mob scenes staged all over the theatre
• Battle scenes in the second half were quite well done
• A very emotional sound design/score
• Effective design work that created a basic unit set with many different looks
• The only weak link in the production was Jonathon Goad’s Anthony who seemed too modern and too low energy for the role. His burial speech lacked fire, truth or passion and was upstaged by the very energetic crowd
WORTH A LOOK
Macbeth (Festival)
The Three Sisters (Patterson)
Ever Yours, Oscar (Patterson)
DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME
Cyrano de Bergerac (Festival)
Bartholomew Faire (Patterson)
DID NOT ATTEND
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Festival)
Phedre (Patterson)
Rice Boy (Studio)
Zastrozzi (Studio)
By David Grapes
Productions are listed in order of preference
DON’T MISS!
West Side Story (Festival)
• Exceptional Production – Perhaps the best musical in Stratford’s history
• The best direction of the 2009 summer season from Gary Griffin
• Marvelous acting and singing
• Brilliant dancing – masculine and athletic
• Steamy chemistry between Maria and Tony (Chilina Kennedy, Paul Nolan)
• In fact, Kennedy gives the best performance of the summer as Maria and if I were Des McAnuff, I would be searching to find her another star vehicle for next summer. Having observed her work at the Shaw Festival, I can tell you that she can do much more than just musicals.
• Marvelous use of the Festival Stage
• Outstanding orchestra
• Full of energy, passion and life
• Strong ensemble work from the large and talented cast
• Set was functional and provided a nice “period” feel
• The sound design and mix was stunning
• Reminded me of that fantastic Romeo & Juliet with that featured two young and hungry actors by the name of Colm Feore and Seana McKenna
The Importance of Being Earnest (Avon)
• The best Earnest that I have seen at Stratford
• Desmond Healey’s set and costume designs will take your breath away
• Director Brian Bedford dusts off this witty old chestnut and gives it new life
• Bedford is hilarious as Lady Bracknell and gives a very human and at times touching performance
• The Avon was packed the performance I attended and the audiences loved the production
• Nice use of an offstage piano
• Creative use of stage business
• Cast has a great comic energy and handled Wilde’s language with aplomb
• The players were well acted
• The only weak links in the cast were Sarah Dodd and Stephen Ouimette (Prism and Chasuble) who were neither funny nor interesting. They made no comic contribution to an otherwise delightful production.
The Trespassers (Studio)
• New Canadian play by Morris
• An interesting mix of mystery, drama and dark comedy
• Simple yet effective design concept
• Joe Ziegler was excellent as the grandfather whose story lies at the core of the play
• Wonderful ensemble cast that featured Noah Reid Kelli Fox, Lucy Peacock and Robert King
• Nice directorial work and use of the Studio stage by director allowed the acting to shine
• This was a beautiful and sensitive piece of work that is certain to have a life at regional theatres in Canada
• The play raises some interesting questions related to what makes a life worth living
• I left the theatre and could not get the play out of my mind.
• An unusual ending that raises more questions than it answers
• A bit long in stretches. Some cuts could be made for future productions.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Avon)
• A visual and aural feast
• Strong direction from McAnuff who really seems in his element with proscenium musicals
• Simple set with lots of surprises built in
• Marvelous cast led by the always-delightful Bruce Dow (Mr. Dow suffered an injury in July and was out of the production for a number of performances) While the production and the comic chemistry suffers in his absence, the show is still a fun evening out.
• Fast paced and amusing opening sequence
• Great work by Dan Chameroy as Miles Gloriosus
• Strong work from the female dancers
• Precise and effective sound design and live mix work, which supported a cast who could really sing and an orchestra who could really play
• The production had a real Broadway quality feel to it
Julius Caesar (Avon)
• Highly conceptual production set in a modern world
• A masculine production full of testosterone
• Solid performances by Ben Carlson as Brutus and Geraint Wyn Davies as Caesar
• A number of very effective visual images involving blood
• Excellent casting and strong ensemble work from the senators
• Well staged and some wonderful crowd/mob scenes staged all over the theatre
• Battle scenes in the second half were quite well done
• A very emotional sound design/score
• Effective design work that created a basic unit set with many different looks
• The only weak link in the production was Jonathon Goad’s Anthony who seemed too modern and too low energy for the role. His burial speech lacked fire, truth or passion and was upstaged by the very energetic crowd
WORTH A LOOK
Macbeth (Festival)
The Three Sisters (Patterson)
Ever Yours, Oscar (Patterson)
DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME
Cyrano de Bergerac (Festival)
Bartholomew Faire (Patterson)
DID NOT ATTEND
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Festival)
Phedre (Patterson)
Rice Boy (Studio)
Zastrozzi (Studio)
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