A Couple of Shows! Cyrano de Bergerac at the Citadel and Autumn at Shadow Theatre!

Over the last week I saw a couple of shows in town and depending on what you like, you might want to check out one or both of them. There are always lots of good shows on in Edmonton which is one of the reasons I like living here!

Photo by Nanc Price

Anyhow, most recently, I saw Cyrano de Bergerac at the Citadel Theatre. It was the show to wrap up the season (my mother and I have season tickets) and it was simply a terrific end to the theatre year! Adapted from Rostand's script by local playwright, Jessy Ardern, Cyrano de Bergerac is clever and fast paced with many humorous moments and a few sad ones! The cast attacked the script with vigour and commitment and it made for a wonderful afternoon of theatre. Usually when I see sword-fighting shows I wish for less sword-fights, but the sword fight in this one was staged so brilliantly that I actually wished for more! Leading the cast was the tremendous Scott Shpeley as Cyrano. He was incredible! I wish we saw him more on our stages! Not many could handle the tricky word play and the physical and emotional demands of this role, but it feels effortless coming from Shpeley (I'm sure it was not - but he made it seem so easy!). He's surrounded by a great ensemble and you get the feeling they all know they are doing something really special on that stage. Catch this one if you can. You won't regret it! 

Cyrano de Bergerac runs to May 24th at the Citadel in the Shoctor Theatre. Tickets run from $74-$139 and can be purchased here. 

Photo by Marc J Chalifoux

Last week I also caught Autumn by Peter Quilter at Shadow Theatre. The story is about two middle aged sisters with not much in common who have come together to throw a wedding for the daughter of one of them. This is a play for sisters, particularly those who love each other but who recognize that they are very different and those differences often lead to tensions. While I wasn't a great fan of the script as I found it a bit repetitive and predictable, the performances of the two actresses (Karen Johnson Diamond and Cathy Derkach) make the most of what is on the page. There are quite a few laughs and a satisfying resolution and it did make for an enjoyable afternoon. 

Autumn runs to May 24 at Shadow Theatre at the Varscona. Tickets are $25-$40 and can be purchased here.