Unicorns and Tigers... A Zoological Start to the Theatre Season!

The Pink Unicorn by Elise Forier Edie - Northern Light Theatre
Directed by Trevor Schmidt and starring Patricia Zentilli

Brianne Jang BB Collective Photography

I saw this play 10 years ago at Northern Light Theatre and loved it. It has come back to me several times a year when things would happen in the world, or when I would encounter magical children as a teacher, or when I would read a certain book (This is How It's Always Is by Laurie Frankel). It's that kind of play. This production was just as good as the show I saw so long ago and hits as hard (or harder) because the rhetoric has gotten worse in recent years, so it feels even more necessary. As Trisha Lee, Zentilli leans into the flaws of her character and that searching that every parent does to make the right choice. She is luminous and questing and we feel for her as she struggles to do the right thing in a world she is completely unprepared for. At the core of the story is love. Love for a child no matter who they are, and trying to find the ways to show that love and support them even if it feels foreign and strange. It is a true testament to unconditional love of a parent for their child. It is also about Trisha recognizing her own relationship with judging people and working to overcome that. Once again, you recognize the small-town close-mindedness and the wacky misfit characters that populate it, as well as those that cannot bend to show love and acceptance because of being so invested in their judgment and their need to be "right". 

I loved the journey that director Schmidt took us on. It's pacing is fast, but slows for thought and reflection. Trisha moves more in this production and this pulls us is. I also really loved Schmidt's set design, so I wanted to give that a shout out. It's a humongous papercraft window box of a small town Texas field, set off by pink swirls. Simply beautiful and giving a frame to this touching story of mother and child. Whether you saw this before or not, I highly recommend. 

Tickets are $37.00 with Pay-What-You-Can and 2-For-1 performances and can be purchased here.  

The Life of Pi - The Citadel Theatre 
Based on the novel by Yann Martel; Adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti
Directed by Haysam Kadri

Photo Credit: Nanc Price

I've been really looking forward to seeing The Life of Pi at the Citadel Theatre. It is one of my favourite books and so many friends who saw it earlier in the run told me it was marvelous. It also has puppets that were created by a former student so I was especially invested! It did not disappoint. The creation of the world is magical - puppets tend to up the theatricality and magic of a show! But the colours or the world and the manipulation of all the animals is very well-done and you are simply immersed in Pi Patel's journey. From the zoo in  Pondicherry, to the tempest tossed cargo ship, to the lonely but crowded lifeboat, this production has managed to capture the feel and mood of those presented in the book. I re-read the book in the three days leading up to seeing the show so it was all present in my mind. I didn't mind the changes and I think leaving off the extra layer of story being told to the novelist was a strong choice for the play (we did not need another layer) instead bringing the hospital in Mexico in at the beginning and having Pi relate the story in a book-ended manner. I loved that I could hear actual lines that I had just read, but delivered in a way that was alive, honest and present. 

The cast as a whole is very committed to serving this story. No one has much down time as many of them switch from puppeteer to character and back. The flow is incredible. The anchor to it all is Davinder Malhi as Pi and he is simply wonderful. You feel his joy and despair as well as his anger and need to survive. It is resilience demonstrated masterfully onstage. His nemesis, Richard Parker, the Bengal Tiger he shares the lifeboat with, is a worthy scene partner to Pi. The puppet is gorgeous and wild and manipulated with strength and artistry by Braydon Dowler-Coltman and Troy Feldman. Kudos to them for making him come alive, and to Puppet Director Dayna Tietzen for all the puppet work. I really want some of those stunning flying fish just so I can make them flutter. 

It was one of the best shows I have seen at the Citadel in recent years. I highly recommend! 

Tickets for The Life of Pi are $40.00 - $147.00 and can be purchase here.  It looks like several nights have limited availability which can make ticket prices increase, so buying earlier rather than later is recommened. 

Fun at the Citadel with 9 to 5!

 Last night, instead of watching the hockey game, we went to the Citadel Theatre to see 9 to 5! (It's okay, the Oilers won and are currently up 3-1 in the series so my going to the theatre did not affect that in any way.) I'd deliberately booked my tickets late in the run because of my show which had just closed on the weekend, but I wasn't going to miss this one! 

It was a fun show - very silly and reminiscent of the movie, as it should be - replete with the questionable clothing choices of the late seventies, wigs aplenty, and of course the iconic title song! It's a fun night out and you have until May 29th to catch it. Stand-outs for me include Juan Chioran as the despicable Mr. Hart. I hope we see him back out West for more shows at the Citadel because he is just so good! It would be nice to see him play a more likeable character, but his portrayal of the sexist and egotistical CEO was so much fun to watch! I also loved Kristin Johnston as the uptight and infatuated office spy, Roz. Her number Heart to Hart was a stand-out in the show - it was literally laugh-out-loud! The three leads, Sharon Crandell (Violet), Julia McClellan (Doralee) and Patricia Zentilli (Judy) are also well cast and anchor the show with terrific team-work and fine voices. 

Now, I will admit it's not my favourite musical on the page, but this production is well done and should entertain most audience goers. It's quick and bright and played well for laughs. I can't actually remember a single tune outside the title song, but when I heard them last night they were funny and lovely and I liked them. 

9 to 5 runs until May 29 in the Maclab Theatre
Tickets range from $68-$123
Purchase them Here

Photo Credit: Nanc Price
Featuring: Sharon Crandell, Patricia Zentilli and Julia McClellan 

Starting My Theatre Year Off with Mack & Mabel and the Plain Janes...

This past Saturday I met up with my good friend Catherine (@catherooni) for some poutine at The Next Act and my first theatre outing of the new year.   It was a great start - good company, great food and a very entertaining production. Mack and Mabel is the musical tale of the ill-fated romance between Hollywood director, Mack Sennett and waitress turned starlet, Mabel Normand. Set in the roaring 20’s when silent film was the rage and pratfalls and pies throwing were a plenty it follows their relationship in movie-making and their own kind of romance.  It also kicked off the Plain Jane's Concert series.  Directed by Kate Ryan with a tight cast of 7 with scripts in hand and a slightly streamlined version of the musical, we watched the story unfold with judicious use of blocking and song and the occasional dance.  Patricia Zentilli was simply wonderful as Mabel Normand.  Her voice soars and her portrayal of Mabel was both comical and heart-breaking.  I haven't ever seen her onstage before, but after this I will keep my eye out for her, as she was delightful to watch.  Her counter-part, Mack Sennett, was played by Jeff Haslam who seemed born to play the blustering non-romantic with the big ideas and the eye for what makes people laugh.  Haslam brought heart to the bigger than life character and his version of ‘I Won’t Send Roses’  was quite lovely. The cast was a nice tight ensemble and they treated us to a rousing tap number that was clean and sharp and just right!  It was a great start and I look forward to what this company will do next!