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March 27, 2008


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2008-03-27

All killer, no filler

Adhere + Deny condenses Aeschylus' The Oresteia into 50 minutes of powerhouse theatre

(Oresteia Trio, Adhere + Deny, Until March 29, 315-70 Albert Street)

A+

This brief but powerful theatre piece packs a lot of punch into its 50 minutes.

An adaptation of Aeschylus' The Oresteia, a trilogy spilling over with murder and revenge, Adhere + Deny's work significantly condenses Aeschylus' plays and focuses on the blood-for-blood rule of law and how it evolved into the introduction of trial by jury.

The Oresteia Trio is carefully crafted, using a variety of engrossing techniques. Part one finds narrator Graham Ashmore manipulating classic Adhere + Deny objects: small rectangular figures with line-drawn faces and simple accoutrements which magically capture a world of emotion in their minimalism. The history of the Trojan war and Agememnon's return from it is acted out with these beautiful figures, as Carolyn Gray, Elyse Hartman and Vanessa Rigaux use mask-work - again, deceptively simple. With Greek masks in hand (made of nothing more exotic than paper and cardboard) the actresses bring the Greek chorus, gods and goddesses to life.

In part two, the masks are dropped and the tale of revenge unfolds. After the murder of Agememnon by his wife Clytemenstra and her lover Aegisthus, Apollo orders Orestes to exact revenge on the murderers. While Gray, Hartman and Rigaux act out the tale in the foreground, Ashmore continues to illustrate the story behind them with the small figures. It's a strangely powerful parallel, with the dramatics of the human actors carefully mirrored by the curiously affecting figures.

One can't help but be entertained by these beautiful little objects, whose cold lines belie the warmth of their liveliness, even when merely sitting still. While the action of the play is larger than life, the small objects microcosmically focus our attention on the heart of the matter.

The final part of the tale finds Orestes brought to trial after being pursued by the Furies sent after him by his mother's ghost. The Furies are a hilarious mix of the Wicked Witch of the West and her scary flying monkeys. They scream and cackle for revenge, but Athena, goddess of wisdom, prevails and a trial by jury is set.

Here, the potency of the production and its actors is blown wide open. After the actors nonchalantly file onstage, the lights are cut and the trial is presented as a radio play. This unexpected turn pinpoints our focus on the actors and the point of Oresteia Trio, ie: the cool hand of justice prevailing over the fiery heart of law by blood. And by taking the physicality out of the production, the story becomes timeless.

The glee of the actors in this final act is obvious and their ebullience boils over to the audience, bringing us all together under cover of darkness for a joyous celebration of theatre at its peak as an entertaining and illuminating art form.
— Barb Stewart

In very good hands

Actor Carmen Grant portrays all 21 characters in MTC's The Syringa Tree - and shines

(The Syringa Tree, Until April 12, Manitoba Theatre Centre)

A-

Carmen Grant is a marvel. At least that much is clear in the current MTC mainstage production.

The Syringa Tree is a tale of life in South Africa told from the perspective of Elizabeth, a six- year-old girl whose well-off family perseveres through the troubled times that bring the country to its knees. South Africa is the country in which all the members of this family were born, but as white Afrikaans, they are not always proud of their country.

With this subject matter, it's unlikely that Grant's talent will be the only topic consuming one's thoughts after seeing the show. But without the actress' strength as a performer, The Syringa Tree could fall disastrously flat.

Playwright Pamela Gien drew from her own life when writing the play. She thus tells the story of the pregnancy of her family's maid (which had to remain hidden) and the tale of murder of her grandfather with great emotional impact. But the story told here is not an autobiography, which gives Grant free reign to allow the 21 characters she portrays to reveal themselves as they will, not confined by the necessity to remain true to life.

With nothing but a swing, a half-pike stage and a few pre-recorded sounds, Grant brings the characters alive gracefully and with great fortitude, especially considering she carries a two-hour show completely on her own, without an intermission. It's a testament to her skill and strength that this is the third production of the play in which she has starred.

Elizabeth is a sweet, willful child and Grant's portrayal effortlessly draws us into her world. She's an easy character to care about and, considering the time and place in which she lives, she carries herself admirably. As Elizabeth's world changes, quite often for the worse, she continues to navigate slippery terrain with unshakable spirit.

Grant handles a plethora of characters and accents, including Afrikaans, Xhosa and Zulu, with the same spirit - which might be why the young Elizabeth shines so brightly in her hands.

The show's heart is South Africa and its people and that fact becomes obvious when Elizabeth grows up and moves to America, as it is here that the play starts to falter. Though there seems to be an obvious exit-point before Elizabeth leaves the country, Gien draws the narrative on for another 20 minutes in order to tie all storylines up into neat packages. This creates an ending that undermines the complexity of the characters and their stories.

Until then, The Syringa Tree is a compelling tale of 20th century South Africa.
— Barb Stewart

It's all about the music

The Satchmo' Suite may have its moments of melodrama, but the tunes are the thing

(The Stachmo' Suite, Until March 29, MTC Warehouse)

B+

Hans Boggild and Doug Innis' The Satchmo' Suite is a musical journey of self-discovery for cellist Hubert Clements (Andrew Moodie). Composed of 12 "movements," each containing both a piece of a narrative and a song, the play is a moving, though at times predictable, dialogue about race, family and the timeless power of music.

When Hubert is asked to perform the gorgeous Prelude from Bach's Suites for Solo Cello by a conductor who reveals his racist attitude with a sarcastic joke that compares Hubert's abilities to those of Louis Armstrong, the cellist ends up despairing alone at his hotel. Haunted by self-doubt in his professional and personal lives, Hubert finds himself with the ghost of Armstrong (Jeremiah Sparks) as company.

Andrew Moodie introduces Hubert to us as a prissy, not particularly likable character who is aghast at being compared to Armstrong. He feels Armstrong was an 'Uncle Tom' who sold out his talent and became a parody of himself and his race.

After Armstrong appears and Hubert's protective layers begin to fall, he becomes more sympathetic, but his coldness makes it difficult to truly empathize with him. It's not until the very end of the play, when all of Hubert's walls have finally been dismantled by the avuncular yet incisive Armstrong , that the cellist finally seems human.

Hubert's shortcomings should not be placed solely on the shoulders of Moodie, however. The writers could have fleshed Hubert out into a more fully realized character. Allowing him a bit more freedom by creating a life not quite so obviously crafted for tragic impact would have helped.

As Armstrong, Jeremiah Sparks bursts upon the stage with an ebullient characterization. Sparks' natural charm is obvious and his portrayal is as appealing as an old Armstrong favourite. Managing to vocalize as Armstrong is no small feat, but Sparks' singing and air trumpet are so strong you forget you're not watching Armstrong sing with trumpet in hand.

It's here, with the music, that this production shines. Featuring an extremely talented trio of Colin Matthews (cello), John Gilbert (piano) and Derry Byrne (trumpet), the live musical component of The Satchmo' Suite is a powerful tool in the play's favour.

In the end, the music is the heart of the story. Satchmo himself would no doubt approve.
— Barb Stewart

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