norules-nolights.com
How the Other Half Loves |
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Theatre Sarnia |
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How the Other Half Loves: Theatre Sarnia by Brian Hay Two thirds of the cast members in this production are veteran performers and it shows. Gord Bristo, Megan Hadley, Charmaine Jacklin and Joe Agocs worked together as if they've been doing so forever. They all appear completely at ease on stage at all times regardless of whether they're in the thick of the action or required to be doing nothing. They play off of each other beautifully. And their timing is impeccable. They're not just a talented group of performers—they're a savvy one as well. Joe Agocs vanished into his character so completely that he was almost unrecognizable. He played a man younger than himself who also happened to be a jerk, and he did it with flair. Gord Bristo displayed his versatility playing an individual who served as more of a father figure and mentor, a role which differed considerably from many other parts he's played. Charmaine Jacklin continues to amaze. She can play parts that are straight or comedic and she plays them all equally well. Here she served mainly as a foil for the antics of the performers around her and proved (again) that all comedians improve with the presence of a good straight player. The one bit of pure comedy she had to perform was handled beautifully. Megan Hadley's presence has been missed these last few years. When she's on a stage it brightens. It's that simple. Her grasp of her character was absolutely complete. She excels at emoting subtle changes with the use of small physical gestures. And her dry delivery of cutting lines is in a class of its own. The two other performers were almost new to the stage yet it barely showed. Tim Mellanby did a good job of remaining "in character" throughout the considerable amount of time he spent on stage. His handling of both the physical and verbal aspects of the role was solid. Nicole Kingston was amazing. This young woman is still a high school student yet she performed with a sense of stage maturity that belied her years. She held her character very well. Both displayed a sense of timing that can't be taught. They're only going to get better. The set that Bill Allingham and Bob Kennedy designed was a thing of beauty. It was set up as one large room with separate facets designed to provide the settings and routes of travel for the characters they were designed to serve. The decor, set up by Drew Caldwell, established the parts of the set that were specific to the different groupings extremely well. The lighting, by Glen Sperling, was straightforward for much of the production but some excellent nuances were used to shift the action. The wardrobe that Jane Muligan created for the characters worked to establish both their roles and the period the work was set in. Diane Hadley provided some excellent incidental music to compliment the piece and Fred Hadley had the various sound effects set to perfection. Director Val Hadley worked a marvel of choreography with this piece. The play, by Alan Ayckbourn, demands almost constant verbal and physical interaction between the characters, even when they're presenting themselves separately. Throughout the work players are required to suspend their activities while an opposing group performs theirs. Physically, they all have to move as if woven together. They did it magnificently. After the show Val Hadley explained how they put it all together. It was fascinating to hear. The amount of work that went into making the action flow the way it does is mind boggling. That the group carried it off the way they did is a credit to the dedication of the individuals involved. The dialogue in this play is written brilliantly. The characters involved seem (and feel) real. The comic situations, improbable as they seem at first glance, could actually happen. That's the beauty of it. The demands it places on a company that performs it however, are immense. The members of Theatre Sarnia did an excellent job with this. They didn't just tackle those demands. They embraced them. This production is well worth seeing. 'How the Other Half Loves' runs at The Imperial Theatre in Sarnia from October 1, 2010 through to October 9, 2010. This review pertains to the performance that took place on Saturday, October 2, 2010. This line acts as a spacer. |
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Gord Bristo, Megan Hadley, Joe Agocs and Charmaine Jacklin |
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