FILM REVIEW of Shakespeare's THE TEMPEST
10 Dec'10

JOHN COULBOURN - QMI Agency
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

In adapting Shakespeare's THE TEMPEST to the screen, American director Julie Taymor embraces a very British notion of moderation in all things. And she gives us a Tempest that is entrancing, although sometimes only moderately so. In a world often dominated by special effects, however, Taymor relies less on the magic of modern technology to attract attention than one might expect, relying instead on the power of casting.

Right off the top, she earns top marks by recasting Prospero, the dethroned Duke of Milan as Prospera, the dethroned Duchess, beautifully played here by Helen Mirren, heretofore better known to royal watchers in the celluloid kingdom as THE QUEEN. For lovers of Shakespeare, it is a relatively painless operation, as these things go. In fact, the character's strange and challenging mix of love and hate, rage and forgiveness seems, in a world too full of strutting machismo, to sit more comfortably on the more reasonable female psyche than it ever did on the male.

Having recruited royalty for her leading role, Taymor then surrounds her with nobility drawn from both the film and the theatre world: Chris Cooper as her usurping brother, David Strathairn as King Alonso, Alan Cumming as his plotting brother and Tom Conti as the faithful Gonzalo. She also enlists Russell Brand as the foolish Trinculo, Alfred Molina as the drunken Stephano, the noble Djimon Hounsou as the earth-bound Caliban, a touchingly androgynous Ben Whishaw as the airy Ariel and, finally, Felicity Jones as her daughter Miranda and Reeve Carney as the love-struck Prince Ferdinand.

Taymor then simply trusts them all enough to simply let them do what they have been engaged to do, moving herself into the background, the better to maintain the sense of balance that anchors the production and proves to be one of its major strengths. Where other directors, best left nameless, have allowed the comedic antics of Trinculo and Stephano to overshadow the drama of the tale, Taymor keeps a firm hand, insisting the comedy these two generate support the story she is telling, without overshadowing it.

In the same way, while she embraces modern CGI technology to underscore the magic at the heart of the tale she is telling, she never allows the technology she uses to overshadow the humanity and the intelligence that sits at the very heart of this story -- except for some unfortunate and heavy-handed work in the storm scene that launches the tale. She even manages, in a thoughtful adaptation/abridgement, to balance the demands of Shakespeare's often glorious text with what would appear to be an increasingly limited attention span in modern moviegoers.

In the end, what Taymor, Mirren et al have given us is not exactly a TEMPEST for the ages. But in the balance struck between talent, traditional casting, technology and the tale at hand, it manages to stand firmly on its own two feet as a TEMPEST for today.

THEATRE NEWS ITEMS: Einstein goes to the beach; York U and Canadian Stage team up
8 Dec'10

JOHN COULBOURN - QMI Agency

In the wake of a qualified success with Rufus Wainwright's PRIMA DONNA, Luminato is once again preparing to feature the North American première of a new operatic production as part of it's annual spring celebration of the arts. But they will wait until 2012 to do it.

Luminato officials announced Tuesday that the 2012 edition of the Toronto-based festival of arts and creativity will feature the North American première of a new production of EINSTEIN ON THE BEACH: AN OPERA IN FOUR ACTS. Written by Philip Glass and Robert Wilson, it premiered almost 40 years ago and was last performed nearly 20 years ago.

Produced by Pomegranate Arts, the new production has been commissioned by Luminato and various other international arts organizations, including the Brooklyn Academy of Music, where this new production of EINSTEIN ON THE BEACH will once again have its New York première, as earlier productions did in 1984 and 1992.

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York University and Canadian Stage have teamed up in an initiative that offers a Master of Fine Arts Degree rooted in specialized, advanced training of a very much hands-on variety in large-scale theatre directing.

At a news conference Tuesday, officials from both organizations teamed up to finalize arrangements for the two-year York University MFA in Theatre — Stage Direction, in collaboration with Canadian Stage. The program will be open to two candidates per year, and will culminate with each candidate directing a work on either CanStage's Berkeley Street Stage or its annual Dream In High Park. Applications for the first class, slated to begin next Sept., will be accepted in Feb., 2011, with the successful candidates named in April.

Award-winning director Kim Collier, whose STUDIES IN MOTION is currently playing at the Bluma Appel, has been engaged as an Associate Artist with Canadian Stage to work with the students. The Vancouver-based Collier will assume her new duties in Sept., 2011.

THEATRE REVIEW: A CHRISTMAS CAROL
7 Dec'10

JOHN COULBOURN - QMI Agency
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Most historians credit Prince Albert, consort to Queen Victoria, with popularizing the Christmas tree and making it part of mainstream British and North American culture. But that's not the only thing the Victorian era would give us in the way of evergreen Christmas traditions.

And in much the same way as Albert might have difficulty reconciling his vision of the beloved tannenbaum with some of the garish creations in tinsel and vinyl we have today, one suspects Charles Dickens might not recognize his beloved and enduring A CHRISTMAS CAROL in some of the more bizarre and even ridiculous adaptations made for stage and screen. But I'm betting that, given the chance, Dickens would embrace Soulpepper's adaptation of his novel as a true child of his vision. Premiered in 2001, Soulpepper's A CHRISTMAS CAROL returned to the Young Centre Monday for a seasonal run.

Adapted and directed by Michael Shamata and presented in the round, this is a production that has so very much going for it, not the least of which is Dickens' tale of Yuletide redemption. But while Dickens' tale supplies the bones of Shamata's productions -- and fine bones they prove to be -- it is in the way that Shamata and his cast put flesh on those bones that makes this a must-see for anyone looking to either kick-start a Christmas season, or to drink deeply of its true spirit. And it is in the heart that Joe Ziegler brings to the central role of Ebenezer Scrooge, the misanthropic miser at the centre of the tale. Under Shamata's direction, Ziegler gives us a Scrooge in whom we can believe at every step of his transformation, appalling in his greed, touching in his epiphany and joyous in his redemption.

Shamata then surrounds Ziegler's Scrooge with a veritable treasure chest of fine actors, most of them cast in multiple roles. Oliver Dennis gives us a Bob Cratchit in three wonderful dimensions, supported by his real-life wife, Deborah Drakeford, cast as the long-suffering and loving Mrs. Cratchit. Matthew Edison moves back and forth between the roles of the young Scrooge and Scrooge's spurned nephew Fred with grace and ease.

Kevin Bundy and Maggie Huculak disarm then charm, as the fun-loving Fezziwigs, while as Scrooge's housekeeper, Mrs. Dilber, Huculak packs an entire relationship into a single malevolent look.

Working with only minimal props (exquisitely created and/or chosen by John Ferguson) Shamata, lighting designer Alan Brodie and costumers Mary-Jo Carter Dodd and Julie Fox bring the world of Victorian London to glorious life, never moreso than at the delightful Fezziwig fète that ends the first act in delirious swirls of colour and joy, painted by choreographer Tim French.

It is such a strong production, in fact, that it is almost possible to overlook what proves to be the only weak link in a delightful Christmas chain. Cast as the ghost of Jacob Marley, as well as the three Yule ghosts who will visit Scrooge in the night of his redemption, John Jarvis does his level best, but is simply miscast, lacking as he is the kind of presence in any of the roles that would allow him to terrify either Scrooge or the audience. It's not that Jarvis lacks talent, but rather the gravitas the role demands. Like a tenor charged with carrying a bass-line, he simply doesn't have the depth.

Still, this is one Christmas Carol that will linger in your mind and in your heart, long after the season's gone. Don't let it -- or Christmas -- pass you by.

OBITUARY: David French dead at 71
6 Dec'10

JOHN COULBOURN - QMI AGENCY

His stories made us laugh and they made us cry, even while they helped us realize that Canadian stories were worth telling.
And while his passing will be mourned by the Canadian theatre community, David French's life will be celebrated, in a very real sense, every time one of his plays is produced. Rarely has an autobiography been so beautifully etched for the stage.

French's death at 71, reportedly after a battle with brain cancer, was announced this weekend. Born in Newfoundland in 1939, French grew up in Toronto, and while he enjoyed some success as an actor and a writer for television in his early career, he found his real calling it seems in 1971 when he submitted a script to a nascent theatre company being formed by Toronto theatre pioneer Bill Glassco.

The theatre, of course, was Tarragon and the play was LEAVING HOME, which would go on to be produced at virtually every regional theatre across Canada, its story of the troubled Mercer clan -- a clan like so many others of the era, making the transition from the rural life to the urban -- clearly resonating from coast to coast LEAVING HOME would soon be joined by two other plays to comprise what became known as the Mercer Trilogy, with OF THE FIELDS, LATELY documenting the familial fortunes post-Leaving Home and SALT WATER MOON, romanticizing its very beginnings.

They were all, French freely admitted, more or less autobiographical and they would cement his reputation as one of Canada's leading theatrical voices. He would go on to write other plays about the Mercer family, none of which enjoyed the success of the original three, as well as several other plays, including a murder thriller titled SILVER DAGGER.

But aside from the Mercer Trilogy, his greatest success would come in his single foray into comedy -- a fictionalized backstage slice of life titled JITTERS, that has gone on to become one of the best known and most successful Canadian stage comedies of all time.

In his later years, French moved away from playwrighting and into education, serving as writer-in-residence for a time at both the University of Windsor and the University of Western Ontario and teaching a summer course in playwrighting at the University of Prince Edward Island -- the province in which he made a long-time summer home.

Though it had been several years since a new French play had been produced, his work found a new audience and new popularity in a series of revivals by Soulpepper Theatre Company where the entire Mercer Trilogy, as well as JITTERS, have been revived over the last few years, to both critical and audience acclaim.

But even though French did a lot of work as an actor, a screenwriter and an educator. his heart was always in his playwrighting "I really consider my real work the work I've done for the theatre," he told me back in 1994. "I've actually made a living. I can't believe I've done that. Not only a living but a damn good one. I never really expected that."

French is survived by partner Glenda MacFarlane, son Gareth and daughter Mary -- and by a body of work that is recognized as a Canadian cultural treasure. He probably never expected that either.

THEATRE REVIEW: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: THE SAVAGELY SILLY FAMILY MUSICAL
4 Dec '10

JOHN COULBOURN - QMI Agency
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

It might seem that putting together a Christmas panto is no more complicated than whipping up a batch of Grandma's eggnog. You pull out a recipe and, after a bit of messing around in the kitchen, you've got the whole family rolling around on the floor. And truth to tell, Ross Petty has got pretty good over the years at whipping up an intoxicating family brew for the holidays, and making it loo terribly easy. But it's not as easy as it looks.

For proof, one need look no further than this year's edition: Ross Petty Productions opened BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: THE SAVAGELY SILLY FAMILY MUSICAL on Thursday at the Elgin Theatre. And it's a bona fide hit, thanks in no small part to an experienced team that includes director Ted Dykstra (on board for his fifth show), choreographer Tracey Flye (panto No. 9, for those counting) and even Petty himself, who has cast himself as the panto's perennial villain, as well as it very seasoned producer.

The cast, too, has some familiar names. While this is Melissa O'Neil's first foray into this strange and delightful theatrical form, her Bella - the Beauty of title - shares the stage with many performers steeped in panto tradition, including Jake Epstein, returning from CINDERELLA to the dual roles of Prince Zack and the Beast. Throw in panto vets Eddie Glen, Jake Simons and Meghan Hoople and you've got a team.

As for the book, this may represent a first effort for co-writers Nicholas Hune-Brown and Lorna Wright, but rest assured, they find their rhythm quickly. They have come up with a script in which the obligatory similarities to any other stage musical are purely intentional, disguised though they may be by pop-culture references, local jokes and a range of pop tunes that promise something for just about every generation.

Hune-Brown and Wright spin out the story of nerdy Prince Zack (Epstein) transformed into a beastly rock star as part of a dastardly plan cooked up by Baron Barnum von Cowell (Petty in full faux frightful flight) to usurp the kingdom. The hapless Zack agrees to it in large part simply to win the affections of the beautiful Bella (O'Neil), who lives in a little cottage on the edge of the woods with her inventive Aunt Plinky (Scott Thompson, doing his best to prove that there is indeed nothing like his dame).

The Baron's plot not only threatens the careers of his other pop creations - the adorable Buskin Beaver (Hoople in an inspired, toothy sendup of Justin Bieber) and Lisa Lennox's Lady Baa Baa - but threatens to turn Zack's sad-sack advisers (Glen and Simons) into his full-time rhythm section as well.

In short, it's everything we've come to expect in a panto - and just the teeniest bit less, for in their eagerness to please, Petty's script writers overlook one of the lessons Petty has taught his audience so well: rough edges on homemade Christmas gifts like this simply add to their charm. So, while Hune-Brown and Wright strike all the obligatory high and low notes with comedy - the commercials are not to be missed, the new mayor gets roasted just like the old one and Thompson crowns it all with a bit of delightful lèse-majesty - it's all a little too polished.

Worse, in a season when childhood stretches all the way into senior-citizenship and beyond (and if you don't believe me, take a good look at this audience), a tad too many of the cultural references are aimed squarely at the under-30 demographic, and some of the musical numbers go on a bit too long. But while this delightful seasonal brew might not be the nog Grannie whipped up, it's still a great glass of christmas cheer that gets you where you want to be at this time of year, surrounded by those you love, all having a good laugh.

THEATRE NEWS ITEM: FUNDS FOR STRATFORD FEST
5 Dec'10

JOHN COULBOURN - QMI Agency

The Government of Ontario, through its new $27-million Arts Investment Fund, will make some $3.9 million available to the Stratford Festival over the next three years, it was announced Friday.

The announcement was made in Stratford by MPP John Wilkinson, speaking on behalf of provincial Tourism and Culture Minister Michael Chan. Antoni Cimolino, the Festival's General Director, expressed his gratitude for the cash windfall, adding that the funds will allow the Festival "to enhance our audience development and private-sector support."

THEATRE: FEATURE INTERVIEWS
3 Dec'10

THEIR GIFT OF CHRISTMAS

JOHN COULBOURN - QMI Agency

It takes a special kind of person to give up Christmas for others.

And fortunately for us, performers — actors, singers, dancers, musicians— have always been a special kind of people. As for how special, well - judge for yourself. With four holiday-themed shows hitting Toronto stages in the next few weeks, we've asked just a few of those special people what it's like to be on the boards when everyone around them is celebrating one of the happiest holidays of the year.


ROSS PETTY, appearing in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: THE SAVAGELY SILLY FAMILY MUSICAL running at the Elgin Theatre, opening Dec. 2




For 24 years, Ross Petty has been working harder than most of Santa's elves to ensure kids of all ages have a memorable Christmas — and, by way of a thank you, he's resoundingly booed every time he sets foot on stage. He wouldn't have it any other way.

As producer of Ross Petty Productions' annual panto — think all the beloved traditional British Yuletide theatrical nonsense, with a touch of hilarious Hogtown tradition thrown in — Petty has his pick of roles. Invariably, he casts himself as villain — evil sheriff, wicked step-mother or just all-round bad guy — and in the process, he's become the man that Toronto's younger set simply loves to hate.

He also does a lot of the leg work, from deciding which fairytale to deconstruct for the annual offering, to casting, to finding production sponsors and keeping them happy. Inevitably, he says: "The big crunch comes. And that's when I say 'You really have to quit going out on that stage.'"

And with wife Karen Kain, erstwhile prima ballerina, now artistic director of the National Ballet, up to her lovely neck in THE NUTCRACKER, home offers precious little respite. "There is no normalcy for us at Christmas" he concedes with a laugh. "When we do get together with our family Christmas day, it's like two zombies sitting in a corner."

And while he insists that, at some point, he's going to limit his role to merely that of a producer, and leave the acting to others — "I have to," he says, "I'm not Chris Plummer." — he knows that giving it up will not be easy. "I'm like a race horse, right? I need to get out there at this time every year."

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JOE ZIEGLER, appearing in A CHRISTMAS CAROL at the Young Centre, opening Dec. 6



Joe Ziegler's lost count of the times he's played Scrooge in Soulpepper's enduring adaptation of Dickens' Christmas tale, but "I think it's like the fifth," he says. And he's raring to go again.

"To play a great part in a great play is a great gift," he says. "You can make improvements. I wasn't in my 50s the first time I did Scrooge and now I'm well into my 50s. I've lived a lot of life since the first time I did it."

In those earlier productions, it was not uncommon to find one of Ziegler's three sons on stage with him, but even though they've grown too old and too robust to play Tiny Tim, it still feels like a family occasion. "I've known these people most of my life," he says of a cast that includes not only director Michael Shamata, but actors like Oliver Dennis and Deborah Drake. "When we go back to this play, it's like family."

For Ziegler, performing in the round brings him even closer to the part and to his audience. "You feel like you're right there amongst them. You're aware of what they feel all through the play. There's not a lot of scenery. It's pure story and that's what is captivating to a lot of people. They just want this great story to be told to them."

And while it takes time away from familial celebration with wife Nancy Palk, he's not complaining. "We've got Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day," he says happily. "I don't need much more of a break than that. I love doing this story."

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HEATHER OGDEN, appearing in THE NUTCRACKER at the Four Seasons Centre, opening Dec. 11



Heather Ogden, now principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada, has grown up with THE NUTCRACKER. "I've done so many roles coming through the company," she recalls, adding that those roles often paralleled her own growth. "One year, I was the small snow flake, then I was the medium, then large," she says. "Then I was the Snow Queen."

Regardless of what role she's dancing however, of one thing she is sure.
"It's a busy time of year," she says. "There's a lot going on. You're physically exhausted for the Christmas season, trying to run between shows and do Christmas shopping." But she wouldn't have it any other way.

"I'm somebody who really likes tradition," she says, adding that she knows the ballet is a tradition in a lot of families. "It's attached to Christmas, which is a nice time of year." (made even nicer, no doubt, in Ogden's case by her birthday that falls on Dec. 24.) "I love how much the kids love it. During NUTCRACKER, some of the best shows are matinees. You get to be that little girl's dream."

And speaking of dreams, this year, she'll be dancing five performances as the Sugar Plum Fairy, every one opposite her newly minted husband, principal dancer Guillaume Côté's Nutcracker. The two were married this past summer and although they've danced these roles together in previous years, Ogden is delighted they are paired for all five performances this time around. "I mean, I'm lucky to have a lot of partners, but for this role especially — we have a few ballets that we really like to be together for, and this is one of them. My tradition is doing it with Guillaume," she says quietly.

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ANDREW BOETCHER, appearing in DR. SEUSS' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS: THE MUSICAL at the Sony Centre, opening Dec. 17



As the touring production of the Dr. Seuss classic makes its way to Toronto, 22-year-old Andrew Boetcher finds himself on occasion forsaking the role of old Max and stepping into the limelight as understudy to Stefan Karl, cast as the Grinch.

In fact, that's precisely what happened to the young Columbia, MD native the day before we tracked him down in Arizona, where the show was playing. "It was pretty fantastic," he reports, " Being in full costume and full make-up, you can pretty well say anything and they will pretty well buy it as you being Grinchy."

When it comes to Christmas on the road, however, Boetcher is unbothered by the whole notion that the Grinch will steal his Christmas, which traditionally has been spent back home. "It will be my first Christmas away from home and my parents," he says, "But I'm definitely excited to spend it with my Whoville family."

And he doesn't used the term 'family' lightly. "We pretty much became family during the three weeks of rehearsal (in New York)," he says, adding that being on the road only strengthens that bond. "I gotta say, if I was able to spend next Christmas doing this show, then I would be perfectly happy," he says. "You get to experience a bit of Christmas magic every day.