The Stratford Festival has become somewhat of an annual tradition for my older family members. After years of being offered the opportunity to join them (who really likes theatre when they are young and dumb?), I finally decided that 2009 would be the year I pop my Stratfordian cherry.
I decided that I would like to review (yes I know Hearwax does not normally cover theatre, but that is why this is a “special report”) all four plays (over three days) that I was attending. Day #1 just finished, and here are my two reviews for the day:
West Side Story
Proclaimed by one critic as “possibly the best performance of anything I have seen in theatre (sic)”, expectations were sky high for the Gary Griffin directed West Side Story. The praise it is getting is for good reason; from the sensational orchestra (that covered everything from latin grooves to fast-paced dance numbers), to the spot-on choreography (not only for the dancing, but the fighting is unbelievable), this is a must see. The two leads – Paul Nolan as Tony and Chilina Kennedy as Maria – are natural together, and it is evident throughout the entire play. Actually, the acting from just about everyone is nearly flawless. The singing, on the other hand, isn’t always perfect; Kennedy is a little too operatic at times (but she does have a gorgeous voice), and the little boy (Kolton Stewart)’s voice is a little weak at times. Still, these are minor shortcomings for a performance that requires all three – acting, singing, dancing – traits to pull off. Recommended.
Cyrano de Bergerac
Oh Colm Feore, how you manage to impress in all facets of acting. Not only is he regarded as a Canadian theatre legend (that lives in Stratford, mind you), but his motion picture roles (like the hilarious Bon Cop Bad Cop) aren’t too shabby either. He continues his legacy in Cyrano de Bergerac, the story of a man who doesn’t think he can get the woman he loves because of his giant nose. Reading a plot summary of the play before seeing it (like I did) makes it seem rather sad, but the cast (Feore and Mike Shara as Christian in particular) will keep you laughing throughout the entire two-and-a-half hour runtime. But like the all-too-commonly mentioned onion, this play has layers; on the surface we have comedic perfection in beautifully strung dialogue, while underneath lay heavy and sad thematic elements which only really hit you during the conclusion. Decent performances from most of the cast, but an exceptional (and I mean exceptional) performance from Feore. Recommended.
Overall, an awesome day #1. Two (long) plays in one day is a little tiresome, but it feels unjust to complain when both performances were fantastic. Come back again tomorrow for a review of The Importance of Being Earnest.
You may also dig:
Pingback: Special Report: Stratford Shakespeare Festival Day #2 | hearwax
Pingback: Special Report: Stratford Shakespeare Festival Day #3 | hearwax