Month: December 2018

Pictured: John Voth. Photo by Ron Reed.

Jessica Kim

The Chronicles of Narnia is more “classic” than any other works frequently discussed with it, such as Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, which were written decades later. It shows that it has withstood the test of time- and still more than relevant today.

I was expecting something different from Ron Reed’s adaptation of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Lucy and Peter Pevensie are older now, and as they revisit the wardrobe room, they revisit their old memories… and there, I imagined Reed would take it further and write out a new adventure for them. Which he did in a way, but not like what I was expecting. He retold the story of the novel through these two characters reminiscing their journey back when they were children. The two actors playing Lucy (Rebecca deBoer) and Peter (John Voth) both played countless other characters as the story unfolded, putting on new costumes and taking on different personas.

Voth’s Mr. Tumnus and Mr. and Mrs. Beaver was especially convincing, funny and each character was drastically different. His transformation from one character to another was breathtaking and entertaining. deBoer’s White Queen was commanding and cold, and the costume (Sheila White) really let her shine opposed to her default “Lucy” attire of a long brown skirt and pink cardigan. The lighting (John Webber) was stunning as well, using different colour schemes for Narnia and the wardrobe room, and the gobos showing soft snowflakes falling was also a highlight.

Though it’s not a fan-fiction version of the novel one might expect from reading the show blurb, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe directed by Sarah Rodgers is bound to be a Holiday favourite, with beautiful set, costume, and lighting along  with the charming chemistry of John Voth and Rebecca deBoer.

 

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by Ron Reed is running at Pacific Theatre from November 30th to December 29th, with 8pm Wednesdays-Saturdays with 2pm Saturday matinees.

Tickets | Facebook Event | Pacific Theatre

Pictured: Tallulah Winkelman as Sister Aloysius. Photo by David Newham.

A Guest Review by our Mainstage 2017 Director, Samuel Jing

“What do you do when you are not sure…” are the memorable opening words to John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt – and exactly what ran through my mind as I walked into Vancouver’s historic Penthouse nightclub to watch a play set in a Catholic school in the 1960’s. Directed by Bill Devine, Seven Tyrants provides a memorable night of theatre-going courtesy of a talented group of actors.

Shanley’s Pulitzer Prize winning play follows the story of Sister Aloysius (Tallulah Winkelman) as she begins to suspect Father Flynn (David Thomas Newman) of having indecent relations with an altar boy. Doubt implores audiences to choose who they believe – the honeyed words of Father Flynn, or the steely resolve of Sister Aloysius.

Olivia Lang brings a pitch perfect level of youthful naiveté to the role of Sister James that plays well with her scene partners, especially in contrast with the seasoned Aloysius. Speaking of the good sister, Winkelman has the gravitas and maturity to bear the hefty weight of the lead role, even though her take on Aloysius comes off as more callous than sympathetic at times. Newman’s charming delivery is well suited to the gregarious Father Flynn, and makes watching his partner scenes enjoyable. While his sermons leave something to be desired in terms of energy levels, it does not bring down the performance as a whole. Despite only being present in only a single scene, Liza D’Aguilar shines bright in her portrayal of Mrs Muller. D’Aguilar shows great range in her nuanced dialogue between herself and Aloysius that makes for a memorable encounter.

One cannot discuss this production without discussing the venue. While the Penthouse’s wonderfully atmospheric speakeasy vibe is one-of-a-kind, it was more than a little jarring to transition between the wildly different atmospheres of the black box studio and the lounge area. Space is tight in black box studio itself, giving actors precious little room to block themselves, resulting in awkward and static positioning at times. Despite this, Lynda Chu’s set design brought out the best of the small performance space, with each third of the stage having its own distinct 1960’s flavour.

Seven Tyrant’s Production of Doubt boasts solid acting and a thought-provoking script that are reason enough to considering venturing out to see it – just don’t spend too long eyeing at the posters of half-naked women on your way out.

Catch the rest of the run of Seven Tyrant’s Production of Doubt, running until December 14th.

 

Doubt: A Parable by John Patrick Shanley is running at Tyrant Studios above the Penthouse Nightclub from November 23rd to December 14th. 

Tickets | Facebook Event | Tyrant Studios