HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-06-11, Page 19THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2009. PAGE 19.Entertainment Leisure&Theatre reviewPatterson’s ‘Sisters’ at a loss for humour
It has been said that when the cast
wept at the end of his ‘comic’Three
Sisters playwright Anton Chekov
was convinced it was destined to
fail.
But the blend of pathos and soft
humour has resonated with
audiences since the play’s 1901
debut.
Opening June 3 at the Tom
Patterson Theatre, Three Sisters was
last performed at Stratford in 1989,
that time at the larger downtown
Avon. I remember that blend then,
and it was all good.
This time it’s a very different
production.
The story tells of the Russian
Prozorov family, Olga, Masha and
Irina and their brother Andrei as they
search for happiness and satisfaction
amidst life’s challenges.
Raised in Moscow, but having
spent the past several years in a
small provincial town, the well-
educated sisters dream of returning
now to the excitement of a life in the
city.
Olga, the eldest, is a teacher,
marked as the next headmistress, a
position she doesn’t want. Masha,
the middle sister is married to
Kulygin, a man who first impressed
her with his intelligence, but who
she now views as dull. Irina wants
to put her mind to work and find a
career and the love of her life in
Moscow.
Andrei is in love with Natasha,
and at a party held to celebrate Irini’s
‘name day’ he shares his feelings
with her.
As their stories progress, each in
turn discovers how life can make a
mockery of your dreams.
There’s a lot of, for lack of a better
word, complaining about what has
gone wrong in the characters’ lives.
They ask how will they go on,
what’s the point of living. There is
tragic loss and pain.
However, amidst this Chekov did
provide much needed moments of
humour. Unfortunately they are this
time given less attention than in the
earlier Stratford production.
Director Martha Henry seems to lay
a heavy hand on the drama instead,
and the overall result can be a bit
dreary. The play often weighs
heavily with comic moments
floating over to little effect.
That said some of the
performances are worth seeing.
Lucy Peacock, who played Masha in
the production 20 years ago, reprises
the role here. And while it may seem
that she might be a little long in the
tooth to take on the part of a 25-year-
old, the passion she brings to the part
makes it easy to overlook. Her
scenes with the equally-great Tom
McCamus as her lover Vershinin are
mesmirizing.
James Blendick as the old family
friend, Dr. Chebutykin and Sean
Arbuckle as Baron Tuzenbach are
likeable, while Peter Hutt is a sweet,
but bland Kulygin.
On the other hand, Irene Poole’s
Olga flips between stoic and wrung
out to sometimes annoying
extremes, while Dalal Badr is a
vapid Irina.
The intimacy of the Tom Patterson
Theatre’s stage brings them close
enough that every nuance, every
expression carries to the audience.
With Peacock and McCamus at
least, that’s an especially satisfactory
experience.
The bare bones set, designed by
John Pennoyer involves you. As if
you were there in the drawing room,
you feel part of what is happening.
For the most part that’s not a bad
thing. It’s unfortunate that there are
those moments when you’d rather be
just about anywhere else, to spoil it.
Three Sisters is at the Tom
Patterson Theatre until Oct. 3.
Eric Coates, artistic director of the
Blyth Festival has been elected
president of The Professional
Association of Canadian Theatres.
Gaylene Buckle, general manager
of Theatre Newfoundland Labrador
in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, has
been elected vice-president internal.
Both will serve two-year terms.
A long serving volunteer for
PACT, Coates has represented
PACT’s summer theatres caucus for
many years. As artistic director at
Blyth, he has worked in a variety of
roles since 1995.
Directing credits include Against
the Grain, Queen Milli of Galt, The
Ballad of Stompin’ Tom, The
Gingko Tree, I’ll Be Back Before
Midnight, Having Hope at Home
and The Drawer Boy.
He has also directed for Thousand
Islands Playhouse and Drayton
Entertainment.
Coates is extremely proud of the
Festival’s new play development
record since he became artistic
director in 2003: 20 world premiers,
eight scripts published, and one
finalist for the Governor General’s
Award (Reverend Jonah by Paul
Ciufo).
As an actor, he spent four seasons
with the Stratford Festival and has
performed in regional theatres in
Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova
Scotia and New York.
Coates currently sits on the
advisory councils for St. Clair
College Performing Arts and
Ryerson Theatre School.
He is a proud alumnus of
Ryerson.
Buckle became general manager
of Theatre Newfoundland Labrador
in March 1995. She has served on
numerous volunteer boards over the
years and currently sits on the board
of the Ireland-Newfoundland
Business Partnerships.
Nancy Webster, managing director
at the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for
Young People based in Toronto is
now past president. Antoni
Cimolino, general director of the
Stratford Shakespeare Festival
(Stratford, Ontario) has been re-
elected vice-president external.
Linda Gorrie, administrative director
at the Playwrights Theatre Centre in
Vancouver, British Columbia, has
been appointed treasurer.
To be reappointed is David Abel,
general manager and executive-
producer at the Canadian Stage
Company in Toronto as director-at-
large in charge of labour
relations..
PACT is a member-driven
organization that serves as the
collective voice of professional
Canadian theatres.
Coates elected PACT president
2 out of 3
Irene Poole as Olga comforts her sister Masha, played by
Lucy Peacock, in the Tom Patterson Theatre’s production
of Anton Chekov’s Three Sisters. (David Hou photo)
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
Happy Birthday
Anna & Troy
45 plus 45 years old
NEWFIE LUAU
CHRIS ARMSTRONG &
HOLLY VALLIS
f o r
“ A Pig Roast with the Most!”
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Armstrong Farm - 43325 Brandon Rd. Ethel
Festivities start at 5:00 pm, Dinner at 7:00 pm
Food, Raffles, FUN! Tickets $10.00
For tickets call Laura 519-887-6820 or
Richard 519-887-8998
You’re all invited to a
STAG & DOE
Brittnee Morden
&
Dan Depatie
Welcome friends, family & foe!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
8 pm - 1 am
Saltford Valley Hall
Unbelievable Door Prizes!
DJ & lunch provided
$500 in advance
$700 at the door
Available at:
Carlow Mercantile
or call 519-524-7299
Free B&B taxi
Age of Majority
See who gets their chest waxed
& so much more!!
Come out
and help
Pat Hunking
celebrate her
80th birthday
June 20th
2~4 pm
at the
Belgrave Community
Centre