HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2019-08-15, Page 19THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2019. PAGE 19.
Story, acting propels ‘In the Wake of Wettlaufer’
The Blyth Festival’s fourth show
of the 2019 season, the world
premier of In The Wake of Wettlaufer
was many things, but, primarily, it
was not what I expected.
First and foremost, it’s a solid
story, ignoring some minor hiccups.
that were most likely caused by the
very late replacement of Blyth
Festival fan-favourite Catherine
Fitch by celebrated Canadian actress
Jane Spidell as Mary. Late changes
to the creative team behind the
scenes may also play a part in some
of the less polished aspects of the
play.
The play tackles the issue of
Wettlaufer’s crimes, the problems
facing the long-term care industry
and nursing shortages. It doesn’t
stop there, however, looking at the
fallout that follows not just horrific
situations like Wettlaufer’s murder
of eight long-term care home
residents, but the general problems
that follow a family trying to keep a
family member in a long-term care
facility.
The play, penned by Blyth Festival
Artistic Director Gil Garratt (who
also directed and designed the set for
the show) and Kelly McIntosh
features four siblings: Mary, Brenda
(Caroline Gillis), John (Nathan
Howe) and Lynn (Rachel Jones) as
well as their father Frank, played by
Robert King.
At the outset of the play, the four
siblings are debating the power of
attorney for Frank after it becomes
apparent his memory loss is more
than just age-induced and he isn’t
capable of making his own
decisions.
The sibling dynamic is a relatable
one, with shifting divisions, obvious
preferences and anger couched in the
fear of the future. It’s easy for the
audience to look to the stage and
wonder how they may react in a
similar situation.
After that first scene, the story
advances through the stages of not
only Frank’s deteriorating mental
health, which King portrays
powerfully and poignantly, but also
the strain put on the siblings as they
try and find the best care options for
their last remaining parent, having
lost their mother years before.
The siblings, spread to the
corners of the country and beyond
thanks to work, place the burden
of care and the power of attorney
with Lynn who, aside from raising
her own children, takes care
of Frank until the family finds
space for him in an appropriate long-
term care home.
The story then follows the family
as they try and make the care centre
work for Frank, through to the
passing of the patriarch.
After his passing, as the family
gathers to remember him, the news
of Wettlaufer’s murders break, and
it’s possible that Frank may have
been one of her victims.
The second act of the play
includes audio excerpts from the
proceedings that followed
Wettlaufer’s admission of guilt,
including The Long-Term Care
Homes Public Inquiry. It follows
members of the family attending the
inquiry and the frustration that
mounts as a result.
The second act undoubtedly was a
true-to-life experience for families
deeply involved in the situation and
did aid in showing the relative
helplessness that the children of
Wettlaufer’s victims may have felt
throughout the inquiry.
All the actors deserve credit for
putting forward a great effort and a
believable tale and, technically, the
play was solid as well, utilizing
minimal stage design to tell the
stories of the four siblings well.
Solid, however, isn’t perfect.
Normally, I’m completely in
favour of minimalistic set-design.
However, the play has both hits and
misses when it comes to setting the
stage for the different scenes.
In the first act, for example, Lynn
and Frank visit a doctor’s office and,
with the harsh, white light and
clinical coats, as well as the
aloof mannerisms presented by the
various medical professionals
(brought to life by the remaining five
members of the cast), it feels like
being in a medical centre for the first
time.
While that may not have been the
case for Lynn, Frank’s recollection
of the previous doctor’s office makes
it clear that he is seeing and feeling
that situation for the first time.
There are other great examples,
like when the siblings take in a
parade together, where the
minimalistic stage and excellent
lighting and sound tell the story
well, but there are some missteps as
well.
The biggest missed opportunity, to
me, was the dining room table in
Lynn’s home: it doesn’t feel like a
family table.
A significant portion of the play
takes place around the table, and
there isn’t a warmth to the set that
makes me feel like this is the place
that Lynn feeds her family. Without
backdrops, a lot is left to the
imagination, and in my mind’s eye,
it wasn’t a warm, welcoming place
to be.
That may have been intentional, as
the family has its fair share of
arguments around the table, but it’s
also a place of gathering and love, as
the audience later sees, and I just
never felt that.
As to what I expected from the
play – I anticipated some distance
between the narrative and
Wettlaufer’s crimes.
Throughout the months leading up
to this production, I was always
under the impression that
Wettlaufer’s crimes were
background to the play, not a
significant point of the narrative.
Whether that was my
misunderstanding or not, it does
paint the production in a different
light for me when it becomes
apparent that this very fresh wound
is a major narrative point.
We’re never told whether or not
Frank was murdered by Wettlaufer,
only that the police didn’t see a need
in reviewing his case – which I
imagine is a question that plagues
many families who had relatives
pass under her care.
Despite some missteps, the story is
great and the play is good and treats
the subject matter with the dignity
and weight befitting it in my
opinion. It’s a unique addition to the
Blyth Festival’s stable of world
premieres.
The play premiered on Aug. 9 and
runs through Sept. 6. Contact the
Blyth Festival Box Office at 1-877-
862-5984 or blythfestival.com.
Happy 60th
Anniversary
Norm & Josie Anger
August 24th, 2019
With love,
from your family
Hosted by her family,
please join us at a
COME & GO
RETIREMENT PARTY
honoring
DONNA
MCCLURE
Saturday,August 17
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Walton Hall
Best Wishes Only
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Tackling an important issue
The Blyth Festival’s fourth show of the 2019 season, In the Wake of Wettlaufer, tackles the
ongoing drama surrounding the murders of serial killer Elizabeth Wettlaufer. The first act of the
play focuses on four siblings deciding the future of their father Frank, portrayed by Robert King,
who is facing dementia, while the second act delves into the inquiry surrounding Wettlaufer’s
crimes. From left: Caroline Gillis, Nathan Howe, Jane Spidell, Rachel Jones and King. (Terry
Manzo photo)
Entertainment Leisure&
By Denny Scott
The Citizen