[NEohioPAL] Berko review: THE SHAW FESTIVAL, PART 1

[Roy Berko]

A BITTERSWEET VISIT TO
CANADA’S THE SHAW FESTIVAL
 
Roy Berko
 
(Member, American Theatre
Critics Association)
 
--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--
 
Lorain County
Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times  
 
COOLCLEVELAND.COM
 
The Shaw Festival is
conducted in theatres in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada, an easy
four-hour trip from Cleveland.  Once you arrive, you will be entranced by the most beautiful little city
in Canada.  Lovely flowers,
classical home architecture and inviting well-stocked shops and galleries make
for an inviting experience.
 
I have contended for
years that THE SHAW is the best venue in North America for seeing classical
theatre.  It is therefore, with
frustration that I found some of what I saw this season, less than expected.
 
‘Tonight at 8:30,’ is a cycle of 10 short plays written by Noel
Coward to be performed across three evenings.  As Coward explained his purpose for the format, “A short
play, having a great advantage over a long one in that it can sustain a mood
without technical creaking or over padding, deserves a better fate, and if, by
careful writing, acting and producing I can do a little towards reinstating it
in its rightful pride, I shall have achieved one of my more sentimental
ambitions."  

He wrote the series for
Gertrude Lawrence and himself in which to star.  The Shaw decided to do the entire series, thus using up
about half of their performance times.  Maybe seeing some of the productions might have been fine.  Staging all of them was overkill and
may be one of the reasons the Festival’s attendance is down ten percent this
year.
Of the seven Cowards that
I viewed, I was most pleased with ‘STAR CHAMBER’ and ‘BRIEF ENCOUNTERS.’
‘STAR CHAMBER’ was the
last of the ‘TONIGHT AT 8:30’ series written by the author.  It is the only one intended to be shown
separately.  It is being presented
as a noon-time offering.  The show
is a hysterical look at a meeting of the management committee of a theatrical
charity to benefit a retirement home for destitute actresses. The committee
consists of egocentric actors, who drive the fund’s financial director to
distraction through constant interruption of his report by telling stories,
breaking into song, gossiping and paying attention to the president’s huge
Great Dane.  One of the highlights
is a songfest of “Mad Dogs and Englishman.”  The cast is universally excellent and the direction Kate
Lynch is right on the mark.  Quickly paced and stressing the humor, this must be one of the season’s
highlights.

Of the other Coward’s,
‘BRIEF ENCOUNTERS’ was the most pleasing overall.  All three plays, under the adept direction of Jackie
Maxwell, were well paced, hit the emotional highlights and captured the right
“Coward” balance of sarcasm, ridiculousness and purpose.  ‘STILL LIFE’ allows us to view the
unexpected love affair between Alex and Laura, who accidentally meet at a train
station when he, a doctor, takes a spec of dust out of her eye.  Both, obviously in less than satisfying
marriages, meet at the station over a period of twelve months.  Theirs is a serious affair contrasted
with the teasing, flirtatious relationship of Myrtle and Albert, two of the
station staff.  The ending is
filled with pathos.  The cast is
universally excellent and the setting extremely effective, as we see the trains
pull in and out of the station, a parallel to the lives of the transient
lovers.

When it opened in 1936,
‘WE WERE DANCING’ was heralded as "a witty little piece.”  It is full of ridiculousness and was a
perfect acting, singing, and dancing vehicle for Gertrude Lawrence and
Coward.  The Shaw production is
delightful. Two stylish people, Karl and Louise (a married woman), fall in love
at a country club dance. They spend the night planning their future.   In the morning, when they are
tired and hungry, they realize that their love has died, and they have nothing
in common.  It is so, so British!  And, so, so well done.

The last of the ‘BRIEF
ENCOUNTERS’ trio is ‘HANDS ACROSS THE SEA.’ Two people “drop in” on a British
upper class couple.  Who are these
guests? Who knows? Who cares? Commander Peter Gilpin and his wife Lady Maureen
("Piggy") Gilpin, have invited so many people to their home on their
travels that they can't entirely remember who they invited, so the guests are
there, and, as is the custom, are included in the goings on. Among the
arrivals, departures, telephone calls and free-flowing alcohol, confusions
abound.   Rumor has it that
the play mirrored the life of Lord
Mountbatten and his wife, friends of Coward.   As with the two other shows on
the bill, this production is delightful, well conceived and acted.

In future reviews I’ll
cover some of the less successful Coward productions, several GB Shaw plays
(one outstanding and the other frustratingly weak), and a fine Sondheim’s
‘SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE.’ 
 
A VIEW OF THE SHAW
FESTIVAL AREA
 
Besides the plays
themselves, the Festival includes a reading series, Sunday coffee concerts, a
Village Fair and Fete, seminars, backstage tours and pre-show chats.
 
The area itself is filled
with activities ranging from a golf course within the city limits; an art park
(www.artpark.net), The Good Earth Cooking School (www.goodearthcooking.com),
the Jordan Village, a diverse blend of fine shopping, dining, and antique
treasures (www.jordanvillage.com), an international chamber music festival
(www.niagramusicfest.com), learning vacations at Niagara College
(www.niagaralearning vacations.com), bike paths,Mystery on the Lake, a
new interactive theatre (www.motl.ca), and a Niagara river jet boat trip.
 
The Niagara area is
dotted with wineries, many of which, besides offering wine tastings and sales,  have fine dining restaurants.  My favorite is Hillebrand Estates
Winery.  Friends love Peller
Estates.  Be aware that these are
quite expensive, even with the favorable exchange rate.
 
Helpful hint:  To satisfy border requirements carry
your passport.  Right now, some of
the officers are checking them, others are not.  But, to be safe, carry it or you might become a resident of
Canada.
 
For information on the
Festival and tickets call 1-800-511-SHAW or online, SHAWFEST.COM.
 
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