<\/p>\n
\nThe Stratford Festival of Canada Presents
\nLondon Assurance by Dion Boucicault
\nPerformance viewed: Avon Theatre September 8 2006, 2 pmLink to notes and photos: London Assurance<\/a><\/p>\nArtistic Credits<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Directed by Brian Bedford
\nSets and costumes designed by Desmond Heeley
\nLighting designed by Michael J. Whitfield
\nMusic composed by Don Horsburgh
\nSound designed by Jeff RichesAssistant Set Designer Douglas Paraschuk
\nAssistant Designer Tamara Marie Kucheran
\nAssistant Lighting Designers Gareth Crew, Gavin McDonald
\nStage Manager Brian Scott
\nAssistant Stage Managers Melissa Rood, Maxwell T. Wilson
\nApprentice Stage Manager Kim Battistini
\nProduction Assistant Lisa Humber
\nProduction Stage Managers Martine Beland, Anne Murphy<\/p>\nProduction Credits<\/strong><\/p>\n
Responsibilities backstage during the performance accomplished by<\/em><\/p>\n
Stage Carpenter Jeremy Lach
\nMaster Electrician bruno Hacquebard
\nAlternate Martin Penner
\nProperty Master Mark Fisher
\nAlternate Michael Izma
\nHead of Sound Dave Berwick
\nCrew Gord Balmain, Dan Hoodless, Harry Van Keuren
\nWardrobe Mistress Sharon Parker
\nWardrobe Attendants Cvetka Fujs, Maxine Houston, Christine Smith
\nWigs and Makeup Supervisor Teddi Peddle
\nWigs and Makeup Attendant Angela Moncur<\/p>\nMusic Credits<\/strong><\/p>\n
Orchestra
\nDon Horsburgh Conductor\/piano
\nMel Martin violin
\nArthur Jansons viola
\nBen Bolt-Martin cello
\nDerek Conrod horn\/cor de chasse
\nThe cast (in order of appearance)<\/strong>
\nCool \/ KEITH DINICOL
\nMartin \/ JEAN-MICHEL LE GAL
\nCharles Courtly \/ ADAM O\u2019BYRNE
\nRichard Dazzle \/ SEAN ARBUCKLE
\nSir Harcourt Courtly \/ BRIAN BEDFORD
\nMax Harkaway \/ JAMES BLENDICK
\nConstable Isaacs \/ ANDREW MASSINGHAM
\nJoseph \/ JACOB JAMES
\nPert \/ SOPHIE GOULET
\nGrace Harkaway \/ SARA TOPHAM
\nMark Meddle \/ TIM MacDONALD
\nJames \/ ROBERT PERSICHINI
\nLady Gay Spanker \/ SEANA McKENNA
\nAdolphus Spanker \/ BRIAN TREE
\nSimpson \/ THOM MARRIOTT
\nServants \/ALISON DEON, MARTHA FARRELL, JONATHAN GOULD,
\nMATTHEW MacFADZEAN, TOVA SMITH<\/p>\nUNDERSTUDIES<\/strong> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tALISON DEON (Pert), KEITH DINICOL (Adolphus Spanker), MARTHA FARRELL (Grace Harkaway), \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJONATHAN GOULD (Charles Courtly, Martin, Joseph), JACOB JAMES (Mark Meddle), \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJEAN-MICHEL LE GAL (Richard Dazzle), MATTHEW MacFADZEAN (Cool), THOM MARRIOTT \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Constable Isaacs, James), ANDREW MASSINGHAM (Sir Harcourt Courtly), ROBERT PERSICHINI \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Max Harkaway, Simpson), JANE SPIDELL (Lady Gay Spanker)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
<\/p>\n
What a script! Full of witty asides, fun, delightful farce.<\/p>\n
Here was Brian Bedford in top form, taking a character right into the stratosphere. I must comment right off the top that his costumes contributed a great deal to the whole effect of his character: aside from the extravagant cut, his colours were delightfully at odds with the sets colours and the colours of the other costumes \u2014 they clashed wonderfully. Of course, his wig and makeup were also deliciously outr\u00e9, as were his two extravagant mannerisms: the brash grand entry pose and the triumphant (but always silly) grin.<\/p>\n
Backing Bedford up was a script in which virtually every character’s alternate line was a witty and ironic aside to the audience. Grand gestures ands poses, quick juxtapositions, dramatic irony. Can I countenance a play like this being written today? No. But it seems very modern, thus proving that wit endures.<\/p>\n
Meddle’s costume and ghoulish makeup were superb, the sets were wonderfully extravagant, in a grand relief style that was both stagey and lavish. I was delighted, as always by Brian Tree’s befuddled character, and I loved the Clark Kent device of the glasses as Charles’ disguise, particularly at the moment of astonishing revelation and cognitio.<\/p>\n
Great fun.<\/p>\n
[I was puzzled by the program notes. As I read them, I was unable to discern whether they were describing the action of the play or the script’s genesis. Hmm.]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Stratford Festival of Canada Presents London Assurance by Dion Boucicault Performance viewed: Avon Theatre September 8 2006, 2 pmLink to notes and photos: London Assurance Artistic Credits Directed by Brian Bedford Sets and costumes designed by Desmond Heeley … Continue reading