
April 28, 2016 · 0 Comments
Theatre Orangeville is a wonderful thing, a fine institution in which young people can get involved with theatre through TOYS (Theatre Orangeville Youth Singers) or its Young Company productions. They often go on to study theatre arts at colleges and universities to become actors or back stage crew, designing and creating sets, the lighting and the sound as professionals in theatres everywhere.
And many come back to their Alma Mater, Theatre Orangeville. So it is with the company’s upcoming season finale, Stag and Doe, opening May 5 for the preview, with Opening Night on Friday, May 6.
Returning to the fold for this production are Caroline Toal, David Reale and Karen Knox all of whom, from their Theatre Orangeville launch, have graduated and succeeded in the profession for which they all share such a passion, developed and encouraged here.
Back to us as well, after his tremendous success with Norman Bray last year, is Jesse Griffiths.
Heidi Lynch is pleased to be returning to this theatre, following her role here as Milli in Queen Milli of Galt.
Welcome for his first appearance here to Jeff Hanson, coming to us as a graduate and native of Windsor, Ontario, via several successful stage performances.
The premise for the story: Bonnie and Brad are staging a stag and doe for their pending nuptials at the local community hall. Mandy and Rob are actually getting married on the same day in an outdoor ceremony which, due to unforeseen circumstances, has to be shifted indoors and, as there is only one place that suits all needs, there is suddenly a crowd in the community hall.
Surely comic bedlam will result with all the misunderstandings and miscues that such a set up would invite: everything that might be perfect for a farce – yet, hold – there is more to this play than that.
Much as Stag and Doe is a very funny play, it is also, as director David Nairn made plain: “…a very truthful and honest piece. It asks some serious questions about marriage and desire – about being together – or not.”
Mr. Hanson, in admitting, as it were, that he and Mr. Griffiths “go to the gym together,” in spite of the antagonism between their characters in the play, “…we were talking about it and , sure, it’s funny but there’s a lot of real issues about making it [marriage] work. But then, funny isn’t unless it’s grounded on the heart of the matter.”
“There’s humour but not just jokes,” Mr. Griffiths enlarged on the thought, “– it’s not a farce, although it could be played in the broadest of strokes.”
“Classical farce is about mistaken identity and physical comedy,” added Mr. Reale, “This is more an emotional farce.”
Mr. Nairn observed, “The bride begins to worry about the pressure of this one day.”
”She has to not be so concerned with the day and be more interested in the rest of their lives together,” commented Ms Lynch.
It is a story about an age.
This is a story of discovery at a stage of relations and it is not exclusively about relationships.
Playwright Mark Crawford is himself in his early 30’s. In this play, the older people – the parents – are never actually present, although they are a strong, unseen presence,. This tale centres on the concerns of the the late 20’s to early 30’s generation, beginning their lives as couples with a long time to go before their 50th wedding anniversaries. It talks about marriage and commitment in many very funny ways without loosing track of the seriousness of those commitments.
“Others have said that it could be played for the jokes but to play it for the real issues – it’s much more enjoyable,” related Mr. Reale.
Ms Lynch said simply, “People need to see stories that are about their own age.”
“This is really about 30-year-olds that can speak to all of us,” Ms. Knox agreed.
We discussed a bit about the whole underlying notion of the Stag and Doe and its place in rural communities, specifically here in Ontario. Small communities habitually get together to support young couples. These parties are fundraisers, basically, to help pay for the wedding, maybe, or something bigger, depending on the crowd. The play takes place in the kitchen of a community hall.
“The kitchen is always the epicentre,” Mr Nairn remarked. “Our social lives happen around the kitchen table.” He told us about the set design, being created this time by Beckie Morris: “A lot of research was done in a local church kitchen– even to the colouration.”
Stag and Doe relates completely to the very common experience of a wedding.
Said Ms. Knox, “A couple from Bangladesh are staying here. When I told them about this play, they said they were getting married and I told them they should come to see it. And they’re coming – weddings are universal.”
But why, we wondered, do people still get married?
Variously, we talked about the billion dollar wedding industry – the dress, venue, the band, flowers- on and on.
However, all that to one side, Mr. Reale commented: “The play kind of lives in the question..”
And from Mr. Griffiths: “It’s beautiful to celebrate the idea of wanting to be together for the rest of your lives; I would want to have an occasion to celebrate that.”
Stag and Doe opens next Thursday, May 5 and runs until May 22. Tickets as usual at the box office, telephone 519-942-3423, or online www.theatreorangeville.ca .