Reviewed by Roy Berko
The Shaw Festival, which is located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, is a tribute to George Bernard Shaw and his writing contemporaries. It is one of the two major Canadian theatre festivals, the other being The Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario. Both are high quality venues.
Many Clevelanders take the four-hour drive up to The Shaw, as it is called by locals, to participate in theatre, tour the “most beautiful little city in Canada,” shop, and eat at the many wonderful restaurants.
Here are summary statements about each of the shows I saw. The complete reviews can be read at www.royberko.ino.
•RAGTIME (Terrence McNally-Lynn Ahrens-Stephen Flaherty’s musical about the U.S. melting pot as it relates to immigrants, racism, and Euro Americans in the early 20th century. It is based on E. L. Doctorow’s ground-breaking novel.)
Capsule judgement: Shaw’s RAGTIME is a must see for anyone who loves a well-staged, integrated musical drama, with superlative music and meaningful lyrics.
•PRESENT LAUGHTER (Noel Coward’s farcical play which the author describes as “a series of semi-autobiographical pyrotechnics.”)
Capsule judgement: Shaw’s PRESENT LAUGHTER is a total delight which features fine acting, good pacing, visual delights and high energy. There’s nothing much to learn, but there is a lot of laughter from this classic play.
•HIS GIRL FRIDAY (John Guare’s adaptation of the comic film, THE FRONT PAGE which starred Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell.)
Capsule judgement: Why John Guare didn’t leave well enough alone, or why the powers that be at The Shaw didn’t just produce the original delightful play, is a mystery. Why is the production rudderless under the direction of Jim Mezon? This is one of the most frustrating and irritating productions the Festival has produced.
•TROUBLE IN TAHITI (Leonard Bernstein’s jazzy short opera of love and longing in U. S. America’s 1950s suburbia.)
CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: Bernstein’s TROUBLE IN TAHITI is one of those scripts that is pleasing to watch and listen to as it is being seen, but quickly evaporates from memory.
•A MAN AND SOME WOMEN (A world premiere by little known, but noted British playwright Githa Sowerby.)
Capsule judgement: A MAN AND SOME WOMEN is a well-written, meaningful script, which gets an excellent production at The Shaw. It is a wonderful examination of the changing role of women.
•COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA (William Inge’s story of a wife clinging to the past and a husband clinging to a bottle.)
Capsule judgement: Shaw’s COME BACK LITTLE SHEBA is theatre and Inge at their finest. Maxwell has honed a production that demands to be seen!
•MISALLIANCE (G. B. Shaw describes the play as a long debate in which “the curtain will be lowered twice. The audience is requested to excuse these interruptions, which are made solely for its convenience.”)
Capsule judgement: MISALLIANCE is Shaw at his humorous best. The production’s staging is excellent and the acting first class, leading to an evening of Shavian awareness and audience pleasure. This is what the Shaw Festival is all about!
It’s a good idea to make both theatre and lodging reservations early, especially with the B&Bs on weekends. Our home away from home is the beautiful and well-placed Wellington House (www.wellington.house@sympatico.ca), directly across the street from The Festival Theatre. For information on other B&Bs go to http://www.niagaraonthelake.com/showbedandbreakfasts.
There are some wonderful restaurants including the Dining Room located at the Niagara Culinary Institute (http://www.niagaracollege.ca/dining. And my in-town favorite, The Grill on King Street (905-468-7222, 233 King St.)
For theatre information, a brochure or tickets, call 800-511-7429 or go on-line to http://www.shawfest.com. Ask about packages that include lodging, meals and tickets. Also be aware that the festival offers day-of-the-show rush tickets and senior matinee prices.
Go to the Shaw Festival! Find out what lovely hosts Canadians are, and see some great theatre! Don’t forget your passport as it’s the only form of identification that will be accepted for re-entry into the U.S.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Roy Berko. Berko’s blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 through 2012, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://RoyBerko.info. His reviews can also be found on NeOHIOpal and CoolCleveland.com.
Roy Berko, who is a life-long Clevelander, is a Renaissance man. Believing the line in Robert Frost’s poem “Road Not Taken,” each time he comes to a fork in the road, he has taken the path less traveled. He holds degrees, thought the doctorate from Kent State, University of Michigan and The Pennsylvania State University. His present roles, besides husband and grandfather, are professor, crisis counselor, author and entertainment reviewer… Read Roy Berko’s complete bio here