Theatre Review
Production: Black Comedy
Director: Dean Paul Gibson
Written by: Peter Shaffer
Principle Actors: Simon Bradbury, Sasa Brown, Sean Devine, Charlie Gallant, Nicola Lipman, Julie McIsaac, Jeff Meadows, Simon Webb
Venue: Stanley Industrial Alliance Theatre
Run: September 10 - October 11, 2009

Reviewed By Melanie Shim - Vancouver

Arts Club, you rarely disappoint. The theatre company presents its first show of the season, Black Comedy, on the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage, promising wit and laughter until the very last scene. Black Comedy was also accompanied by A Marriage Proposal by Anton Chekhov, a short curtain warmer; between both productions, the audience most likely left with stitches on their sides. As an added bonus, it is refreshing to see both plays with this degree of physicality in the humour; the actors looked like they were hard at work every minute of the play!

Black Comedy's story goes like this: struggling artist Brindsley Miller is on a quest to impress his fiancée's visiting father by breaking into a neighbour's flat and "borrowing" the froufrou furniture. Of course, a fuse blows and everything goes black. Unexpected guests and mistaken identities throw the evening into chaos yet the irony is that the darkness also sheds humourous light on everyone's true character.

What a great time I had watching this production! Praises should first be directed toward the actors. Everyone committed and took the play's physical humour to another level. Charlie Gallant as our protagonist Brindsley Miller is superb; thin, lithe and surprisingly agile, Gallant is pitch perfect as he moves across the stage. And as his fiancée/partner-in-crime Carol Melkett, Julie McIsaac is lovely. Her talent shone in this production as she plays the supportive, though somewhat naive, partner through all the drama.

Not much else can be said about veteran actors Nicola Lipman and Simon Bradbury, playing Colonel Melkett, the father, and Miss Furnival, a neighbour, respectively; they show continued professionalism, consistency and their own brand of comedic timing. Jeff Meadows as Harold Gorringe, the neighbour with the expensive furniture, is probably one of the best casting choices. Not only is Meadows a great actor, but his incredible height added another dimension to the physicality of the comedy. Sasa Brown, Sean Devine, and Simon Webb complete the cast and all brought wonderful comedic elements to an already hilarious play.

Finally, kudos to the entire crew. The set-up of the stage is rather remarkable and intricate. Everything on stage had a purpose and added to the ambience of a UK flat in the 1960s. Costumes were deliciously dated and music was perfect. Director extraordinaire Dean Paul Gibson directs another hit with Black Comedy.

A Marriage Proposal was also very funny and a perfect fit with Black Comedy. Both have similar comedic styles and had the audience laughing out of their seats.

Welcome back Arts Club and we look forward to another wonderful season!

Written by :

Kindah

 

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