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"Jean-Claude of Swisha"
February 14-16, 2013
Childs Auditorium, Deep River
written & directed by Phyllis Heeney
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Review by "Argus" - North Renfrew Times
Trying to write a review of a production like the Deep River Players' latest show, "Jean-Claude of Swisha," written and directed by Phyllis Heeney, presents a dilemma.
How do you approach it: as a community project, which cast and crew of about 130 people have dedicated their time and talents to, or as a piece of theatre, judged on its merits and flaws the same as you would apply to any show appearing on any stage?
Well, the question almost answers itself, doesn't it?
As an example of community theatre, a show like "Jean-Claude" has to be taken somewhere betwixt and between, with credit given for the efforts of all involved and allowances made for anywhere the production may have fallen short of "professional."
And with that as a starting point, what is there to say about "Jean-Claude of Swisha"?
First of all, to everyone involved, congratulations! Your energy, your enthusiasm, your dedication, all shone through at every turn.
Songs like "A-R-M-Y," "Oh Happy Day," and "I'm Following Jean-Claude" had the stage filled with "a fantastic group of people having a great time together," in the words of the director's notes, and that joy and enthusiasm was infectious.
The audience loved it.
As far as a review goes, you probably need to look no further than that.
One of the things that was truly striking about the show was just how young this cast was.
From the Followers to the Army to the Children to the "Spice Girls" (really, girls - did your mothers know what you were getting up to?) to "Casey," "Finnegan" and "Rusty" (Quynne Merrill, Gillian Murgatroyd and Julia Ryan - the comic relief among the Black Robes), the majority of the cast was high school age or below, and without exception it was a delight to see them on stage.
Honestly, how could you help but love little Alison Chiasson as "Lola" the dog?
It's also always a treat to see new cast members taking the stage.
Loralie Cochrane, a backstage regular, was excellent as "Missabie," the John the Baptist figure who announces the coming of Jean-Claude.
Forgive us if we're wrong about this being the first appearance of any of the following, but likewise Jean Brereton as "Jean" the medicine woman, Janice Breckon as "Prudence," Paul Chiasson as the charming "Grins Real Wide," and Douglas Hamilton, note-perfect as the nerdy "Pascal."
Among the leads, Pia Dimayuga was a standout as "Tessie," the Algonquin woman who becomes Jean-Claude's love interest.
Pia was dynamic, giving one of those performances that virtually takes over the stage in any scene she was part of.
Kyra Lade was also a standout as the acerbic "Mildred," one half of the Hecklers, a kind of Greek chorus commenting on the play from the side of the stage.
That kind of role can often be a distraction from the main action, but Kyra crackled, making every appearance a highlight.
Zack Fogal was instantly likeable as the title character "Jean-Claude." Warm and engaging, he didn't get much chance to show why he was an inspirational leader to his people, but that was more a weakness of the story than any fault in Zack's performance.
And yes, as the Great Hare, he certainly did have great hair!
While there are of course too many cast members to mention all by name, let's give a tip of the hat to just a few more who stood out in the crowd - Gordon Burton, comically impeccable as always as the "General" - Greg Merrill, who brought undeniable gusto to the role of "Peter/Rocky" - Nataliya Korolevych, Dorothy in last year's "Wizard of Oz," who sang beautifully as "Billy" - Monaco Dunn, who sparkled as the "cute" soldier "Fryckus" - and Cassidy Walker, who had a confidence and presence bigger than her years as Tessie's daughter "Phyllis."
There was much to like about the show from the production side too. The costumes were for the most part terrific, although to be fair, the idea of British soldiers traipsing through the wilds of the Valley in plaid mini-skirts was a bit of a stretch, to say the least.
The band, led by Malcolm Griffiths, was fantastic, but again - at the risk of sounding churlish - they deserved better than to be hidden at the back of the stage behind a curtain.
For both the sound and to give the band their due, they should have been given a spot on the floor in view of the audience.
A special highlight from the side of the production team was the use of projected photos of local forests, the Ottawa River and Oiseau Rock.
Aside from the quality of the photos themselves, it was a tremendously effective way to create scenes with a minimum of stage setting.
But while there was much to like and celebrate about the show, it would not be an honest review without acknowledging some of its shortcomings.
First and foremost, it can come as no surprise to note that, along with the strong, confident solo voices in the show, there were some that were simply not, and that's tough for a musical.
More probably could have been done in those cases - to adapt the songs, to bring in support by changing solos to multiple singers, or if absolutely necessary, just to cut things short. It's unfortunate it was not.
And then, there's the issue that's the most problematic, at least for this reviewer - the story itself.
For those who did not attend or don't yet know, "Jean-Claude of Swisha" was essentially a retelling of the Gospel story of Jesus Christ, transplanted to the Ottawa Valley and using Algonquin mythology to address the issue of the residential schools system.
In the words of writer-director Phyllis Heeney, it was "a classic story of an oppressed people looking for a hero to save them."
But say what you want about the Christian connection, in light of all the horror stories of sexual and physical abuse we've all heard over the years (never mind this week's headlines about the thousands of aboriginal children who died in residential schools), turning the whole thing into a big, rollicking, feel-good comedy with cartoon villains and a happy ending... missed the mark.
There's no joy in saying that, and take it for what it is - one man's opinion. Perhaps he just needs to lighten up.
Dozens of people put their heart and soul into bringing "Jean-Claude" to the stage.
Hundreds more enjoyed three nights of shows in a packed Childs Auditorium.
What did they used to say - "Millons of Elvis fans can't be wrong?"
If you have an opinion of the show, please feel free to share it.
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