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"West Wylie Story"
April 2005
Childs Auditorium, Deep River
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Review
by "Argus"
(appeared in the North Renfrew Times, April 6, 2005)
"WEST WYLIE" TELLS OUR STORY
We live in a small town.
Most days that's a good thing, and spring days are among the best, as
the disappearing snow and the new warmth in the sun bring friends and
neighbours outside to share the sense of renewal.
This special spring, Deep River's 60th, there's a special way to share
that community feeling.
The world premiere of "West Wylie Story" is on stage at Childs
Auditorium, and it's a must-see for everyone who is, or has ever been,
connected to this special town.
It's a lighthearted musical look at the events of 1944-45, when the Town
of Deep River was founded and the first controlled nuclear reaction outside
the US was achieved at the Zero Energy Experimental Pile (ZEEP) at what is
now Chalk River Labs.
Those events are the real historical backdrop, but the story is told
through the eyes of mostly fictional characters from two groups.
On one hand, the farmers, loggers and First Nations people who had
already been here for generations are being displaced by the mysterious
plant and "the Townsite," whose new and mostly foreign occupants they view
with a combination of suspicion and amusement.
On the other hand are the newly-arrived scientists, too preoccupied with
their scientific quest (and their wives with swatting black flies) to be
anything more than disdainful of the "primitive" conditions in which they
suddenly find themselves.
It's fertile ground for comedy and, naturally, the cultural chasm
between these groups can only be bridged by romance.
The love that conquers all (and incidentally brings about the dedication
of nuclear research to peaceful purposes) springs up between Reginald
Whittington III, a young British physicist, portrayed by Kevin Myers as the
classic nerd, and Dolores Stewart, an independent young woman who lives on
the Wylie Road, cutting her own wood and shooting her own game, brought to
determined life by Julie Therrien.
Behind these two protagonists is a tapestry of characters and scenes
which animates all the local folklore that Deep Riverites have been sharing
for the last 60 years.
Some of the leading lights of the day are portrayed, with names changed
maybe enough to avoid libel claims, among them Sir John Cockrow, Lew
Kowarsled, and CD Who.
(Yes, the latter moniker does play into a running Abbott and
Costello-esque riff, but it's pushed just to, not over, the limit.)
The music is drawn from a variety of sources from Gershwin and Broadway
to Otis Redding and the Blues Brothers.
The original lyrics (when they can be heard) do move the story along and
give us some character insights, but mostly they're just clever fun.
The musical performances get stronger as the show goes on, with a high
point coming at the end of the Act 1 when the scientists hymn their
favourite atom with the soul anthem "U-R-A-N-I-U-M."
The dialogue is peppered with local references and humourous
anachronisms (watch for the Maple reference), and there are laughs in almost
every scene.
If the characters are stereotypes, well, they're our stereotypes, by
golly, and who cares what anyone thinks.
Elsewhere they might be tiresome, but here we are looking in a mirror
and laughing at what we see.
We laugh not only because the situations and the lines are funny, but
because the whole production absolutely overwhelms with enthusiasm and good
feelings.
The sense that the performers are having a really good time is
absolutely palpable, and it's infectious.
Every person on the stage is dedicated to putting their own character in
the piece.
Try to divert your attention briefly from the main theme during the
crowd scenes, and look around the stage.
You'll find that the players aren't just standing or sitting around
being scenery, they are engaged with the action and firmly in character.
This gives life and credibility to the performance, and speaks to
attentive direction.
In the same vein, the choreography by Kristen Glowa deserves a special
mention.
Skilled dancers are not often found in community theatre.
Framing dance numbers which augment the music for the audience, but are
still achievable by ordinary folks in large numbers in a small space, is a
daunting task.
Kristen and the cast pull it off, much aided by the aforementioned
general enthusiasm.
It's less about grace and precision and more about cameraderie and joy.
It's not dance we want to watch, it's a dance we want to join.
It's unfair to single out individual performances in what is essentially
an ensemble piece, but this review would not be complete without a nod to
Mona Primeau in the role of Patty-Sue, Dolores' earthy and delightful
sidekick.
She absolutely sparkles, and one can't help thinking that her exuberance
is the example that inspires the rest of the cast to such heights.
Kudos also to Charlotte McWilliam, who is given some plum lines as the
quintessential Brit matriarch, and nails every one of them to wicked effect.
The Astaire award goes to Jeremy Whitlock, who shows us some funky moves
that Sir John Cockcroft never had.
Musically, Kevin Myers' a capella rendition of "Dolores" is strong
enough to overcome the oddly incompatible lyrics, and is worth the price of
admission alone.
It would have been even better if this melody were matched with a
romantic lyric, leaving the humour for other numbers at other times.
The band, apart from the volume issues that always arise when
instrumentalists meet vocalists, was tight, together, and ably handled the
wide variety of genres demanded of them.
There's also some innovative use of multi-media, which made the frequent
scene changes something to be anticipated rather than endured, helped orient
the audience to the upcoming events, and provided lots of material for
intermission chatter.
As always with local productions, a large number of talented people
contributed to making this show the charming romp that it is.
The Deep River Players in particular are to be commended for bringing
this unknown quantity to our stage.
Fundamentally, though, this work was conceived in and borne from the
mind of one person, writer-director Phyllis Heeney.
Congratulations, Phyllis, on capturing a community's culture and spirit
in a moment of theatre.
You believed before all others, and you were right.
For the longer future, what about turning the West Wylie Story into our
very own Upper Valley Passion Play?
The characters and situations could develop further as successive
generations of performers give them new lives.
A production every five or six years would be eagerly awaited by those
who have seen it previously, and it would acquaint new residents and
visitors with this great story of our past in the most entertaining way
possible.
For the immediate future, don't miss getting your ticket for the last
three performances this week.
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