Not sure which night the reviewer was actually there, perhaps a preview night? Because on Opening Night, the role of Randy was played by Tyler Simpson. And if he caught the show a bit early, then yes, there were still some line problems, which hadn't been helped by losing actors to H1N1 during the rehearsal period, a Q to Q rehearsal that went forever, and a school matinee instead of a dress rehearsal... But he did get it right abour our Ralphie, who *is* a marvel!
A Christmas Story plays until Dec. 20
I’m a big fan of A Christmas Story, the movie. I watch it every year, often while wrapping presents, to help put me in a festive mood. So I went into Theatre Orangeville’s production of the holiday classic with pretty high expectations. But after the show, I walked out feeling a little let down.
It wasn’t the script that left me wanting — the play, adapted for the stage by Philip Grecian, captures all the best moments from the movie. And it wasn’t the child actors either — their performances were solid. Where it fell short — on opening night — was due to some major flubs by some of the professional, adult cast members.
The local production opens with three songs by the Theatre Orangeville Youth Singers. While the choreography was a little off Nov. 26, their voices were spot on and helped put the audience in the holiday spirit.
Then, it launches into the story with Terry V. Hart, as a grown-up Ralph, serving as narrator. He recounts the story of when, as a nine-year-old growing up in Indiana during the 1940s, he sought to obtain the one thing he desired more than anything else for Christmas, a Red Ryder BB gun. But, his desire is squelched by those around him insisting he’ll shoot his eye out.
Like their singing counterparts, the youngest cast members in the play nailed their lines and delivered the most enjoyable performances of the show.
It’s tough, at least for me, to imagine anyone but the film’s Peter Billingsley as Ralphie, but Adam Bartley comes very close to replacing him in my mind.
Bartley, who’s making his debut on the Theatre Orangeville stage, has taken the character and made it his own.
He’s a joy to watch during the tire-changing scene when he lets fly the Queen Mother of dirty words and when he dukes it out with bully Scut Farkas. And Bartley’s hilarious during the dream sequences when he imagines himself defending his family from harm with his BB gun or going blind from having his mouth washed out with soap as a youngster.
Christopher DuBois, who shares the role of Ralphie’s little brother Randy with Tyler Simpson, was also a pleasure to watch. He truly captures the character with his leaping excitement at hearing Santa’s voice in the shopping mall and expressing his need to go “wee-wee,” at the most inopportune times.
Alexander Newall is equally impressive as Ralphie’s pal Flick. He nails the “triple dog dare scene” where he winds up with his tongue frozen to a flagpole. And his encounters with Samuel Grant, who embodies the menacing Farkas, are as unforgettable as his sore arm.
The other young actors — Daniel Reale (Schwartz), Jayde Lavoie (Esther Jane), and Jacqueline Vandervaart (Helen) — are also deserving of praise for their rock solid performances.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Hart or Cathy Elliot, who plays the teacher Miss Shields.
Hart, who was a scream in last season’s I’ll Be Back Before Midnight, has arguably the hardest role in the play. As the narrator, he appears in almost every scene, takes on other characters and has at least three times as many lines to remember as any one else on stage.
That also means it’s crucial for him to know all his lines. And on opening night, he didn’t. This led Hart to utter repeated, distracting “ums.”
That being said, when Hart was on, he was dead on — it just wasn’t the whole time.
He wasn’t alone. Elliot had a few line drops too and she wasn’t able to overcome them gracefully, leading to some uncomfortable moments for those on stage at the time.
The other adult characters did not disappoint.
In fact, Jamie Williams was a treat as The Old Man. He had the audience laughing hysterically every time he burst out with a bevy of “swear words.” His exchanges with Susie Burnett, who plays Ralphie’s mom, provide some of the high points in this production, which runs a little more than two hours.
Burnett — who starred in last season’s smash hit Kiss the Moon, Kiss the Sun and in I’ll Be Back Before Midnight — has brought something new and fresh to each role.
Beyond the acting, the detailed set, costumes, lighting and sound effects — including the Bumpus hounds and the blazing BB gun — add to the pleasure of this production.
All things considered, while the show wasn’t up to par on opening night, I’d still recommend it — especially if you’re not familiar with this timeless holiday story. As I see it, the problems with this production can, and should be, ironed out after a few performances as these professional actors spend more time in their roles and get to know their lines better.
A Christmas Story runs until Sunday, Dec. 20. Tickets for the show are available by calling 519-942-3423, 1-800-424-1295 or online at www.theatreorangeville.ca.
Last Christmas Darrell gave me a Christmas Cactus. Just an impulse buy at the grocery store (or somewhere similar.) And it spent several days hiding in the cold and dark of the back entrance. I really never imagined it would amount to much, and would have been completely happy to have it not simply die.
