Tova Kornfeld

Dialing up the perfect thriller

Tyrell Crews and Emily Dallas in Dial M For Murder, mounted by Theatre Calgary in 2025. Crews and Dallas reprise their roles in the Arts Club Theatre Company and Theatre Calgary co-production now playing at the Stanley until March 8. (photo by Trudie Lee for Theatre Calgary)

What do a latch key, a handbag, a compromising letter, two blackmail notes and an unexpected telephone call have in common? They are the primary clues in what is supposed to be the perfect murder – you know, the one you get away with. This is the premise for the Arts Club Theatre Company and Theatre Calgary co-production of Dial M for Murder, now playing at the Stanley.

Frederick Knott’s 1952 play was adapted for cinema early on, with the 1954 thriller starring Grace Kelly and Ray Milland directed by the master of suspense himself, Alfred Hitchcock. About six ago, playwright Jeffrey Hatcher updated the story to add a contemporary and surprising twist. While the 1950s London setting has been preserved, giving it that quintessential British vibe, the cheating wife’s lover is now a woman – definitely a taboo to audiences of that era. Hatcher has also injected comedic moments and witty bon mots into the script, in contrast to the more noirish original.

This is not a murder mystery where the sleuthing detective ultimately exposes the culprit. In this iteration, we know from the beginning what the plan is, how it is to be executed and by whom – the only question is whether the perpetrator will get away with it.

It all starts when Tony Wendice (Tyrell Crews) discovers that his heiress wife, Margot (Emily Dallas), is having an affair with murder mystery writer Maxine Hadley (Olivia Hutt). Since he married Margot for her money, not love, he has no qualms about doing away with her to inherit her fortune. However, he does not want to do the dirty deed himself, so he blackmails a distant acquaintance from his past, Lesgate (Stafford Perry), to carry out the hit. Unfortunately, the plan backfires. Enter Chief Inspector Hubbard (Shekhar Paleja) of Scotland Yard, who, with Maxine’s assistance, attempts to recreate the murder scene to ferret out the mastermind behind the plot. But will they succeed?

Tony is front and centre of the narrative. At the beginning, he is in full control of the situation, callously planning the murder with painstaking attention to the details. He takes the art of manipulation to new heights. As his plan starts to unravel, we see the layers of his confidence peel away.

Crews commands the role of Tony and Perry ably portrays Lesgate’s nervousness and angst in confronting Margot with the news that he is about to kill her. Dallas, who portrays Margot in a rather subdued fashion initially, is sublime in her portrayal of the hunted housewife, taking the audience on a melodramatic roller-coaster ride of emotions. Flamboyant Hutt infuses the character of Maxine with intelligence, charm and sleek sophistication, and comes across as the smartest person in the room.

It is a testament to the abilities of these actors that such a small cast can pull off the highs and lows of this psychological thriller. They are assisted in this feat by a talented design team, including Jewish community members Itai Erdal, whose pinpoint lighting directs the audience’s attention to significant clues during scene breaks, and Anton Lipovetsky, whose sound design increases the suspense.

Then there is set designer Anton deGroot’s revolving turntable stage. All the action takes place in the Wendices’ sparsely furnished drawing room, which slowly and imperceptibly moves back and forth, providing the audience with different perspectives of the action and emphasizing the fluidity of the story. Even the walls and windows move, providing additional layers to the puzzle.

Jolane Houle’s costumes capture the essence of the stylish 1950s, elegant frocks for the ladies and tailored suits for the gents, all with colour palettes ranging from brown to blue to green that change with Erdal’s lighting. The ladies are perfectly coiffed and made-up à la that glamorous era. Jillian Keily directs her crew well.

This dialogue-dense production requires the audience to pay attention and focus on the various subtle clues that are dropped to determine if indeed Tony gets away with his deception and betrayal. It’s a cat and mouse game at its finest.

Dial M for Murder runs to March 8. For tickets, go to artsclub.com or call 604 687-1644.

Tova Kornfeld is a Vancouver freelance writer and lawyer.

Annie will warm your heart

Azaleah Korn plays the title role in Gateway Theatre’s production of Annie, which runs to Jan. 3. Neko is one of three dogs that plays Sandy. (photo by David Cooper)

If you want a warm and fuzzy holiday treat, see Gateway Theatre’s production of Annie. Set in Depression-era New York City, Orphan Annie and Sandy, a rescued dog, embark on a search for Annie’s real parents only to be caught up in a world full of mystery, lovable waifs, a kind-hearted billionaire bachelor, dastardly villains and a nasty headmistress who hates children. Even President Franklin Roosevelt makes an appearance, getting the FBI and Elliot Ness involved in Annie’s quest. All of this plays out against a backdrop of great songs and fancy footwork.

Azaleah Korn (highlighted in the JI last issue, jewishindependent.ca/see-annie-at-gateway) plays the plucky, wide-eyed, optimistic, red-headed 12-year-old Annie with panache and has a voice mature beyond her years. Her rendition of “Tomorrow” brought tears to my eyes.

You could not pick a better actor than dashing Charlie Gallant to play billionaire Daddy Warbucks. He exudes charm and sophistication but with a sense of vulnerability. Sarah Cantuba, as Warbucks’ personal secretary, Grace, and ultimate love interest (surprise, surprise), plays the role with calm confidence.

Jennifer Copping as Miss Hannigan, the orphanage’s flask-swigging, whistle-blowing matron, plays it big and in your face. Josh Graetz does a marvelous job as her brother, Rooster, as he conspires with her and his moll, floozy Lily St. Regis (Manuela Palmieri) to win the reward offered for information leading to Annie’s parents. Their “Easy Street” number is a showstopper.

The six supporting orphans span the spectrum from sweetly shy to tough as nails. Special mention goes to Elle Hanson, who plays the youngest, Molly, a mischievous little imp if ever there was one.

Even with a 19-person cast, most of the supporting actors have to take on multiple roles and do so admirably.

And, of course, the dogs. Three different dogs will play Sandy over the course of the run, all cute as heck. Opening night showcased Neko, who had the audience oohing and aahing every time he scampered on stage.

Ryan Cormack’s set starts out in the bleak orphans’ bunk room and transitions seamlessly (thanks to the nimble work of the cast) into the orphanage office, the streets of NYC, the Roxy theatre and the Fifth Avenue mansion of Warbucks. Each transition is accompanied by a lighting change courtesy of designer Sophie Tang, from the dark opening scene to the bright and festive final Christmas scene, a metaphor for the optimism that grounds the production and grows as the story unfolds. Nicol Spinola’s choreography is the icing on the cake.

The six-piece orchestra, under Sean Bayntun’s leadership, provides the upbeat and lively sound that drives this production, although sometimes the volume drowns out the actors’ words. Donnie Tejani’s costumes are bang on for the era: simple dresses, pinafores and pantaloons for the orphans, three-piece suits and fedoras for the gents, fancy frocks for the ladies and Shantytown chic for the hobos.

Although there were a few hiccups on opening night, they should work themselves out. Perhaps the best measure of the show’s success is the response of the audience, who leapt to their feet even before the closing notes of the finale.

Director Josh Epstein (also highlighted in the Dec. 5 JI ) is to be congratulated for bringing all the elements together in this heartwarming story of love.

Running until Jan. 3, tickets for Annie can be purchased at gatewaytheatre.com or by calling 604-270-1812.

Tova Kornfeld is a Vancouver freelance writer and lawyer.

The Dark Lady enlightens

Arghavan Jenati as Emilia Bassano and Nathan Kay as William Shakespeare in Jessica B. Hill’s The Dark Lady, now playing at Bard on the Beach. (photo by Tim Matheson)

There has always been a controversy over whether William Shakespeare was the sole author of all his works. He penned 37 plays and 154 sonnets, with 25 of the sonnets referencing a “Dark Lady,” with raven black brows and wiry hair. Perhaps she contributed to his writing in more tangible ways?

Current thinking is that the Dark Lady was Emilia Bassano, a Jewish woman whose father was Italian and mother Moroccan. She was headstrong and wanted to find success in her own right – something unheard of in Elizabethan England. She was the first woman there to have a work published, her Salve Deus, Rexum Judaeum (Hail G-d, King of the Jews).

In The Dark Lady, playwright Jessica B. Hill invites audiences to imagine what could have happened if Bassano and Shakespeare had met, particularly early on in his career, around 1589. At that time, Bassano was also starting on her quest to be a published poet. Hill postulates that Bassano enchanted Shakespeare and became his muse, collaborator and lover – and bore his child.

Bard on the Beach brings this Canadian work to the Douglas Campbell Stage under the steady hand of director Moya O’Connell. With only two characters and 90 minutes long with no intermission, it is an opportunity for the audience to invest in the all-consuming tension, both intellectual and sexual, between the protagonists.

photo - Arghavan Jenati as Emilia Bassano and Nathan Kay as Shakespeare. The opening scene of Jessica B. Hill’s The Dark Lady, with the couple’s Elizabethan pas de deux is a precursor to their complex relationship dance — Arghavan Jenati as Emilia Bassano and Nathan Kay as Shakespeare. The opening scene of Jessica B. Hill’s The Dark Lady, with the couple’s Elizabethan pas de deux is a precursor to their complex relationship dance. *(photo by Tim Matheson)*

Bassano is an intelligent match for Shakespeare and has no difficulty exchanging witty repartee with him. She challenges him to portray his female characters in a stronger light. At one point, he tells her, “Collaborate with me, I need your mind.” And she willingly gives him the benefit of it. However, despite her contributions, she watches his career flourish while her work remains unrecognized. Ironically, her influence becomes apparent in Shakespeare’s later works, where he does pen female characters who defy traditional stereotypes.

After Shakespeare’s death in 1616, Bassano comes across his folio of published works and is surprised to find that many of his female characters are named Emilia – clearly a tribute to her – which surprisingly appears to satisfy her thirst for recognition.

Arghavan Jenati plays Bassano with passion and fury, while Nathan Kay infuses the Bard with the right mix of angst and joy. The opening scene with their Elizabethan pas de deux is a precursor to their complex relationship dance and its inherent power struggle. One memorable scene is their experiment with cross-dressing, as trousered Jenati becomes an aggressive alpha male and Kay an innocent maiden.

While I enjoyed both performances, Jenati was more one-dimensional in her presentation, while Kay provided a more varied interpretation. The dialogue, while mostly classical, is peppered with modern jargon. Throughout, there are references to Bassano’s Judaism, including her grandfather’s forced conversion to Catholicism, his translation of the New Testament into Hebrew, the persecution of her people and her placing of a stone on Shakespeare’s grave in the final scene.

Ryan Cormack’s sparse set is simple, a series of stacked crates containing various props and costumes. Flowing red silks become bed sheets for the lovers while a cape morphs from a picnic blanket to a shawl to a baby’s coverlet to a shroud. The lighting plays dark or light as needed. Bespoke music by composer and sound designer Anju Singh becomes the third actor in the play, as it accompanies the couple through their 30-year relationship. Alaia Hamer, the costumer, outfits Bassano in a whimsical white frock covered with a suede drawstring bodice while Kay is given a period look for a gentleman of his time.

This is a production well worth seeing. As artistic director Christopher Gaze notes in the press release, “The Dark Lady invites us to consider how stories are shaped and who gets to shape them.” Director O’Connell sees the play as “an opportunity to shine a light on Bassano and spend time in her orbit.”

Running on alternate nights with The Dark Lady on the small stage is the fast-paced, slapstick romp through all of Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised][again]. Jenati and Kay, along with Craig Erickson and Tess Degenstein, share duties with a different combination of three of them taking the stage each night. Director Mark Chavez is at the helm of this irreverent take on the Bard’s repertoire.

On opening night, Kay, Erickson and Degenstein were on stage and were hilarious in their efforts to cover all of the Bard’s works in 90 minutes to avoid a penalty (an offstage voice counts down the minutes). Rife with contemporary references to all things Vancouver and Bard, the audience was in nonstop laugh mode from the start. The second act is all Hamlet, done forwards, backwards and upside down – a credit to the talented, energetic thespian trio. Warning: audience participation is part of the shtick, so you may not want to sit in the front rows.

Cormack’s set is lined with shelves of props from past Bard productions and Hamer brings back statement pieces from the past for the show. Jewish community member Anton Lipovetsky provides the sound design.

This show is probably the most fun you will have at Bard this season. And, if you’ve hated Shakespeare since your high school English classes, it might just change your mind.

For tickets to all the Bard shows, which run to Sept. 19/20, go to bardonthebeach.org or call 604-739-0559.

Tova Kornfeld is a Vancouver freelance writer and lawyer.

The Mousetrap run extended

Beatrice Zeilinger, Zander Eke, Charlie Gallant, Anthony Santiago and Melissa Oei in The Mousetrap, which runs to Aug. 24 at Arts Club Theatre’s Granville Island Stage. (photo from Moonrider Productions)

You would be hard-pressed to find someone who did not know who Agatha Christie was, the most prolific mystery writer of all time. She gave the world those iconic detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also gave us The Mousetrap, the longest-running play, having been presented at St. Martin’s in London’s West End for 73 years (with only a brief hiatus during the pandemic) with 30,000 performances and more than 10 million tickets sold.

The Mousetrap is the quintessential 1950s British whodunit, and Arts Club Theatre Company has brought the production to its Granville Island Stage so Vancouver audiences can be part of its legacy – which includes an audience promise to keep the identity of the murderer a secret.

The action takes place in a remote, snowbound English guest house, Monkswell Manor, run by newlyweds Mollie (Ming Hudson) and Giles Ralston (Jay Clift). Five guests arrive to stay for a weekend amid the news of a woman strangled 30 miles away in London. When Detective Sergeant Trotter (Charlie Gallant) arrives on skis to advise the vacationers that the murder is somehow connected to them and one of them could be next, suspicions and accusations abound.

The guests are a cross-section of eccentric characters, starting with the verbose but vulnerable Christopher Wren (Zander Eke), a young wannabe architect; demanding former magistrate, middle-aged Mrs. Boyle (Beatrice Zeilinger), for whom nothing is good enough; Miss Casewell (Melissa Oei), a diehard feminist; and the retired Major Metcalf (Anthony Santiago). Add to the mix the unexpected guest, foreigner Mr. Paravicini (Andrew McNee), whose Rolls Royce just happens to break down on the road leading to the manor, and the drama begins. Staircases are tramped, doors slammed, curtains yanked, phones go dead and, as the stage darkens, one of the guests is murdered in the parlour.

Trotter starts the usual questioning of all suspects – including the now cliché, “Where were you when the lights went out?” – and sets out to reconstruct the crime in the hope of trapping the murderer. Dribs and drabs of information trickle out regarding each of the guests’ pasts, confirming that any one of them could have “dunit” but who did do it? And it’s possible there could be a third murder – cue the children’s nursery tune “Three Blind Mice,” which hauntingly reverberates throughout the play.

This is a real ensemble cast and all the actors are terrific in their roles; all have mastered their English accents, which provides added authenticity to the production. However, special mention must be made of Gallant, as well as Eke, with his quirky mannerisms; McNee, with his Italian accent, whose witty comments inject light-hearted levity into what appears to be an ominous situation; and Hudson, with her quiet but determined demeanour as she strives to be the perfect hostess amid the chaos.

The set by Patrick Rizzotti is spot on as a posh country house, with its rich, brown wall paneling; large, curtained windows; an ornate chandelier; potted ferns; brick fireplace, with the obligatory roaring fire; and plush brocade furniture.

Jewish community member Itai Erdal’s lighting design spans the spectrum, from warm light to dark voids, providing the right mood for the right moments.

Nancy Bryant’s costumes reflect the classic elegance of the 1950s, with three-piece suits, long overcoats and fedoras for the men and tailored suits, dresses or pants for the women.

In a YouTube interview, director Stephen Drover said he wanted to keep the play as authentic as possible, without any adaptations, and so was just doing it as written. His advice to the audience: don’t just watch it, solve it. At the end of the play, one of the actors exhorts the audience to keep the murderer’s identity a secret so that others can have the experience of figuring out the puzzle.

I saw The Mousetrap at St. Martin’s in London 20 years ago and I can say that this production is just as good. You don’t have to go abroad to see good theatre. You can stay right here at home. The play has had its run extended to Aug. 24. Tickets can be purchased at artsclub.com or from the box office at 604-687-1644.

Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of history and enjoy an evening of gentle entertainment – and please remember to keep the ending a secret.

Tova Kornfeld is a Vancouver freelance writer and lawyer.

* * *

Fun facts about Mousetrap

The Mousetrap was originally written by Agatha Christie as a short radio production for Queen Mary’s 80th birthday in 1947, and titled Three Blind Mice.

Christie, when asked about The Mousetrap’s potential longevity, thought the play would only run for about six months before it closed.

Christie’s estate has a provision that no movie can be made of the play until it stops running in London. That may not happen for a very long time.

– TK

Bard mounts two comedies

Jennifer Lines as Beatrice and Sheldon Elter as Benedick in Bard on the Beach’s production of Much Ado About Nothing. (photo by Tim Matheson)

For a Vancouver summer experience, almost nothing beats an evening at Bard on the Beach. The appearance of the red and white tents in Vanier Park signals the start of the Shakespearean season. This year, two comedies – Much Ado About Nothing, done in its proper period, and Two Gentlemen of Verona, set in the 1980s – are featured alternating days on the BMO Mainstage.

There was much excitement in the air on Much Ado’s opening night. From the moment I walked into the tent and saw the stunning set (kudos to Pam Johnson), I knew I was in for a treat. The scene is 17th-century Mediterranean Messina with an elevated balcony, vined pillars, terraced gardens and a flagstone wishing well, all drenched in a cornucopia of brilliant colours.

One of the Bard’s most entertaining comedies, the story revolves around two couples, one young and naïve, for whom love is just one romantic whisper away, and one mature and skeptical of what love can bring into their lives. Jennifer Tong and Angus Yam play the young Hero and Claudio while Jennifer Lines and Sheldon Elter, the more experienced Beatrice and Benedick.

The action starts off with a trio of soldiers, Don Pedro (Matthew Ip Shaw), Benedick and Claudio, who, upon returning from battle, stop to rest at the home of Lord Leonato (David Marr), Hero’s father and the governor of Messina. There is instant chemistry between Claudio and Hero, but, while it initially appears that the younger couple will be the main protagonists, it becomes apparent that the play is really about the older two. Lines, with her mass of red hair, comes across as a fiery feminist and is sublime in her role as she exchanges witty bons mots with Elter’s Benedick, a confirmed bachelor. They both mock love and he makes it very clear that marriage is not on his agenda. However, they both “doth protest too much” and it really comes down to “will they or won’t they?”

The journey to their final epiphany is a furious romp through a masked ball (with an erotic pas de deux), mistaken identities, athletic eavesdropping, false allegations of infidelity and a faked death. The language is peppered with double entendres.

Don Pedro attempts to play cupid (“some cupids kill with arrows some with traps”) for both couples but is hindered by his dastardly half-brother Don John (deliciously played by Karthik Kadam), who tries to sabotage the Hero/Claudio nuptials. Cue a motley crew of the local watch, helmed by Bard veteran Scott Bellis as the inept Constable Dogberry, who are tasked with bringing Don John and his co-conspirators, Borachio (Tanner Zerr) and Conrad (Kristi Hansen), to justice. Steffanie Davis, as one of the watch team, entertains with priceless facial expressions and physical antics and, along with her cohorts, injects slapstick comedy into this rom-com.

A prologue precedes the first act, with the inclusion of text written by Erin Shields that is meant to provide a counterpoint to 400-year-old misogyny, including with respect to a woman’s supposed holy grail – the snaring of a husband. Lines challenges the audience with her passionate monologue while Tong mimes the actions from the balcony. As Shields notes in the program, “this additional text both gives an opportunity for a limited character to reach her heroic potential and provides a framework for this incredibly successful comedy to reach contemporary audiences in an even deeper way today.”

In addition to the gorgeous set, the show boasts fabulous costumes by designer Mara Gottler – leather doublets and earth-toned breeches for the men, corset frocks for the women, including frothy gowns and veils for the wedding scene. Jewish community member Mishelle Cuttler provides the sound design.

The production is fun – and it makes a powerful statement. But I have a problem with the script and the suggestion that virginal Hero might risk her marriage to Claudio by having a pre-wedding night tryst with someone else, and with Claudio’s readiness to believe the gossip, leading him to abandon her at the altar. Her subsequent fainting “death” and ultimate resurrection, leading to their reunion, does not account for the wrong that was so easily done to her. Even her final monologue, describing her pain and path to reconciliation, does not ease the blow.

The Much Ado cast shifts gears on alternating nights and pivots to 1980s Verona, with all the colour and decadence that entails.

photo - Matthew Ip Shaw as Valentine, Agnes Tong as Silvia, and Tanner Zerr as Turio in Bard’s production of Two Gentlemen of Verona — Matthew Ip Shaw as Valentine, Agnes Tong as Silvia, and Tanner Zerr as Turio in Bard’s production of Two Gentlemen of Verona. *(photo by Tim Matheson)*

In Two Gentlemen of Verona, best friends Proteus (Jacob Leonard) and Valentine (Ip Shaw) separate, as Valentine goes to Milan to find excitement while Proteus stays behind to be with his girlfriend Julia (Tess Degenstein). However, Proteus’s parents, Antonio (Craig Erickson) and Ursula (Jennifer Clement), think it best that he follow his friend to Milan, to stay out of trouble. So, off he goes with his manservant Launce (a terrific Bellis) in tow and Crab, Launce’s dog (Mason in real life and artistic director Christopher Gaze’s own yellow Lab). As expected, Crab steals every scene he is in, without making a sound. On opening night, he even stopped to nuzzle some front row patrons as he exited the stage.

Valentine, on arrival in Milan, is immediately smitten with Silvia (Tong), the daughter of the Duke (a mafiosi-like Elter). When Proteus arrives, he conveniently forgets about his girlfriend Julia and is equally taken with the glamorous femme. So, when Valentine tells his best bud that he intends to elope with the duchess, Proteus, to have Silvia for himself, tells the Duke. After all, as Proteus states, “in love, who respects friends?” Meanwhile, the Duke wants Silvia to marry Trurio (Zerr), although who knows why, because he comes across as a big, dumb athlete.

Valentine is banished from Milan and Proteus attempts to woo Silvia, who makes it quite clear that she is not interested. Julia arrives, disguised as a man, to check up on her boyfriend and the fun/intrigue begins with swapped rings, torn love letters and a gang of Gothic outlaw rockers armed with various weapons, including a chainsaw, who intervene and provide for a surprising ending.

The production values are high and the designers have done a great job in creating a 1980s vibe, from Johnson’s multi-arched set to Gerald King’s lighting design. Costume designer Carmen Altorre highlights exercise leotards and leggings à la Jane Fonda, padded shoulders, caftans and tennis whites, as well as Miami Vice pastel-coloured suits to clothe the posh crowd. Of course, there is the hair – voluminous back-combed dos for the women and mullets for the men. A lot of the action takes place around the pool house, with props including a floating pink swan, multi-coloured beach balls, boom boxes and skateboards.

Malcolm Dow’s sound design brings back all the 1980s oldies and goldies, including theme songs from Dallas and St. Elmo’s Fire, with some funky choreography courtesy of Nicole Spinola.

Director Dean Paul Gibson has taken liberties with the script and not just a nip and tuck here and there, but major surgery, particularly with the ending. Purists may be appalled but the #MeToo generation will applaud the final scene.

Running on the smaller Douglas Campbell stage are The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again], a 90-minute romp through all 38 Shakespeare plays and 150-plus sonnets, including a version of Hamlet done backwards, and The Dark Lady, about Shakespeare’s supposed muse, collaborator and lover, Emilia Bassano, a Crypto-Jew.

For tickets, visit the website bardonthebeach.org or call 604-739-0559. The festival runs to Sept. 20.

Tova Kornfeld is a Vancouver freelance writer and lawyer.

A Dickens of a musical

Anthony Santiago, at front, plays Fagin in Gateway Theatre’s production of Oliver!, which runs until Jan. 4. (photo by David Cooper)

Charles Dickens wrote Oliver Twist in 1837. His eponymous main character, an 11-year-old orphan, has the audacity to ask for more when the workhouse daily gruel is handed out, leading to a series of events that change his life forever. And local audiences will be asking for more, more, more of Gateway Theatre’s offering of Oliver!, the musical “freely adapted” from Dickens’ novel by Lionel Bart, which plays until Jan. 4.

A beloved classic, the 1968 screen adaptation of Oliver! won the Academy Award for best picture of the year. A revival of Bart’s work is currently playing in London’s West End to widespread acclaim. I predict the same for this production.

The story revolves around Oliver’s journey through the gritty underworld streets of Victorian London, from being an impoverished orphan sold to apprentice a cruel undertaker, to his secondment to a gang of street urchins under the tutelage of Fagin “the Jew” and, finally, a reunion with his well-to-do family.

Community member Josh Epstein ably directs his 24-person cast, a superb mix of professional and amateur actors (including 11 children), as they enthusiastically sing, dance and cavort their way across Ryan Cormack’s handsome set.

On the dark side of the original story is Dickens’ portrayal of Fagin as a venal, sinister, petty criminal who runs a den of adolescent thieves, teaching them to pick the pockets of London’s elite. Dickens refers to Fagin as a Jew more than 250 times, mostly in a negative way. He defended his choice by stating that he was just reflecting the reality of the time – that London underworld criminals were almost invariably Jewish. Some say he based the character on Ikey Solomon, a notorious Jewish fence. Over the years, consistently called out by Jewish community members for antisemitism, Dickens eventually apologized and edited out the negative references. Bart, who is Jewish, downplayed any stereotypes of Fagin in his rewrite.

In Gateway’s production, you would not even know that Fagin, played by Anthony Santiago, is Jewish, although, in his one solo, “Reviewing the Situation,” the klezmer-inspired clarinet accompaniment hints at a connection. Even as Fagin salivates over his cache of jewels, overall, he comes across as a lovable rogue, not the sleaze Dickens originally described. On opening night, I asked Epstein about this characterization. “I did not want to make a Jewish caricature of him,” said Epstein. “I wanted the show to be something entertaining and deep without that aspect.”

While this is truly an ensemble production, a number of actors stand out. Many of the veterans take on multiple roles, gliding effortlessly from one to the other.

Miranda MacDougall, who can really belt out a song, does double duty as Nancy, one of Fagin’s accomplices, a kind-hearted strumpet, and Mrs. Sowerberry, the undertaker’s wife. She also carries off a pretty good Cockney accent.

Tanner Zerr plays Nancy’s churlish beau Bill Sykes, whose cruelty leads to murder and his ultimate demise. One wonders what Nancy sees in this violent partner and why she stays with him. The answer comes in her poignant rendition of “As Long As He Needs Me,” which brought tears to my eyes. Zerr also doubles as Mr. Sowerberry in a very funny funeral scene and chorus line dance, including a spry corpse – Kate Malcic.

Santiago is simply fantastic as Fagin. Lucas Gregory as the Artful Dodger, the leader of Fagin’s gang, has a very physical role, as he slides down poles and climbs up and down ladders. I hope he can make it through the three-week run without an injury.

Then, of course, there is Rickie Wang as Oliver. Wang gives a sublime performance and showed his singing talent with “Where is Love?”

More minor characters, Victor Hunter, as Mr. Bumble, the beadle, and Cecilly Day, as Widow Corney, delight in a raunchy two-hander that had the audience in stitches. Daniel Curalli plays Mr. Brownlow, who turns out to be Oliver’s uncle, with the appropriate gravitas, and Suani Rincon does a nice job as Bet,

Nancy’s friend. All the gang kids, from the tallest to the smallest, are great and perform with gusto.

A musical of this scope is nothing without the behind-the-scenes work of the creative team. In this production, they really deliver.

Cormack’s industrial two-storey wrought-iron set constantly revolves, morphing from a workhouse to Fagin’s hideout to a posh London salon to London Bridge. Frenetic activity accompanies each revolution with various cast members running to and fro.

Lighting designer Sophie Tang’s rich colours infuse the various sets, providing the mood for each scene.

The costumes of Donnie Tejani authentically reflect the Victorian era – the rustling petticoats of the ladies, the tattered frocks and knickers of the children’s gang, Fagin’s patchwork overcoat, and fancy waistcoats and trousers for the gentlemen.

Against the backdrop of all of these designs, choreographer Nicol Spinola gets her young charges hoofing away to musical director Sean Bayntun’s impressive six-piece orchestra. With iconic songs like “Food, Glorious Food,” “Consider Yourself One of the Family” and “Oom Pa Pa,” what’s not to like?

My only complaint is that the hidden orchestra often overpowers the actors (although they are all wearing microphones) so that many of the lyrics are lost. Hopefully, over the course of the run, this will be corrected.

In program notes Epstein remarks: “Directing Oliver! has been an incredible opportunity to reimagine a story that has resonated for generations. While it’s a tale of resilience and hope, it also confronts the harsh realities of poverty, abandonment, and the search for belonging. For this production, we’ve worked to see the story through Oliver’s eyes, capturing the vivid and fantastical way children remember moments.

“This isn’t a softened version of Oliver!, it’s raw, unflinching, and a true dark fairy tale. It’s a story about finding light in the darkest places and holding onto hope when it feels out of reach.”

I highly recommend this delightful musical, suitable for ages 10 and up. Tickets can be purchased at [email protected] or by calling 604-270-1812. Special performances include VocalEye audio description for guests with visual impairments (Dec. 28) and a relaxed performance (Dec. 21).

Tova Kornfeld is a Vancouver freelance writer and lawyer.

Plays offer understanding, release

Dromio in The Comedy of Errors. Bard on the Beach runs into September. (photo by Tim Matheson)

Every day, we are bombarded with news about war, hate, crime, inflation, the list goes on. How to make sense of it all? Often, good theatre can provide deeper meaning and understanding of the world, or at least offer us a break from the world. Cue Shakespeare and his 400-year-old lens that is remarkably accurate in contemporary times…. And that takes us to Bard on the Beach.

Last issue, I reviewed Bard’s productions of Twelfth Night and Hamlet (jewishindependent.ca/bard-plays-with-tradition). This issue, I start with Measure for Measure, then move to The Comedy of Errors.

In Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, the Duke of Vienna has enacted laws outlawing sex between unmarried couples. He then leaves the city in the control of puritanical Angelo and disguises himself as a friar to observe what happens. A young man, Claudio, is prosecuted for the crime of impregnating his girlfriend and is sentenced to death. When the condemned man’s virginal sister, Isabella, a novitiate in a local nunnery, comes to plead for his life, Angelo is smitten. He offers to save Claudio’s life if Isabella will sleep with him. What a great platform to explore the male hierarchy, corruption, sexual predators, coercion and authoritarian control.

photo - Tal Shulman as Abhorson in Measure for Measure — Tal Shulman as Abhorson in Measure for Measure. *(photo by Tim Matheson)*

In the Bard production, director Jivesh Parasram has taken the story and, in an absurdist twist, made premarital dancing the offence punishable by death. The setting: the disco-crazed 1970s and ’80s, in the glitzy Club Europa. Act 1 opens with hooded monks frenetically dancing on a neon-lit dance floor replete with a disco ball, presided over by a silver-clad, fox-head-wearing DJ (Jewish community member Tal Shulman, who later does duty as the black-hooded executioner, Abhorson). The Duke (a superb Scott Bellis) rips off his monk robes to reveal a sparkly suit as he dances his way over to Angelo (a staid, suspendered Craig Erickson) and hands him authority over the city. The edict is given – tansen verboten (dancing forbidden) – but that does not stop an erotic pas de deux between Claudio (Jeremy Lewis) and Julietta (Tess Degenstein), leading to Claudio’s arrest and imprisonment.

When Isabella (Meaghan Chenosky) is told of her brother’s fate by Lucio (Karthik Kadam), she rushes to Angelo’s office. At first, she is rebuffed but then Angelo offers her Claudio’s life in return for a dance. She grapples with the request, wanting to save her brother’s life, but refuses, threatening to expose Angelo’s hypocrisy. His response: no one will believe her. Sound familiar?

To save Claudio’s life and retain Isabella’s chastity, a plan is hatched to switch Mariana (Leslie Dos Remdios), Angelo’s previous lover, to dance with the cad. A huge panda bear head is part of the subterfuge.

Meanwhile, there is a side story of two “dance hall workers,” who are worried about the morality laws and the impact they will have on their “business.” The pair become involved in the plot to free Claudio. For how it all ends, you’ll have to see the play.

Throughout the production, the foxy DJ pops up to play the hit tunes as the cast busts out into various, often raunchy, dance moves. Kadam also plays Master Kevin Bacon and performs some impressive footwork to the theme song from the movie Footloose.

The set is fab (thanks to designer Ryan Cormack), the costumes hip (credit to Alaia Hamer), the dancing energetic (kudos to choreographer Krystal Kiran) and the oldies but goodies nostalgia-inducing. If the opening night audience reaction is any measure of its success, Bard’s take on Shakespeare’s “problem play” is destined to be the hit of the season. It certainly will bring in a younger crowd.

***

Playing on alternate nights with Measure for Measure (and with the same cast) is Shakespeare’s shortest work, The Comedy of Errors, about two sets of identical twins separated at birth in a shipwreck. Egeon (Bellis), a merchant from Syracuse and father of one of the sets of twins, has been arrested and sentenced to death in Ephesus for breaking a law that prevents people from traveling between the two cities. Seeking leniency, he tells the Duke (Degenstein) why he is there. Many years before, he had a wife and identical twin sons (both named Antipholus), who had identical twin servants (both named Dromio). During the shipwreck, he saved one son and his servant while his wife and the other son and servant were washed away. His Syracusean son, Antipholous, has taken Dromio to look for his lost brother. Now Egeon is looking for both his sons. A 24-hour reprieve is granted. Conveniently and unbeknownst to anyone, both sets of identical twins are in Ephesus. Of course, that sets the scene for confusion, mistaken identities, slapstick humour and hilarious miscues. There even is a goofy exorcism.

Director Rebecca Northan (who helmed last year’s Goblin Macbeth) has set the play in its proper period, ancient Greece. Once in the tent, you feel like you are in an open Mediterranean market with colourfully decked out vendors hawking their wares – silks, carpets, gold – mingling with the audience as they take their seats.

Northan has chosen to have one actor play both twins in a set, which can be confusing and will keep you on your toes. Lanky Antipholus (Lewis) wears a red and blue shoulder sash. When the red side is showing, he is from Syracuse; the blue, Ephesus. Meanwhile, diminutive Dromio (Shulman) also uses red/blue swatches to signal his identity. Shulman is very funny and his talent is evident as he frantically races around the stage, and in and out of the tent.

The main confusion surrounds the purchase of a gold chain that has yet to be paid for although money has been tendered. Where is the necklace? Who has the money? Who paid for what?

The second area of confusion is the relationship between Ariana (Chenosky), the wife the Ephesian Antipholus and her husband, who likes to “go out with the boys.” When she sends her servant to fetch him home and finds that he does not recognize her (wrong twin) and that he has fallen for her sister, Luciana (Cynthia Yusuf), she explodes. In all of this, Kadam, playing both a coquettish courtesan and an Urdu-speaking merchant, steals the show. I wish he had been on stage more.

As usual in any Bard comedy, all’s well that ends well and all becomes clear. Tying everything together is great behind-the-scenes work: the set (Cormack), costuming (Christine Reimer), sound design (Ben Elliott) and lighting design (Hina Nisihoka). My only complaint is that, as the actors did not have microphones, some of the dialogue is lost. And some of the shtick works and some does not, but it is in the name after all – a comedy of errors. Come early to take advantage of the artisan market set outside the performance venue.

For tickets to any of the four Bard productions, visit bardonthebeach.org or call 604-739-0559.

Tova Kornfeld is a Vancouver freelance writer and lawyer.

Bard plays with tradition

Nathan Kay as Sir Andrew in Bard on the Beach’s production of Twelfth Night. (photo by Tim Matheson)

Summer is here again and with it comes that perennial favourite, Bard on the Beach. This year, the BMO Main Stage hosts Twelfth Night and Hamlet, well into September.

First up, Twelfth Night, from Shakespeare’s later period, was written to provide light entertainment for the close of the 12 days of Christmas. Director Diana Donnelly’s adaptation for this comedy is to set it in a carnival-like atmosphere in Illyria, to take advantage of the chaotic shenanigans served up in the narrative (including a fight scene using table tennis paddles). As stated in the show notes, “Illyria is peopled with a bizarre mix of characters: a ringmaster, strongman, rocketman, clowns, pirates and several fortune tellers.”

In Twelfth Night, twins Viola (Kate Besworth) and Sebastian (Charlie Gallant) are separated after a shipwreck. Viola washes up on the shores of Illyria into the midst of the circus. Thinking that her brother has perished, she disguises herself as a man (Cesario) to work for magician Count Orsino (Aidan Correia). Meanwhile, the Count is trying to woo circus star Countess Olivia (Olivia Hutt) and sends Cesario out to do the deed. However, Olivia is not interested in the Count, being preoccupied with other tragic events in her life, and falls for the messenger while the messenger falls for the Count, making for an interesting love triangle.

Add to the mix Olivia’s drunk-but-well-meaning uncle Sir Toby Belch (Marcus Youssef) and his foolish sidekick Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Nathan Kay), cunning maid Maria (Evelyn Chew), the Fool (Anton Lipovetsky, doing double duty as musical director) and, in a gender reversal, the Countess’s puritanical, let-there-be-no-fun manager Malvolia (Dawn Petten), who secretly pines for the Countess, and the mayhem takes off. Amid all this, Sebastian reappears on the Illyrian scene, leading to comical mistaken identity scenarios.

You might as well call this Bard iteration Twelfth Night: The Musical, as cast members often burst into song – terrific original ones by local composer Veda Hille – giving credence to a famous line in the play, “If music be the food of love, play on.” While I found the first act somewhat disjointed and confusing, trying to figure out what was going on when and with whom, the second act saved the day and the enthusiastic cast/music made up for any shortcomings in this adaptation.

To that end, kudos to understudy Besworth, who got the call a day before opening night to step into the shoes of Camille Legg and, without the benefit of rehearsal, gave a sublime performance. Hutt is charming as the Countess, Youssef is as good-humoured as you can get and Gallant does able double duty for the musical bits with guitar and drum work. Bard veteran Andrew Wheeler is the Ringmaster and controls the pace of the circus (when he can). Petten is a standout and takes the concept of emoting to new heights in a sparkly yellow cat suit when she is spun around on the “Wheel of Misfortune,” while being punished by Belch and his cronies for her kill-joy attitude. Very much an ensemble cast, special mention has to be made of the two Jewish community cast members, Kay and Lipovetsky, whose comedic timing and antics will keep you in stitches.

Costumer Mara Gottler has scored a home run with costumes that can only be described as fabulous – particularly Hutt’s colourful sequined frock and a flowing, white, asymmetrically hemmed wedding dress (I want this dress!) complemented with black suede stiletto boots. All the costumes are suggestive of a carnival and set designer Pam Johnson gives the audience a multi-hued circus with colourful games, ladders, balls and banners.

Purists may wince at the liberties taken with the original script but this production will be a hit with those in the summer crowd who are looking for a Shakespeare Lite experience.

For something completely different, there’s Hamlet. I loved, loved, loved it! I have seen many productions of Hamlet but this one is by far the one that gave me the most clarity in understanding the story. This is Shakespeare at his finest.

Stephen Drover, adapter and director, in a brilliant twist of chronology, starts the play off with Hamlet on stage orating the suicide soliloquy (usually in the third act). Right away, we see the angst of the prince as he grapples with life and death (“to be or not to be”). His life is a mess – his uncle Claudius kills his father, the king of Denmark, and takes the throne; his mother, Queen Gertrude, marries Claudius; his best friends from university, uildenstern and Rosencrantz, betray him; and his girlfriend, Ophelia, kills herself. What’s left to live for? It is the dread of what might come after death that “makes cowards of us all” and so Hamlet chooses life on this “mortal coil.”

photo - Nadeem Phillip Umar Khitab as the title character in Bard’s Hamlet — Nadeem Phillip Umar Khitab as the title character in Bard’s Hamlet. *(photo by Tim Matheson)*

Hamlet is set on his fateful path by an eerie visit from the ghost of his father, who describes his murder most foul and importunes his son to avenge his death. Feigning madness, Hamlet sets off to right what is rotten in Denmark amid the wealth and power of the royal court.

The action includes a foray into a graveyard where actor Lipovetsky injects some moments of lightness into an otherwise dark tale with his comedic take on the gravedigger. We also are privy to the funeral of Ophelia and, in the finale, an epic fencing duel culminates in multiple deaths, including a poignant farewell for Hamlet. Kudos to fight director Jonathan Hawley Purvis for his choreography of this sequence. Choreographer Lisa Goebels also provides some stunning freeze frame dance moments showcasing some fancy footwork by the older royals.

In another interesting staging twist, the original play-within-a-play device, which mimics the king’s death (poison in his ear), becomes a song from traveling performers, played by Christine Quintana and Lipovetsky.

Pam Johnson’s set is a cavernous library with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and secret doors that allow the actors to enter and exit the stage seamlessly. A huge crown hangs from the ceiling and plays a critical role in the final scene. Being set in the present time allows for contemporary costumes – tattered jeans, T-shirts for the young, fitted dresses and pant suits for Gertrude and double-breasted suits for the older gents, courtesy of costume designer Barbara Clayden.

While this is Hamlet’s story, it really is only made possible through the teamwork of a very skilled cast. Nadeem Phillip Umar Khitab is the quintessential Hamlet, with his physical presence and determination palpable as he undertakes his filial task of revenge. (Starting Sept. 2, Hamlet will be played by Chirag Naik.) Besworth is an ethereal Ophelia who sees no option but to take her life when both her brother, Laertes (Kay), and her father, Polonius (Wheeler), forbid her to have anything to do with Hamlet. Munish Sharma plays Claudius; Jennifer Clement, Gertrude; Ivy Charles and Aidan Correia, Guildenstern and Rosencrantz; and Youssef, the Ghost.

For tickets to any of the Bard productions, visit bardonthebeach.org or 604-739-0559. Comedy of Errors and Measure for Measure run on the smaller Howard Family Stage.

Tova Kornfeld is a Vancouver freelance writer and lawyer.

The birth of a classic movie

David Wallace, J.D. Dueckman, Matt Ramer and Rachel Craft in Metro Theatre’s Moonlight & Magnolias, which runs to May 18. (photo by Emma Chan)

Gone With the Wind (GWTW) is my all-time favourite movie and, if adjusted for inflation, the highest ranking movie of all time. To think that the screenplay for Margaret Mitchell’s 1037-page tome was hashed out in a five-day marathon by two Jews and a WASP holed up in producer David O. Selznick’s Hollywood office beggars belief. And yet, that is what happened – and Moonlight and Magnolias, currently playing at Metro Theatre, is Ron Hutchinson’s hilarious take on what went on in that office.

It is 1939, Selznick is producing both GWTW and The Wizard of Oz (TWO). He has just sacked director George Cukor three weeks into production (due to a run-in with Clark Gable) and pulled Victor Fleming off the set of TWO (he allegedly slapped Judy Garland) to direct. There are only five days until production resumes. Selznick’s reputation with his father-in-law, studio head Louis B. Mayer, is at stake. He needs a hit. Enter Ben Hecht, a successful Hollywood screenwriter, to the rescue. However, Hecht has not read the book and is not crazy about the job – as he says, “No Civil War movie has ever made a dime.” But he succumbs to Selznick’s relentless pressure, sacrificing his artistic standards for financial security.

Selznick gives strict instructions to his assistant, Miss Poppenghul, to hold all calls and let no one in or out of his office. He orders up a diet of peanuts and bananas (apparently brain food) for the triumvirate’s sustenance.

As Hecht pecks away at his typewriter, Selznick and Fleming reenact various scenes from the book in zany physical comedy fashion, giving life to the iconic characters Scarlett O’Hara, Rhett Butler, Melanie and Ashley Wilkes and even Prissy, the maid.

In Metro’s production, J.D. Dueckman is sublime as the neurotic Selznick. Kudos to him for mastering his dialogue-intense role and for his parodies of various GWTW cast. From his first approach to Fleming, played by Matt Ramer – “How do you feel about being locked up in a room with two crazy Jews?” – to his eureka moment for Clark Gable’s famous last line where yes, my dear, he frankly did give a damn, you can feel the passion behind the independent producer’s quest for his holy grail.

In counterpoint, David Wallace as Ben Hecht plays his role in a much more subdued manner. The audience gets that he is torn between writing the screenplay as Selznick envisions it and his own activist leanings to not glorify the Antebellum South but, rather, “make America look its ugly mug in the face” – its racism and antisemitism (sound familiar?). He astutely points out to Selznick that, no matter what his successes are, he will never be allowed to join the country clubs of the WASP elite or buy a house in certain parts of Beverly Hills and that the handful of Jews who created Hollywood are always worried about being shipped back to a Polish shtetl.

Ramer captures Fleming’s broody persona and does a wonderful job portraying Melanie during her childbirth scene. All three men have great chemistry together.

Rachel Craft brings a feminine presence to the testosterone-fueled stage as the ever-suffering and sleep-deprived Selznick assistant.

As the writing marathon continues, the order of the office disintegrates into paper- and peanut-shell-strewn chaos as the three amigos stumble around the office in a disheveled and bleary-eyed stupor. As they finish the project, the men realize that, indeed, “tomorrow is another day.” Cue the melodramatic theme song to close out the show.

Francesca Albertazzi’s set is what you would expect of a Hollywood mogul’s office – a polished mahogany desk, a crushed velvet couch, leather-bound armchairs and elegant light sconces. In a subtle nod to detail, the office window is framed in the iconic green velvet drop curtains fringed with gold tassels (that Scarlett used to fashion the gown she wore to visit Rhett in jail to ask for money to save her beloved Tara). The glorious reds, oranges and golds of the film are reproduced throughout the play by lighting director Les Erskine.

Director Catherine Morrison has ably helmed the production with her talented crew in this hidden gem of a funky theatre. You don’t have to be a GWTW fan to appreciate the show. Just go and see it. It will give you a nice escape from these troubled times.

Tickets can be purchased at metrotheatre.com or from the box office, 604-266-7191.

Tova Kornfeld is a Vancouver freelance writer and lawyer.

Parade’s story remains relevant

Josh Epstein stars as Leo Frank in Raincity Theatre’s production of Parade, which runs until April 13. (photo by Nicol Spinola)

Raincity Theatre’s production of the musical Parade opened March 21 at 191 Alexander St., a heritage venue in Gastown. It runs until April 13.

The story of Leo Frank, who was kidnapped from the Georgia State Penitentiary by members of the Ku Klux Klan on Aug. 17, 1915, and lynched, might not seem the stuff of musicals. However, playwright Alfred Uhry and Broadway producer Hal Prince saw the potential of reaching new audiences with this important story that had already been told in novels, plays, film and television. With a book by Uhry and music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, the Prince-produced show opened on Broadway in 1998 – it won two Tony Awards. In 2023, Parade had a Broadway revival, again winning two Tonys.

Frank’s alleged crime was the rape and murder of a 13-year-old factory worker, Mary Phagan, but his real crime was being Jewish in the American South, which was, at the time, still feeling humiliation and anger over losing the Civil War.

Mary was last seen alive when she came to pick up her wages on the morning of April 26, 1913. Her body was found in the factory basement later that day. Frank was arrested and charged with the crime.

Several factors prevented a just trial, including a district attorney wanting a conviction to support his bid for governor, the antisemitism of a right-wing newspaper publisher, sloppy police work, the withholding of evidence, witness tampering, perjured testimony, and an all-white jury. This was America’s version of France’s Dreyfus Affair.

Frank’s wife, Lucille, lobbied everyone she could to intervene, and prominent newspapermen and others campaigned on Frank’s behalf. Finally, after two years in jail, Frank’s death sentence was reduced to life in prison, but the news was not welcomed by everyone. Mobs stormed the governor’s mansion and the National Guard was called out; martial law was declared. Frank was transferred into protective custody but the lynch mob – some of whom had been jurors in his trial – managed to kidnap and murder him.

“Our production will plunge our guests into the depths of human emotion, amidst the backdrop of a true historical event that still resonates today,” writes director Chris Adams in Raincity Theatre’s press material. “The passion and the tragedy of Leo and Lucille Frank’s story, enveloped in the haunting beauty of Jason Robert Brown’s score, will be simply unforgettable and I hope the undeniable resilience of the human spirit will deeply move audiences.”

Many Jewish community members are part of the show’s creative team, both on stage and off. Josh Epstein plays Frank. Warren Kimmel, Richard Newman, Stephen Aberle and Erin Aberle-Palm play various roles. Itai Erdal is the lighting designer, Michael Groberman the researcher and Kat Palmer, one of the producers. Rabbi Kylynn Cohen and Cantor Shani Cohen are consultants.

The Jewish Independent interviewed Epstein regarding his role.

JI: How did you get the part of Leo Frank?

JE: I was fortunate. I had it offered to me. I did not have to audition. I was asked to do this a year ago. I said yes immediately. Parade is my favourite piece of musical theatre. I am obsessed with it. I even went down to Seattle years ago to see it when the original Broadway cast toured it and got Jason Robert Brown’s autograph (my favourite composer) on the program, which I still have today. I remember just sitting there being gripped the entire show. The music is so gorgeous. However, it is not your typical Broadway production.

JI: The director said in an interview that you were born to play this part.

JE: I do feel like it is right for me. I have been waiting a long time to get a chance to play Frank and, when it was offered to me, I grabbed the opportunity. It was offered to me even before Oct. 7 and I knew it was an important role as, even then, there was a very antisemitic YouTube clip being circulated and, as a Jew, it was on the top of my mind with incidents happening and growing, and it is even more relevant today after Oct. 7.

JI: What research did you do to prepare for the role?

JE: I read what I could. The trial is a fascinating story that has everything in it, not just antisemitism but racism and women’s suffrage and children working in factories and people’s attitudes even 50 years after the Civil War is over. The parade was organized to honour the Confederate soldiers and then this explosion comes out of it with a resurgence of the KKK and the formation of the B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation League. As far as the role goes, it is a deep acting role, but you also have to be able to sing. It has a lot of layers to it. I just read the script over and over to get some sense of the depth of Leo’s character.

JI: How would you classify the production?

JE: It is dark but there are moments of levity. It is the music that brings you joy. It will be an intense experience. It is such an incredible musical that you get swept away and it soaks into you. It is very visceral. People crave that. You won’t get that experience anywhere else.

JI: What can you tell us about the space and the cast?

JE: It is a gorgeous, intimate space with the audience close to the action and a really strong cast. The original production had a cast of 40. This one is pared down to 20. It is huge to have 20 people in a 70-seat space – it feels like a giant production yet there still is a sense of intimacy about it. Lucille is the real star in a way as she becomes the driving force behind Leo’s sentencing being reduced and the resurgence of their love.

JI: How has the experience of playing Frank been for you?

JE: This experience has been incredible. Sometimes, I can’t always speak about the experience but I feel it. When I am in the show, I trust it, the material is great. I don’t have to come up with any tricks or think of the next joke or push the drama, I just stay present in the scene and give my version of what Leo is going through.

JI: Why should people come and see it?

JE: People love true crime stories and it is one of the most interesting cases in history, still talked about today. The production takes everything interesting about the case and puts it to the most gorgeous music you will ever hear.

JI: What would you like to have the audience take away from the production?

JE: They don’t have to take any theatrical thing away. Just come and watch. The story is there. It is a true story. They should just come, watch and feel.

For more information and tickets, visit raincitytheatre.com.

Tova Kornfeld is a Vancouver freelance writer and lawyer.