A Year in Revue
Theatre in Ottawa has seen one common theme: Growth
Billy Twinkle (I think)
When you think back over the past year, undoubtedly the biggest thing to happen to theatre in the Ottawa area is the renovation of the old home of the Great Canadian Theatre Company and its resurrection as The Gladstone. For an old automotive garage, this building has had more lives than Lazarus, with its final iteration as a bright piece of nostalgic glamour. And just like last year’s unveiling of the Irving Greenberg Centre, this new theatre has expanded the region’s ability to host a genuine solid community of professionals.
More space means more local directors able to realize particular visions, to mount shows that show a community what there is to see in the world of theatre. Directors John Kelly (How the Other Half Loves) and Janet Irwin (Down the Rabbit Hole) have long been producing work in the community: in amphitheatres, in bars, in local studio spaces. Wherever they could place three people together in front of an audience of 10, they’d do it. This past season they’ve been able to produce solid work on a professional stage, and it’s wonderful to see the community respond. Even through the holiday season, even through the buffoonish transit workers’ bus strike, keep seeing shows. Supporting this new venture is worth it.
One of the continuing themes of the past year has been the National Arts Centre’s beautiful and resonating seasons. Artistic director Peter Hinton doesn’t seem to be losing any of the momentum he’s been building lately, and each production that comes through that space invigorates it more and more. This past year brought with it director Tim Supple’s globally praised Indian-themed A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It was a magnificent, marvellous show that roared demonically and beatifically at the same time – an absolute blessing to the capital region. Also fascinating and utterly unique was Ronny Burkett’s Billy Twinkle: Requiem for a Golden Boy – a marionette show as powerful and poignant as any human drama could be.
The Great Canadian Theatre Company also continued to grow under the very competent husbandry of Lise Ann Johnson. Though not as dazzling a director as Hinton, Johnson has shown an incredible talent at picking plays that will vibrate in tune with Ottawa audiences, like this year’s I, Claudia, and Coma Unplugged, both of which found a warm and successful welcome with the people I talked to.
As appeared in the Ottawa XPress – Dec 25, 2008
http://www.ottawaxpress.ca/stage/stage.aspx?iIDArticle=16353
