By James Karas
Under the Stairs starts
with a very good idea. Write a musical for the 10+ age group about the lives of
children from broken marriages. Most youngsters will have either firsthand
experience or know about it from friends and acquaintances.
Under the Stairs tells the story, fairy tale one would say, of
Tim (Kyle Orzech), a youngster who dreams of the good life but whose parents
are at war. Eventually Mum (Neema Bickersteth and Dad (Martin Julien) take
their suitcases and walk out of their house in different directions. Tim is
left alone.
Kyle Orzech in Under the Stairs. Photo by Cylla
von Tiedemann.
All the actors, except for Tim, form a type of chorus called Them and
they are led by Richard Lee. The sing and speak and are Tim’s companions as he
struggles to get over his parents’ separation.
We find out that Tim and the other people in his closet have things in common
and he has something very special in common with Lily. There are painful
memories from childhood. I won’t tell you what they are.
The problem of the abandonment of Tim is eventually resolved and all is
seen, as it should be, from the point of view of the youngsters.
Again, the musical is based on a fine idea but I have a few issues with
the execution of that premise. The separation takes place with a minimum of
rancor and with no parental anguish over the fate of the child. It is a fairy
tale, no doubt, but it does not give a remotely realistic view of separation. This
one is practically antiseptic. Children who have seen it firsthand know how
harmful it can be when they become pawns in the war between their parents.
The play is almost totally lacking in humour. The theatre was packed
with 10-year olds who were ready to show their enthusiasm. But whatever humour
there is seemed to make little impression on the audience. There are some fine
actors who could clearly have had the audience in stitches. Verzotti, Sauder and
Rainville can be very funny and humour even when treating a serious subject is
not out of place whether addressing a young or not so young audience. It did
not come out in the performance that I saw.
Richard Lee, Neema Bickersteth, Kyle Orzech, Martin Julien and Fiona
Sauder in
Under the Stairs. Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann.
The set by Teresa Przybylski features a closet under the stars that
revolved to show the front and the back of it. Very well done.
The actors, from Orzech to the rest in their single and double roles
showed that they can carry both the vocal and acting parts superbly and
director Micheline Chevrier did fine work with them.
But the problem is that the play simply failed to speak to its audience.
It was neither dramatic, nor funny and it could and should have been both. By
avoiding both of the latter, the whole thing appeared bland. The reaction of
the audience was polite but unenthusiastic.
In fairness I should report the verdict of three impromptu critics. They
were sitting beside me and are 10-year olds from Rolph Road Public School in
grade 5. I asked them to grade the production and two of them gave it 9 out of
10 while one of them decided that 8 was probably the right mark.
Well, if I had to choose between the opinion of those three bright-eyed
girls and an old f…, I would go with the opinion of the former
_____________
Under
the Stars by
Kevin Dyer (book) and Reza Jacobs (music) runs from April 1 to April 16, 2019 at
the Young People’s Theatre, 165 Front Street East, Toronto, Ontario. 416
862-2222. www.youngpeoplestheatre.ca
James Karas is the Senior Editor – Culture of The Greek Press.
www.greekpress.ca
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