A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder - Theatre Review

By: Paul Lewkowicz and The Charming Modernist

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder is a Tony award-winning musical that tells the story of Montague “Monty” Navarro. A poor Englishman, Monty discovers that he was disowned by his wealthy royal family, the D’Ysquiths and is ninth in line to become the Earl of Highhurst. The comedy, which is loosely based on a 1907 novel by Roy Horniman, uses slightly dark humour to provide for an entertaining show as we follow Monty on his adventures to gain recognition from the D’Ysquith family and get closer to attaining the position of Earl. 

Monty goes on a tour of the D’Ysquith estate and begins to befriend each successor to the Earl, leading to him to gain the acceptance of the family. However, his sinister motives bring about tragic consequences in a wickedly humorous fashion. Monty is the unlikeliest of murderers and is after all, the protagonist in the story whom we cannot help but root for. Kevin Massey plays the leading role with earnestness and honesty. He brings charm and wit to his calculated, yet spontaneous plan to get closer to the title of Earl by eliminating his family members. 

Monty's mistress, Sibella is a self-interested woman who loves Monty, but marries another man for his wealth. Kristen Beth Williams plays a seductive woman we love to hate with brash confidence. Her over-the-top facial expressions and stinging one-liners make us giddy with laughter. Monty's cousin, Phoebe falls madly in love with him, which is all part of his big plan to become Earl. Adrienne Eller plays the prim and proper Phoebe with grace and elegance. Her soaring soprano voice is enchanting, delicate and matches perfectly with Williams' in many of their scintillating duets. Their stunning voices blend in perfect harmony. 

John Rapson is absolutely brilliant in all of the multiple roles he plays. Rapson switches from one character to the next with ease and does an incredible and hilarious job of portraying various female members of the royal family. He stole the show with his bravado and comedic timing. 

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder is full of hilarious situations, great duets, and dancing and an engaging story throughout. The show concludes with a surprising and ironic ending. There's plenty of scheming and duping one another to get rich quick in this extraordinarily farcical musical comedy that's a rip-roaring good time!

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder is playing at the Princess of Wales Theatre until June 26, 2016. To purchase tickets, visit: mirvish.com.

Photos by Joan Marcus. 

Paul Lewkowicz is a fan of politics, the arts, travel and tennis. He lives in Toronto.

Much Ado About Nothing - Theatre Review

By: Angela Guardiani

Much Ado About Nothing sounds like it would be one of Shakespeare's lighter, fluffier pieces, and certainly it's been produced that way. Joss Whedon's 2012 film adaptation was a cheerful, modern screwball comedy, and way back in 1993, Kenneth Branagh directed and starred in a high-energy period piece. Both films are light-filled, set respectively in Los Angeles and Tuscany. This is a play about love, after all, about mistaken identities, about everything coming out fine at the end. It's no wonder the show has such an affinity for the sun. But what's happening in Unit 102 Actors Co. and Leroy Street Theatre's production is a little different. It's Much Ado with a shadow side. It's very funny and a little heartbreaking, completely entertaining but grounded in truth. Staged in the indoor/outdoor space of Majlis Art Garden, this play is a winner. 

First, the story. Hero, the lovely daughter of Leonato, is in love with Claudio, a handsome young soldier in the company of Don Pedro. He loves her, too. The young lovers are soon betrothed. To while away the week before they marry, their mischievous group of friends tries to reunite Beatrice, Hero's sharp-tongued cousin, with Benedick, Don Pedro's equally snarky right-hand man. Don Pedro's villainous half-brother Don John can't stand to see such happiness and arranges to smear Hero's virginal reputation by making it seem that she has been entertaining men in her bedroom (it was actually Hero's maid Margaret, but it's Shakespeare; everyone looks the same in the dark here). As the story unfolds, lovers are united and wrong-doers are punished.   

Much Ado lives or dies on the strength of its main couple. Beatrice and Benedick have lines and lines of quick-witted banter, wisecracks, and wordplay that need to be delivered with deft comic timing, but their characters have to carry emotional weight, too. They're well-served here. Anne van Leeuwen is tart but not bitter, throwing off zingers with a Beyonce-ish Single Lady verve – self-confident, take-no-guff, here for a good time. Scott Walker treats Benedick like everybody's best buddy who's just come off a bad breakup – funny, fast-paced, endlessly entertaining but with a streak of hurt running underneath everything. Both of them hurl witticisms at each other like plates at a Greek wedding, but after the spectacular crash, what really comes through in quieter moments is their wistfulness and yearning. Beatrice and Benedick try to talk themselves into confirmed singlehood, but are so quick to believe the exaggerated stories they're fed of how the other is pining for them. You can't help but see how ready they are to love and be loved again. 

That hint of sadness is carried through in the B-plot of Hero & Claudio's love affair. Unlike the film versions of these characters, director James Graham has made it clear that this couple is much younger than Beatrice and Benedick. Christopher Manousos is full of puppyish charm as Claudio while Clair Bastable's Hero is a fresh-faced girl, dancing with the sheer delight of being alive as the play opens. They love absolutely and completely, as first loves do – no shadows in their courtship. As the play progresses, though, their relationship becomes more complicated. I really appreciate the artistic choices Graham, Manousos, and Bastable made. 

This production is really funny. Chloe Sullivan and Melissa Williams steal the second act as a pair of jumped-up Girl Guides drunk on law and order (they're actually the constable Dogberry and her toady Verges, but trust me on this comparison). The whole cast, including the bit players, work well together and clearly get that fine line where physical humour crosses into high camp. They know how to goof around and they know where to stop. 

A quick word on the venue; Majlis Art Garden is hidden away in an industrial-ish area a bit south of Trinity Bellwoods. I've been visiting the area for years and had no idea that a small outdoor theatre was there. You enter through a garden gate into a petite stage with only three rows of seats. The actors are barely an arm's length away. As the sun sets, the fairy lights come on. It's all the good things of the Dream in High Park – the summer twilight, the thrill of outdoor theatre – but minus the crowds. You might want to bring a cushion – the show's about two hours and the seats have no padding – but in a nice touch, the company handed out blankets to anyone in the audience who felt chilly.

Much Ado About Nothing plays at The Majlis Art Garden until June 26, 2016. Tickets are $25 and are available at the door or at brownpapertickets.com. 

Angela Guardiani is a lady of strong opinions who lives and teaches ESL in Toronto. She is a food lover, grammar nerd, book junkie, and will try anything once. Follow her enthusiastic but sporadic tweets at @minorgoddess.

A Night at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra: An Alpine Symphony

By: Zena Rebello

As a 20th century history buff and frequent patron of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO), I was thrilled to attend a live performance of Richard Strauss’ An Alpine Symphony. As part of the TSO's The Decades Project, its aim was to expose audiences to the mix of excitement, ingenuity, trepidation and emotions of the time by highlighting the music and spirit of the 20th century, one decade at a time.

The night’s program focused on the period from 1910 - 1919 which was largely consumed by apprehension, the ravages of the First World War, and the jubilation of the post-war years. As conductor Sir Andrew Davis pointed out during his preamble into the night’s program, the music of the decade reflected myriad of these emotions.

The program began with the jubilant work of American composer – and former insurance salesman – Charles Ives, entitled Decoration Day which is now known as Veterans Day in the United States. This celebratory orchestral piece which hails New England’s valiant soldiers was followed by the featured works of Czech composer Leoš Janáček and British composer Edward Elgar, which both centred on the themes of war. The former being colourful and grandiose; the latter being evocative and ominous in nature, kindling the regret and remorse of war. I found myself profoundly drawn into the music, with each composer eliciting different emotions. It was evident how the events of the decade impacted orchestral composition at the time.

During the intermission, the audience was serenaded by a special performance of the alphorn. The musicians were dressed in traditional Swiss Alpine attire and played their alphorns (long alpine horns) which were originally used for driving cattle up the mountains. I had only ever seen this instrument played by cartoon characters. To experience the alphorn live was magnificent! Its sound were both beautiful and bold, melodic and dominant. This was a harbinger for the focal piece of the evening.

After the intermission, I could see the orchestra reassembling. The various instruments being brought onto the stage included two harps, two sets of timpani, a plethora of horns and a wind machine. I had never witnessed such a massive ensemble of instruments before. As the orchestra began to play, Roy Thomson Hall was transformed into the Alpine hills.

The symphony – which is actually more like a tone poem – illustrated Strauss’ boyhood adventures in ascending and descending a mountain over a 24 hour period. The music started dark and low-pitched, then rose with splendour to mimic the rising sun. Themes of forests, flowering meadows and an alpine pasture complete with the sounds of cowbells and bird-songs were captivating. From the light percussion and wind machine emulating a waterfall to the climax of the trek when the summit is reached, the orchestra held the audience with every note.

The music then took a thunderous turn signifying an alpine storm where every instrument was banged, plucked, blown and strung in ordered chaos. Watching the musicians play their instruments in unison, with such intensity was the highlight of the evening. This instalment of the Decade’s Project was intoxicating and I look forward to experiencing the 1920s with the TSO!

To learn more about the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, visit tso.ca.

Photo by Malcolm Cook.

Zena Rebello is an environmentalist, traveller and budding blogger. She has a Masters degree in Atmospheric Science and is always looking for exciting adventures which introduce her to new foods, cultures, and people.

Lavender Gin on the Farm: 66 Gilead Distillery in Prince Edward County

By: Angela Guardiani

66 Gilead is a craft distillery near Bloomfield, Ontario, in the heart of Prince Edward County. As my intrepid travel companions and I pulled up, we noticed two things immediately. First, the distillery is housed in a lovingly restored 1874 mansion that manages to be both gracious and spookily Gothic. It would be a hell of a setting for a ghost story.Two, it's also a working farm, complete with free-range poultry that aren't shy of visitors. (I especially enjoyed watching the Silkie, a chicken that looks more like a Pomeranian than a bird.)

Inside the high-ceilinged tasting room with its original floors, I found an impressive array of both dark and white spirits.

One of 66 Gilead's most unique products is Canadian Pine Vodka, infused with pine needles. It tastes fresh and a bit citrusy. Their brandy is smooth and rich, made from local wine, and their Wild Oak Whisky is unusual and delicious. Peter Stroz, one of the owners, describes it as starting like a bourbon and finishing like a Scotch. I really fall in love, though, with their signature spirit – Loyalist Gin. It's incredibly aromatic. Peter mixes me a long cool cocktail with lemonade, Loyalist Gin, and house-made lavender bitters. I want to put my feet up and sip it all summer long.

You can find some of 66 Gilead's products in the LCBO, but if you visit – and I hope you do – I think you'll find that everything tastes better on the farm with chickens strutting proudly across your path. 

Angela Guardiani is a lady of strong opinions who lives and teaches ESL in Toronto. She is a food lover, grammar nerd, book junkie, and will try anything once. Follow her enthusiastic but sporadic tweets at @minorgoddess.

Forever Plaid - Theatre Review

By: Angela Guardiani

When I was offered the chance to review Forever Plaid, the jukebox cabaret currently playing at the Panasonic Theatre, I couldn't say yes fast enough. 23 (!) years ago, I saw the original run of the very same show in the very same theatre. The New Yorker, as it was then called, was brand-new, and Forever Plaid was the first show performed in the former movie house. I remember it clearly but with the softness of nostalgia; the shimmering harmonies and sweet story stuck with me, sparking a love of theatre that persists today. 

Time goes on and things have changed. I still love to sing but I'm no longer a fresh-faced teenager (thank goodness). The New Yorker itself was torn down in 2004, leaving only the facade, and the larger, sleeker Panasonic Theatre was built in its place. The 1990's are to me now what the 1960's were to my parents in 1989, the year Forever Plaid debuted – a less cynical and less self-aware time. So does the show hold up? Mostly, it does. 

Forever Plaid is presented to us as a one-night-only concert performed by the four charming young lads of a harmony quartet. A voice from above tells us that the group had been on their way to their first big gig when they were tragically killed in a car accident with a group of schoolgirls on their way to see The Beatles' Ed Sullivan appearance in 1964, a neat bit of symbolism (just as video killed the radio star, rock n' roll put a nail in the coffin of harmony groups like The Four Lads). Thanks to some mystical metaphysical technobabble, Sparky, Smudge, Frankie and Jinx are allowed to return to Earth to give the concert they were never able to in life. 

It's a bit of a grim premise, but don't worry. Apart from a gentle wistfulness over a time long gone, it's the only down moment in 90 minutes of sweet, bubbly fun. The concert unfolds, the quartet is charming and the music is effervescent. Forever Plaid is a show that relies on the charisma and vocal chops of its four leads and this production delivers. Jonathan Cullen (Frankie) really hustles as the group's tenor and defacto leading man, and Scott Beaudin (Sparky) brings a baby-faced enthusiasm to everything he does. (And he comes by it honestly – at 23, he literally was a baby at the time of Forever Plaid's Toronto debut!) Matt Cassidy as the timid bass Smudge is singing a little out of his range and playing a little younger than he is, but he brings a real depth and honesty to his character when given a moment to open up to the audience. The standout of the evening for me was Jeff Madden's performance as Jinx. As with Cassidy, Madden looks a little old to be playing Beaudin's stepbrother, but the second he opens his mouth to sing all is forgiven. His assured, honeyed falsetto brought the house down and gave me the best kind of chills. It's no surprise that Madden did a turn as Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys. 

So how does the show hold up, after 23 years? The move to a bigger stage isn't in its favour – a lot of visual gags that were clearly intended for a smaller venue fall flat, simply because people can't see them. The actors are emoting their hearts out to reach the balcony and the back of the house, and in a play as gentle as this one, where the emotion comes from smaller, subtler actions, it can come off as looking excessively acrobatic and a little hammy. And in the 90's, jokey calypso and Spanish numbers didn't have the baggage they have now. When I was fourteen, they were hilarious. Now, they remind me that the 1950s and 60s may have looked idyllic – the era of “harmony, innocence, and sincerity of dreams,” as the program puts it.

But does any of that matter in a show like this? It really, really doesn't. In everything that counts, Forever Plaid delivers. Any small inconsistencies in the cast is overcome by their chemistry and their exquisite harmonies – any uncomfortable thoughts about the era are put aside by the show's self-awareness. Forever Plaid is about the beauty of the human voice, a love letter to a time gone by that's fine right where it is, firmly in the past. Go see it. I hope your experience is as blissful as mine and that you leave the theatre, as I did, singing.

Forever Plaid is playing until June 12, 2016 at the Panasonic Theatre in Toronto. Tickets can be purchased online at mirvish.com.

Photos: Racheal McCaig

Angela Guardiani is a lady of strong opinions who lives and teaches ESL in Toronto. She is a food lover, grammar nerd, book junkie, and will try anything once. Follow her enthusiastic but sporadic tweets at @minorgoddess.