MTC JEKYLL/ANGELS

[Richard Hurst]

        Lord, what ends of the spectrum I experienced in the past two days
with ANGELS IN AMERICA on Wednesday night at MTC Warehouse and DR JEKYLL AND
MR HYDE - A LOVE STORY last evening.
        I saw ANGELS in New York when it first opened and was baffled by how
it was going to translate to a 300-seat house on the Prairies. I needn't
have worried. It is a superb production of a - needless to say - superb
script! Simple design elements, with set pieces being moved on and off by
actors, put the words and the performances to the fore and moved the
capacity opening night house to a immediate stander at its conclusion. Steve
Sutcliffe, Andrew Akman and Greg Spottiswood are marvellous and Prior, Louis
and Joe respectively. Lubomyr Mykytiuk isn't quite "crazy" enough for my
liking, but gives the Roy Cohn role an element of reality that Ron Liebman
in New York chose to ignore (for an electrifying portrayal, if you ask me).
The spectacular New York ending, which left the audience gasping, was given
somewhat short shrift at the Warehouse because of physical limitations and
the result was the lack of a "button" that left me a bit irked. But thats
the negative result of having seen the original. Again, the performances are
what made the evening a great one in the theatre for me.
        On the other side of the coin was JEKYLL at the Mainstage. I freely
admit to leaving after the first Act. As Jim Forsythe pointed out in a
posting a few days ago, the piece leaves a great deal to be desired. Aside
from the notably careful work of David Storch as Edward Hyde and Colin
Miller as Poole (the butler) I had a hard time watching (and hearing) the
rest of the cast. The erratic textures of the scenes in Act One leaves one
saying "so what?" and, while the Porteous sets are spectacular, sets do not
a play make! I was bored by some less than adequate acting and with a script
that leaves a great deal to be desired. From what I understand, the director
and dramaturge are returning to the production today to start working on
"fixing" it for Toronto. So, does that mean that Winnipeg has become a
"try-out" city? Really ruffles my plummage when a subscription base
production is no more than a workshop for "the big city". Perhaps the
production would have benefitted from a smaller space, just as perhaps
ANGELS would have benefitted from a larger space. But who am I. Just a lowly
actor with an impression to share.
        Next up is Maureen Hunter's new play ATLANTIS. We'll see.
        Great that this group is getting involved like this. I'll be
interested to hear impressions of J/H as it move across the country - like a
great lumbering beast looking for some kind of acceptance. At least James
Nichol is making a buck!
        More later!
Digger