The Shaw Festival 2015 – July Update
Michael Vaughan

Over the years, the Shaw festival has brought us some terrific showstopper productions. The amazing 2013 edition of Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan and last year’s grippingly fresh production of Caberet come to mind. Of the four productions I have been able to see so far this year, my favourite is the short lunchtime one act 1910 play by J.M. Barrie called The Twelve-Pound Look (rated *** out of 3 stars). It’s a real taste treat that keeps the audience fully engaged for each of its brief 35 minutes. It’s a humorous albeit critical look at male dominated marriages (etc) at a time when female rights basically didn’t exist. In this case, the husband who is always right is Harry Simms (Patrick Galligan) is rehearsing for the upcoming ceremony where he will receive his knighthood. He is being helped by his wife, well actually his second wife (Kate Besworth), who is beautiful, obedient and young. It quickly becomes evident that he’s somewhat of a bully and she must obey!

The apple cart is upset when a secretary called Kate (Moya O'Connell) shows up to type up Harry’s responses to numerous messages of congratulations from friends and colleagues. It turns out that the employment agency sent Kate to Harry’s new abode without anyone being aware – including Kate herself - that she was Harry’s first wife who walked out on him and has not been seen in years.  And that’s when the fun begins. The acting is first rate – especially Moya O'Connell and Kate Besworth. If you want more details check out Globe & Mail critic J. Kelly Nestruck’s 3.5-star review. It continues to until Saturday, September 12 at the Court House Theatre (11:30 am) so you will have to move quickly to make sure you see it. Tickets are $35.

Of the three remaining productions, my favourite was the pirate-filled prequel to Peter Pan Peter and the Starcatcher (rated **+ out of 3 stars) at the Royal George Theatre. This highly energetic two and one-half hour production definitely entertains and is designed to appeal to all ages. The acting may be a shade over the top with shades of Monty Python including a few fart jokes. The stage sages loved it - check out J. Kelly Nestruck’s 4 star review – also Toronto Star reviewer Richard Ouzounian’s 4-star review. It continues until Saturday, November 1 and the ticket prices vary by performance (note the word “from” meaning that that the prices quoted are the lowest starting base prices).

Moving down the chain, I saw the fluffy, remake of the 1966 edition of Sweet Charity (rated *+/** out of 3 stars). The stage sages were mixed - check out J. Kelly Nestruck’s 3-star review “Do you want to have fun? How about a few laughs? Sweet Charity will show you a – boom, boom – good time this summer at the Shaw Festival. Just not quite a great time in director Morris Panych’s sharp but starless production.” – also Toronto Star reviewer Richard Ouzounian’s ultra critical 2-star review. Note that I rarely agree with Richard’s reviews, especially last year’s dissing of Cabaret as “an appalling version of a great musical”. Sweet Charity continues until Saturday, November 1 and the tickets are not inexpensive. A pair of platinum tickets for a Saturday afternoon performance at the Festival theatre will set you back a wallet shattering $330.34 (for first 11centre orchestra rows to K) when you book online. It continues until October 31st.

Finally and last on my list is the Shaw festival’s seventh rendition of Bernard Shaw’s 1897 comedy You Never Can Tell (rated */*+ out of 3 stars). To be honest, I really don’t care if I ever see this again. While this production definitely has it’s moments, I was basically bored with the characters, plot and dialogue - I just didn’t care how things turned out. However, some of the sets were spectacular!

Ironically, Bernard Shaw’s review of fellow playwright Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest was not a happy one – he said “unless a comedy touches me as well as amuses me, it leaves me with a sense of having wasted my evening.” Well, I don’t know how many times I have seen The Importance of Being Ernest (Wolfville Nova Scotia’s great but now deceased Atlantic Theatre Festival in 1997, Shaw Festival in 2004, Stratford Festival in 2009, etc). It was first performed on 14 February in 1895 at the St James's Theatre and I always enjoy with its witty dialogue and engaging characters. As for You Never Can Tell, I would echo Shaw’s own criticism: unless a comedy touches me as well as amuses me, it leaves me with a sense of having wasted my evening. The stage sages were so-so - to see J. Kelly Nestruck’s 2-star review and Toronto Star reviewer Richard Ouzounian’s 2.5-star review. It continues until October 25.

The best bet of the season may be The Next Whisky Bar - a Kurt Weill Cabaret featuring songs with lyrics by Bertold Brecht at the Studio Underground for 6 nights only – August 21-22, 28-29 and September 4-5 starting at 9 pm and running for 90 minutes. Act quickly as seating is limited (approximately 200 for each performance) and tickets are $39.55.

Additional updates will be posted in our Supporter Area next month. Your feedback is appreciated – email: mbv@uniserve.com

Copyright: Michael Vaughan 2015
Prior written permission is required for any form of reproduction
 (electronic or other wise) and or quotation.
Contact Michael Vaughan at
mbv@uniserve.com