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Next week Kanata Theatre aims its lights on a funny treatment of
a poignant topic.
Happy Birthday, Dear Alice by award winning Irish playwright Bernard
Farrell focuses on the efforts of a dispersed, dysfunctional suburban family to
commit their ageing, gentle, yet resilient mother to the uncertain fate of a
nursing home.
The task of giving life to this theme is in the hands of a seasoned cast under
the guidance of an experienced director. Gwen Knight, whom the Critics Circle
named best director of a community theatre production for The Snow Ball several
years, ago is at the helm. She most recently directed last year’s black
comedy/drama, The Beauty Queen of Leenane.
Dorothy Beak plays the beleaguered Alice of the title. She will be remembered
for her lead role in Timothy Findlay’s The Stillborn Lover. Her friend Jimmy is
played by veteran actor Jon Alkan, who has appeared with The Savoy Society and
other companies within the city, as well as with Kanata Theatre.
Bev Brooks, who directed last year’s hit Enchanted April and who played
the hapless spinster with the tyrannical mother in The Beauty Queen of
Leenane, is Barbara, one of Alice’s nasty offspring. .Paul Behncke, who
played the charming ne’er do well Jerry in Dancing at Lughnasa is
Barbara’s husband Cormac
Guy Buller, who was directed by Brooks in Enchanted April, plays her
brother, Barry. He is also familiar to Kanata audiences, perhaps most
unforgettably as Count Dracula in The Death of Dracula. His
intelligence-impaired young love interest is portrayed by Katie Ryerson whose
memorable introduction to Kanata Theatre audiences was just last May in Staff
Room.
Set designer Peter Jefferson has faithfully reproduced Alice’s kitchen, where
all the action unfolds, complete with appliances. Lighting design is by Steve
Truelove. Sound design is by Rob Fairbairn. The stage manager is Gwendy Tolley.
Happy Birthday, Dear Alice runs in the Ron Maslin Playhouse, 1 Ron Maslin
Way, Kanata, on Tuesday to Saturday November 14 to 25. The Playhouse enjoys
abundant free parking and is fully accessible. Curtain is at 8 pm sharp. Tickets
are $15. The box office number is 831 4435. You can visit the website at
www.kanatatheatre.com.
This page generated on 2006-11-27
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