Chase the Ace follows Charlie King, a big-city radio host, who believes he has everything. That is, until his wife leaves him for someone whom Charlie never expected. The harsh reality of this comes to a head in an embarrassing on-air meltdown. Charlie is then forced to take a job managing a small town radio station in Port Belette, where some of the odd residents add humour.
The plot takes a twist. There are signs of municipal corruption as the local lottery, ‘Chase the Ace’, aims to achieve several goals. While helping to raise funds for the local nursing home, which desperately needs support as the 2020 global Covid pandemic hits the residence hard, there is a bonus. There are weekly winners, and someone will win a cash jackpot at the end of the contest. To attract more listeners to the Port Belette radio station, Charlie agrees to broadcast the weekly lottery draws live.
Complications ensue in the town and in Charlie’s dealings with the people.
Brenda Duran’s set design of a larger-than-life, weathered-looking deck of playing cards makes a strong impression upon entering the intimate Scotiabank Studio Theatre. Lit by Holly Meyer-Dymny’s warm lighting and Jackson Fairfax-Perry’s eclectic sound mix, the production appeals to both visual and auditory senses.
Charlotte Gowdy directs the production with a nuanced grasp of both comedy and humanity. She maintains a smooth pacing. While there are some well-staged moments of kindness among the characters, Gowdy avoids leaning into sentimentality. That’s a smart choice.
Jacob James does his director proud. He makes these characters real and believable.
Dressed in earth-tone colours and occasionally changing costumes, such as donning a sports coat, James becomes a relatable everyman. He delivers a demanding solo performance that requires constant engagement in the present moment. He rises to that challenge and transitions seamlessly between characters, staying focused and bringing quirky eccentricities of small-town bumpkins to life. The Zoom call is just one example that beautifully highlights these quirks.
While James offers a terrific afternoon or evening at the theatre, he provides something even more meaningful. The seventeen characters he portrays feel like real people. And I cared about them — even though some are not the nicest individuals. No spoiler alerts from me for the remaining audiences.
The performance is nearing its conclusion.
Please see it.
Running time: approximately 90 minutes with no interval/intermission.
Final performance is Sunday, April 12, 2026, on the Scotiabank Studio Stage of Neptune Theatre, 1593 Argyle Street, Halifax. For tickets: https://sales.neptunetheatre.com/Online/default.asp or call (902) 429-7070.
SHIP’S COMPANY THEATRE and NEPTUNE THEATRE present
Chase the Ace by Mark Crawford
Directed by Charlotte Gowdy
Set and Costume Designer: Brenda Duran
Lighting Designer: Holly Meyer-Dymny
Sound Designer: Jackson Fairfax-Perry
Stage Manager: Virg Iredale
Performer: Jacob James
