I must confess I’m a newbie to the Toronto Irish Players and Irish theatre in general. I’ve heard so many wonderful reviews of this group’s award-winning productions and after seeing their latest offering, “The Seafarer” at the Alumnae Theatre, it’s no wonder this group has been entertaining audiences with quality theatre for 47 years.
This community theatre group sets the bar very high when it comes to professionalism in all elements of their productions.
“The Seafarer” is thoughtfully directed and wonderfully acted, supported by an engaging set and provocative lighting design. This production could effortlessly transition to the stages of the Shaw Festival’s Royal George or Stratford’s Avon theatres. It’s that good!
Based on some obscure English poem of the same name, Conor McPherson’s Tony, and Olivier award-winning play blends Irish folk tales of the supernatural and metaphysical with the earthly tale of an alcoholic middle-aged man, James “Sharky” Harkin (David Lang in a wonderful multi-layered, angst-ridden performance) returning to care for his aging, blind, infirm, and pompous older brother, Richard (a brilliant Daryn DeWalt).
Set in the small coastal town near Dublin at Christmas, Sharky desperately tries to stave off the call of the bottle while dealing with the demands of the cantankerous, hard-drinking Richard. His own conscience is put to the test when friends arrive for drink and poker along with a mysterious guest who seems to know about Sharky’s sordid past and is intent on collecting on an old debt.
Hats off to director Harvey Levkoe who has realized an excellent production in all respects. His finely tuned and seamless collaboration with his artists and technicians is on full display. He has assembled and guided a wonderful cast of actors who convincingly embody the working-class roughness and strong language of their diverse characters. These men confidently and entertainingly listen and react to each other so naturally, I often forgot they were scripted. A tour-de-force ensemble! Levkoe deftly tells this naturalistic tale with sensitivity and pathos, and a considerable amount of humour, without allowing the “magic realism” to ever become hammy or melodramatic.
The set by designer Wayne Cardinalli, introduces us to the slovenly, cluttered, and shabby living room of the Harkin brothers. Tables, cups, bureaus, beer bottles, axes, crates, a wood-burning stove, an unhappy Christmas tree, coffee tins, even a CD player seem haphazardly strewn about. Rickety chairs and a small loveseat provide the seating while an old steamer trunk serves as a table for food, drink, and cards. Nothing matches. Nothing is co-ordinated.
The colour palette is predominantly dull brown, beige, and grey evoking the dull, troubled lives of the main characters while the multi-coloured swirls on the walls in favour of wallpaper or panelling (nice touch!) proclaim the chaos and dysfunction of Sharky and Richard’s relationship. Everything looks old and well-used. Even the portrait of Jesus on an upstage wall is a tacky, tawdry 70s throwback. A vivid red armchair belies the dank and dreary gloom (and clever foreshadowing as to who may occupy this space).
My partner and I were confused as to the orientation of the front door, which actors’ access via a small staircase which leads to second floor bedrooms. The main living area sits below the main entrance. Is it a basement apartment? I’d like to see this house from the outside.
A subtle yet evocative lighting design, expertly provided by Mary Jane Boon, directs our focus to key conversations and dramatic discourse. The overall wash is quite dark, a dingy amber, like a dimly lit pub, but subtle increases and decreases in intensity provide visual shape to the narrative. Spots and colour are well-placed for dramatic effect. Sound design by John McQueen add subtle but inconsistent effects of doors closing, phones ringing, wind howling and CDs playing. Pity these sounds weren’t more localized and not always played through the house speaker system.
But it’s the extraordinary cast who breathe life into this gang of dullards and drunkards.
Each character is distinctly developed. They laugh, chug the drinks, yell, scream and reconcile. These men play off each other with ease, an ensemble like none I’ve seen on a community theatre stage in quite some time. Their timing, cueing, pacing and mastery of the colourful dialogue is a joy to experience. So invested in their characters were they that a full pardon is granted for their on-again, off-again Irish dialects.
David Lang is thoroughly convincing as Sharky, an alcoholic struggling with his past, on the edge of containing his anger, frustration, and regret. His careful movements and measured words keep him a wound-up ball of stress. His non-verbal reactions are powerful and provocative! Daryn DeWalt is masterful in his portrayal of Richard, the blind boozing bully of a brother. As a sighted actor, he is completely believable as a recently blinded man, with fixed gaze and careful movements. His roaring expletives, dominating energy, angry sourness and self-pity never let up. He’s filthy in every way, right down to his stained clothes (I wanted a few more) courtesy of costumier Bernadette Hunt. Fantastic!
Rob Candy brings a humorously befuddled daze to Sharky’s loafing hung-over buddy Ivan while Gavin McGrath portrays a dizzyingly euphoric, posturing, and uber-energized Nicky. As Mr. Lockhart, the mysterious newcomer in the black suit and red tie, Chris Irving has a devil of a time trying to intimidate. His understated delivery isn’t as menacing and enigmatic as I wanted but he is still well-spoken and confident of claiming Sharky’s soul.
‘The Seafarer’ is a dynamite production of a multi-layered, supernatural morality tale of alienation, loneliness, God, and the human condition – and drink! Skillfully directed. Impeccably acted. This is the height of community theatre. See it before it ships out March 4.
Production runs to March 4 at Alumnae Theatre, 70 Berkeley Street, Toronto. For tickets, call the Box Office at (416) 364-4170 or visit torontoirishplayers.com to purchase tickets online.
