LUCIDMEDIA

The Cassilis Engagement

Written by John Gould Friday, 29 June 2007 05:41

The Cassilis Engagement: A Comedy For Mothers, is a period piece. The intricacies of Edwardian social customs and the humour connected with them, as well as their dark side, were swept away by the First World War. The depressive St. John Hankin was holding a mirror up to the society of his time. This play has a niche market. An egalitarian twenty-first century theatre patron, who believes that superficiality is normal, will have difficulty catching much of the clever humour in this play. Consequently, for some, the laughter could be in short supply. For them, the play’s rapid descent into a world of dark plots and damaged lives will not likely be of much interest. But there are copious background notes in the programme to help those in this category who venture to come. To others, the biting humour, the irony, the political incorrectness of the Edwardian age and the deep realities of plotting families is like knowing how caviar tasted before health regulations required that it be pasteurized. For those who know about it, unpasteurized caviar is the real thing. Members of theatrical companies who offer this sort of play need to understand that the situations they portray were real a century ago.

With regard to technical considerations, Director Christopher Newton, the cast and those providing research assistance into the intricacies of this play and its time period have done much to make it work. William Schmuck (Designer) and Kevin Lamotte (Lighting Designer) took advantage of The Court House Theatre’s configuration of theatre-in-the-round with a floor level stage to create very striking sets. They were so effective that one had the impression of watching the story unfold as a guest of Mrs. Cassilis at Deynham Abbey, Leicestershire in 1907. As well, the entrances and exits of the cast by the aisles added to this illusion. It was also pleasant to have no apparent sound enhancement which now seems to be as normal as intermission in stage productions. Nothing equals the quality of natural voice projection.

This was a performance where there was some uncertainty about who was the audience and who was the cast. On opening night, the audience was sprinkled with pastel linen, seersucker, awning-patterned blazers and even a Prince Albert Coat or two. Having members of the audience get into the spirit of things enhanced the evening. Consequently, it would have been no surprise to find David Lloyd George, Lady Marjorie Bellamy, a young Lord Peter Wimsey or even Hyacinth Bucket in the lobby at the intermission. Are there that many neo-Edwardians within driving distance of Niagara-on-the-Lake?

The cast had good chemistry which did much to make the play a success. Of particular mention are: Donna Belleville, as the formidable Lady Remenham; Goldie Semple, as Mrs. Cassilis, the overprotective scheming mother; Mary Haney, as Mrs. Borridge the ultimate social climber; David Leyshon, as Geoffrey, the son out for a good time on five hundred a year; and Trish Lindstrom, as Ethel Borridge, the daughter who was pushed into an engagement that she might not be afraid to question. The mystery that the audience is left to solve on its own is whether or not Ethel Borridge knew what Mrs. Cassilis was up to from the beginning.

For its striking sets, depth of plot, pristine acoustics, impressive wardrobe, outstanding direction and stellar cast, this production is unpasteurized caviar.

	The Cassilis Engagement: A Mother's Comedy Written by: St. John Hankin Directed by: Christopher Newton Designed by: William Schmuck Lighting by: Kevin Lamotte
CAST
Lady Remenham	Donna Belleville
Dorset	Krista Colosimo
Major Warrington	Patrick Galligan
Mabel Remenham	Charlotte Gowdy
Mrs. Borridge	Mary Haney
Rev. Herries	Lorne Kennedy
Butler	Al Kozlik
Ethel Borridge	Trish Lindstrom
Lady Marchmont	Laurie Paton
James, A Footman	Gray Powell
Mrs. Cassilis	Goldie Semple
Mrs. Herries	Wendy Thatcher
Arthur, A Footman	Ken James Stewart
Geoffrey Cassilis	David Leyshon