What’s Not to Love? — Scarborough Players Perform 'I Hate Hamlet'

By Paul Love, guest writer

Real estate agents will tell you that the three most important factors with acquiring property are location, location, location. But award-winning screenwriter and playwright Paul Rudnick, might also add that the right piece of property can inspire a very funny play. Such was the case in the late ’80s when Rudnick moved into a New York brownstone that was once the home of legendary actor John Barrymore. The whole idea of Barrymore previously inhabiting his new living space inspired Rudnick to write I Hate Hamlet, which opened on Broadway in 1991, and is currently being staged by the Scarborough Players at the Scarborough Village Theatre.

The show opens with young it-boy actor Andrew Rally anxiously checking out his new apartment that we soon discover belonged to the great John Barrymore. Hot off a popular TV series, Andrew has agreed to take on that most coveted of roles — Hamlet — in a Shakespeare in the Park production. It’s a chance for him to grow as an actor, to develop his art. But he’s not sure he wants to do it, despite the encouragement from his over-excited girlfriend, Deirdre, his enthusiastic real estate agent, Felicia, and his agent, Lillian. It is the ghost of Barrymore himself, however, who is sent back to Earth with the task of convincing Andrew. Can Andrew embrace his art and become the Hamlet that everybody needs him to be? Or will he toss it aside for the fame and fortune offered by his Hollywood producer friend, Gary, in the form of a new TV show that offers his artistic sensibilities nothing, but promises a big, fat paycheque? I Hate Hamlet delightfully skewers everything from Shakespeare to dinner theatre, and Hollywood to television.

Photo by Thomas Kowal

Evan Walsh embodies Andrew nicely, handily portraying the confusion and frustration of his character. He has a knack for physicality, as seen in his wonderfully funny facial contortions and in his swordplay abilities.

Meg Gibson is hilariously sparkling and bubbly as real estate agent Felicia. The way her boundless energy carries her around the stage holds the audience’s attention, and the way she wraps her solid New York accent deliciously around her dialogue makes her a joy to listen to, like when she turns “Barrymore” into a five-syllable word.

Despite occasional volume issues, Meghan Fowler is delightful as Andrew’s enthusiastic and supportive girlfriend, Deirdre, a role which requires constant high energy from the actor, which Ms. Fowler pulls off. It is a character that, if mishandled, would become grating, but Ms. Fowler never makes that mistake, maintaining a character who is wonderfully innocent and earnest.

Erin Jones effectively plays a character much older than herself, Andrew’s agent, Lillian, with a sharp air of wisdom and with a great stage cough that is almost its own character.

Daryn DeWalt is hilarious as Andrew’s fast-talking Hollywood friend Gary Peter Lefkowitz. He loves to share his opinion on everything, and it’s great when he does; his character has some of the funniest dialogue in the play. Mr. DeWalt’s comedic sensibilities really shine in the moments when he and Ms. Gibson get to interact, for, when they do, sparks fly and laughter follows.

Portraying an icon such as John Barrymore is no small task, but Chris Irving is more than up to the task with his luxurious, suave, and witty performance. He is silky-smooth with charm, and his fourth-wall-breaching mugs for the audience are appropriately over-the-top and too funny for words.

Director Harvey Levkoe keeps the action moving along at a comfortable pace, with the actors moving about with purpose, and the proceedings never feeling bogged down or dragged out.

If you feel like watching a well-performed production that will make you laugh, head to the Scarborough Village Theatre, 3600 Kingston Road, to see Scarborough Players’ production of I Hate Hamlet while it’s still on. Remaining performances are June 8, 9, 14, and 15 at 8 pm, and June 10 and 16 at 2 pm. Tickets are available at the door or visit theatrescarborough.com.

Photo by Thomas Kowal

Photo by Thomas Kowal

Joe Szek: 'Fiddler on the Roof' is more relevant than ever

Joe Szek reviews "Fiddler on the Roof" presented by the Port Hope Festival Theatre -> 

Scarborough Players Review by Joe Szek

Scarborough Players Review -> 

Announcement: Joe Szek steps onto his own stage, launches his own Community Theatre website

By Will McGuirk

Slowcity.ca is happy to announce the launch of our pal Joe's new website. Joe has been kind enough to gift us with his deep inside knowledge about community theatre and his passion for promotion of such. Joe has moved from writing about Durham based groups to writing about shows at Stratford and in Toronto. He has also been down checking out shows on Broadway.  

I began Slowcity.ca as a channel to discuss and promote artists, makers, culture innovators; those creating art, food, apps, shows, music, beer, new businesses, new culture enterprises, those artists who are leading us slowly into the future. I consider Joe to be one of those cultural enterprises.

With Slowcity.ca as a launch platform, he has quickly become the voice of community theatre in Durham Region. His new site is an extension of his enterprising nature and we are happy to have helped Joe pursue his passion and will continue to support him by linking his site to slowcity.ca.

His most current review is here -> 

Dive right in to The Dixie Swim Club at Whitby Courthouse Theatre

This story was previously published on insidelookingin60

‘The Dixie Swim Club’ by Jessie Jones, Jamie Wooten, Nicholas Hope

Review by Joe Szekeres

‘The Dixie Swim Club’ is a comic and poignant story of five Southern women whose friendship began many years ago on their college swim team. Every August, the ladies set aside a long weekend to recharge their relationships and friendships. Sheree, Lexie, Dinah, Vernadette and Jeri-Neil are free from husbands, kids, jobs and occupations; they meet at the same beach cottage on North Carolina’s Outer Banks to catch up, to laugh and to meddle in each other’s lives for over thirty-three years in the course of the story.

Personally, the excitement of attending opening night for any community theatre is most appropriate and tonight was no exception. I was especially looking forward to this production. Why? Along with two talented veteran local performers (Raissa Chernushenko and Nancy Gleed) whose work I’ve seen, there are three welcome, new faces onstage - Sophie Dajka, Kelley Dewey and Sharon Morari.

A tremendous amount of preparation goes into WCT plays and musicals that make optimum use of the Centennial Building’s stage. This design for ‘Dixie Swim Club’ does just that, specifically in areas of set and lighting design.  Debra Smith, Greg Poulin and their crew members pay meticulous attention to numerous details. One could almost decide to rent out the WCT stage for the weekend as the sitting room of this cottage looked quite comfortable with personal and familiar touches everywhere, including the working ceiling fan. Acknowledgements to Julie Rutishauser and Debra Smith for the painstaking research in finding the right props and dressing for this cottage.

Mr. Poulin’s lighting design warmly focuses the mood and heightens the atmosphere of specific moments. Diane Cobbing, Monique Essegern and Donna Gunter finely accentuate these five uniquely different characters and personalities with appropriate looks in hair and costumes.

Director Eric Newton’s selection of a musical soundscape pre-performance and during scene changes brought back some fond memories for me. When I asked him at the intermission who had compiled the excellent selection of songs, Mr. Newton said he had researched online specific examples of Carolina beach music and these specific titles came up. Nice work here as many of the audience members around me were singing (and yep, I was too).

Several Durham Region theatres this season have selected ensemble plays to showcase the talents of performers. ‘The Dixie Swim Club’ is another example of an ensemble piece and, for it to work, these five ladies have had a lot of preparation to get to this point. During rehearsals, I’m sure Mr. Newton had to watch for a bonding of actors and to focus on the believability of character development. Along with these tasks, he would have to listen carefully and determine if the Southern accent is sustained naturally. Finally, he must monitor if the performances of these ladies are representative of the Southern US gentility and charm of the Carolina people. Quite the number of tasks to consider for 7-8-week rehearsal period.

Along with these tasks, ‘Dixie’ is also billed as a comedy. Do these actors create believable Southern ladies who deliver quick paced, razor sharp, and biting wit jokes and insults clearly and effectively?

Ms. Chernushenko and Ms. Gleed most certainly do so with gusto and flair. They delightfully command the stage as the flirtatious Lexie Richards and the cantankerous Vernadette Simms. Both actors carefully control and sustain their vocal levels and emotions in performance and don’t cross over the line into caricatures.

Ms. Dajka as tough as nails lawyer, Dinah Grayson, Ms. Dewey as former swim team captain and health nut, Sheree Hollinger and Ms. Morari as the sweet nun, Jeri – Neil, are competent performers who do hold their own in the comedy and poignancy of the play.  These ladies do not cross over the line into caricatures either.

There are moments from Dajka, Dewey and Morari, however, where I could neither hear some of their dialogue nor the punch line of some of their jokes. Since I sat in the last row of the house, enunciation and vocal tonality were not always crisp. I’m sure they will be mindful to pay close attention to these two elements as performances continue.

I am always intrigued by, and applaud males, who step forward to direct productions which deal with the emotional intricacies of womanhood. Can a man truly understand the emotional highs and lows of women and what makes them tick?  Robert Harling’s ‘Steel Magnolias’ is one indication of how a man can understand clearly how women behave.

Eric Newton was successful in his directorial vision as this opening night audience appeared to enjoy the play tremendously. No matter what life may throw at them, these sometimes feisty, sometimes bitchy, sometimes spiteful ‘Dixie Swim Club’ women know they can always turn to each other for comfort, support and a good zinger every now and then.

All performances take place at the Whitby Centennial Building, 416 Centre Street South April 19-21, 26-28, 2018 at 8 pm with a matinee April 21 at 2 pm.  Tickets are available at the door before each performance, call 905-668-8111 or visit the website for further information.

L-R: Sharon Morari, Kelley Dewey, Nancy Gleed, Raissa Chernushenko, Sophie Dajka.  Photo by Raph Nogal Photography