Photo: Candice Fiorentino

Anatolia speaks takes us back to the Bosnian conflict that took place 30 years ago. A flood of refugees was forced to leave the country at the time and find a new homeland. Many of them found home in Canada.

The story takes place in an ESL class, where Anatolia is talking to her classmates about her Canadian experience. We find out that she works at a supermarket, enjoys a welcoming, if very cold, Edmonton, and is hoping to earn more money, so that she can buy a refrigerator by summertime. But, as much as she is eager to talk about her life in Canada and about the Canadian Corporal Jason Orman, who taught the song, “You are My Sunshine”,  the class is as eager to hear about her war experience. So, little by little, she starts to talk about her family – father, husband and daughter. She is an educated woman – she speaks 6 languages – who got married and has a baby girl at the age of 19. Next, we learn that her family perished, and that she left her twin boys – a result of rape that happened during the conflict – in Bosnia. As she says, she never knew what the father of her boys looked like.

The story tells a general truth about the madness of war and its consequences.  Although it is well written and excellently performed by Candice Fiorentino, there are some elements that need additional work.

The story conveys the horrors of war well enough, but, since it is told as a personal experience, it should have been better researched in order to maintain authenticity. Had Brown done this, the play and its general meaning would be much more powerful.  Details such as car brands – Bosnians would usually have a Golf, Renault 4, or the Yugoslav brand “Yugo” and not so often the Russian-made “Lada.”  This is not only a cliché but also an incorrect assumption that any European socialist country will have firm tides with Russia – Yugoslavia was a member and founder of Nonalignment movement from mid fifties until the war in the 90s.

Anatolia says that she is a Croat, her husband was a Serb, her grandfather a Muslim.  At one moment, she tells the class that her grandfather gave up his Muslim roots; since Muslim became a nationality at the beginning of seventies in Yugoslavia, Anatolia’s grandfather would still be a Muslim, just not a religious one.

Bearing in mind all these facts, the choice of names, both her sons and especially hers (Anatolia is a city in Turkey) are also very odd. Additionally, nationally mixed marriages were fairly common in Bosnia, not unusual, as she claims. To understand  the extent of the tragedy and the absurdity of the conflict in Bosnia, where people once lived peacefully together, it is essential that the character (Anatolia) tells true facts about Bosnia (not any imagined or similar country).

Candice must be given full credit for her interpretation of Anatolia. Her posture and emotions were very convincing. Her accent was consistent all the way through the performance. Unfortunately, the pronunciation of Bosnian words (Srebrenica, for example) was wrong – the accent in Bosnian language is always on the first syllable. Also, the family name of the first postwar Miss Bosnia was pronounced in such a way that it was unrecognizable.

Although “Anatolia” is a play that lacks authenticity,  its main message is conveyed successfully. The way it is written, t is more universal. It can refer to refugees from a wide variety of places, and the victims of war in general. It touched the audience and gave us all a lot to think about.

Produced by Poiema Productions (Edmonton)

Created and directed by Kenneth Brown

Cast

Candice Fiorentino as Anatolia

Ah, theatre! It is not called a “play” for nothing. Just remember the time when we all, as children, played in our backyards and basements developing all kinds of stories with our friends. Jamine Ackert and Pierre Brault’s “Ready or Knot” brings with it the lighthearted creativity of that time.

So, let’s play! At the beginning, we are introduced to Pierre and Jamina, two lonely divorcees trying to get on with their lives. As we follow them through their travels, yoga classes, on the bus, we get acquainted with them and their routines through well paced jokes. This first part, helped by the use of well-incorporated video, ends when Pierre meets Jamina in her yoga class.

In part two, the romance begins. After a number of lifelike situations they decide to marry. So, we come to the part three – a game of marriage. This is where the actors asked the audience to participate. Three bridesmaids, three bridegrooms and the officer (who officiates the marriage) are selected. We all stand up for the bride’s entrance. When seated again, we play the role of guests at their wedding. Witty, romantic and humorous vows are said (and, unexpectedly, some participants from the audience did a very good job!), and, finally, we are treated to a wedding cake – cupcakes, actually, but real ones, carried around by the bride.

Ready or Knot is a lighthearted, fun comedy. Although from time to time the actors lacked a bit of energy, it was, overall well written and well performed. The union of two stand-up comedians proved to be a success. The audience enjoyed it, laughed and, all in all, had a wonderful time.

 

 

Directed by William Beddoe* Dramaturgy/Workshop Direction (The Ring) & Photography by Andrew Alexander Fight Direction by Zach Counsil* Lighting Design by Graham Price Stage Manager Donna Price Assistant Stage Manager Kenney Vandelinde Produced by Andrew Alexander & William Beddoe

 

We have been waiting for two years, and we can finally say: ‘Welcome back to the Ottawa Fringe Festival”. This year for it 25^th anniversary, the Ottawa Fringe brings 42 shows, wth genres as different as can be: dramas, comedies, dance, music, magic, storytelling – there is something for every taste. Plus – something we all need after two gloomy years – there is quite a number of comedies to cheer us up. One such comedy is TheProposal/The Ring, an interesting take on Anton Chekhov’s one act play. “The Proposal”.

The show consists of two plays performed as one two-act play – Checkov’s original one act play, “The Proposal” (the first part), as well as a more modern view of the relations of the two main characters, Natalya Stepanovna Chubukova and Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov making up the second part, called The Ring and written by Laurie Fyffe.

Chekhov’s original play is a story about wealthy landowner Ivan’s decision to marry his neighbour’s (Stepan’s) daughter Natalya. He comes to Stepan’s house to propose, but his personality stands in his way. The narrative and the humor in “The Proposal” relies on the expression of Ivan’s  insecurity, greediness, arrogance, and stubbornness. All these characteristics combined prevent him from speaking directly, and continually sidetrack the conversation, making him an awkward character. Contrary to Ivan, Natalya is a self-confident young woman, though as greedy and stubborn as he is. Living in 19^th century Russia, on top of that, she needs to be married if she wants to have a better place in Russian society.

Although Chekhov himself never thought much of this fast paced, dialogue based farce, it was an instant success, thanks to its humorous way of exposing greedy, superficial attitudes of the Russian high class, where (like everywhere else in those days), marriage was based on wealth rather than on sentiment. Still Chekhov did not like it, claiming that it was mostly misinterpreted.

Of course, all published works are subject to interpretation, both by the audience/readers and by directors/actors. In this version of the play, the director William Beddoe sees Ivan as a nervy guy and Natalya as a strong woman. That is how Laurie Fyffe portrays them in “The Ring,” as well. Ivan does not know his own mind and constantly second guesses himself, one moment wanting to be married another to escape. Natalya is portrayed as a determined, scheming woman, who knows what she wants and does not let honour or principles stand in her way. In both plays, a vital role in this courtship belongs to Natalya’s eager, greedy father Gruzinsky, expertly played by Jeff Lefebvre. Kurt Shantz (as Ivan) and Sarah Marks (as Natalya) overall do justice to their respective characters.

All in all, this is a very interesting and innovative approach in which Laurie Fyffe did a good job as playwright. The performance could do with some work in order to make the characters more natural. Change of mood and, therefore increase of voice volume during the disagreements between Ivan and Natalya could be more gradual. Also, keeping in mind that this is a dialogue-based comedy, the comedic effects could have been more verbal and less physical. Sometimes this physical element diminished  the strength of the play and lost some meaning in the process. Other than this, “The Proposal/The Ring” is a very entertaining play which is well worth seeing.

Production: Plan B Productions

Written by: Anton Chekhov (The Proposal) and Laurie Fyffe (The Ring)

Cast:

Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov                             (Kurt Shantz)

Natalya Stepanovna Chubukova                (Sarah Marks)

Stepan/father Gruzinsky                              (Jeff Lefebvre

Creative team:

Director                                                    William Beddoe

Dramaturge and Photography –