Hannah and George

Photo courtesy of Strange Visitations.

A heartwarming fantasy that unfolds on the set of a silent film with written signs telling where we are what time it is, when all this is happening. A contemporary fairy tale with bright colours, an imaginary space where a timid and introverted man grasping at this youth, cohabits with a flitting fairy-like creature who is always trying to catch his attention and show him that she has feelings for him. 

Madeleine Hall is the fairy with the many faces in what is essentially a mime show of a personal sort, where Kevin Reid’s long lanky body, his malaise out in the world, his mythical props – raincoat, umbrella and hat, his slightly awkward demeanor, all suggest the work of French mime star Jacques Tati, the creator of the wondrous M. Hulot on the screen . The resemblance is almost uncanny. Hulot’s space was small French towns where he, as a perfect but always awkward gentleman, walked (or biked) around tipping his hat and doing good deeds for all. He never encountered fairy tale creatures because he was squarely anchored in the reality of the “la France profonde”. Reid twists the Tati style (unwittingly so it seems) into his own imaginary world and that is what makes this so charming and endearing. More work on the physical precision of his performance and more clarity in the middle portion, would give the show more strength. Also instead of an intermission, shorten the show by 5 minutes. But as it is, it’s a delightful surprise for the young at heart.

Hannah and George presented by Strange Visitation. Performed by Kevin Reid and Madeleine Hall. Directed by Rebecca Laviolette. Plays in the Studio Léonard Beaulne