Neighbours: Goya’s Production of a Musical From Manitoba

Trying to do too much often results in achieving too little. This is the impression left by Neighbours, a 1991 musical by Manitobans Craig Cassils and Robin Richardson.

The neighbours in questions are a group of kids who meet in the communal yard of what appears to be a subsidized housing complex (judging from the allusions to their backgrounds and problems).

Apart from trying to pack too many social and personality issues into too small a space, the writers maintain a noticeable silence about the supposed ages of the group. Only one child announces her age several times and she seems to be the most precocious five-year-old ever born. In general, all the characters use vocabulary more suited to adults and this diminishes the credibility in the encounters among the children — who are one-dimensional representatives of a single characteristic — as they swing back and forth between friendship and enmity. The aim, according to the writers, is to create a collage. Sadly, the result is more of a tangle of undeveloped storylines.

Given the material, it is extremely difficult for the cast of the GOYA production, all adults playing children of some age or other, to bring much reality to their characterizations despite some clear talent on stage. In particular, Michael Mcsheffrey is effective as the bully. Maria Mespolet is lively as the five-year-old, though as pointed out, the script stops her from sounding like a genuine five-year-old.

Emily Veryard’s style of direction does not add to the cohesion of a script that needs help. It is fortunate that under John McGovern’s musical direction, some of the music and one or two of the numbers (particularly Me and My Teddy and What Will I Be?) add some fizz to an otherwise disappointing show.

Neighbours

Book by Robin Richardson

Music and lyrics by Craig Cassils

GOYA Theatre Productions

Director: Emily Veryard

Musical director: John McGovern

Choreographer: April Thibert

Set:: Jean Fontaine

Sound: Bob Lackey and Jean Fontaine

Lighting – No credit given

Cast:

Michael………………………………………………….Sean Brennan

Jill………………………………………………………..Jennifer Fontaine

Monica………………………………………………..…Maria Mespolet

Jason…………………………………………………….Gennaro Busa

Ronald…………………………………………………..Michael Mcsheffrey

Perry……………………………………………………..Murray Doggett

Teddy………………………………………………….Nadia Cooper

Margie…………………………………………………Irish O’Brien

Judith Ann……………………………………………..Laura Burk

Helen Lo