Preview
Theatre Calgary
Starring Rebecca Northan, Renee Amber, Kevin Kruchkywich and Ryan Luhning
Directed by Ian Prinsloo
Written by Philip Barry
March 18 to April 5
Max Bell Theatre (CPA)
When director Ian Prinsloo called, actors Rebecca Northan, Renee Amber, Kevin Kruchkywich and Ryan Luhning eagerly agreed to put their lives on hold for three months to be part of The Philadelphia Story. Not only was it an opportunity to perform in a classic romantic comedy, but it was also a great chance to hang out with friends from Calgary.
"One of the things that has been really great, particularly for the Calgarians, is that the four of us have such a huge history together," explains Northan. "We’ve known each other for years. It feels like forever! We’ve improvised together and acted together and I think that’s part of what Ian wanted in casting. There was an implied history together. We feel safe and comfortable together and that feeds into our characters."
"I’m having a blast doing it," adds Luhning. "It’s one of those shows, those experiences, that don’t come around too often, where the whole ensemble clicks together."
Like this season’s Dracula and Evita, The Philadelphia Story is a co-production between Theatre Calgary and the Manitoba Theatre Centre. For the Calgary contingent, which makes up nearly half the cast, it meant moving to Winnipeg for four weeks of rehearsal followed by four weeks of shows. Their work paid off with packed houses throughout the run, something they look forward to repeating in their hometown.
Philip Barry wrote The Philadelphia Story, an often-produced romantic comedy, in 1939 to revitalize Katherine Hepburn’s career. It was a smash on Broadway and went on to become a beloved George Cukor film with Hepburn, Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart. Sixty years later, the movie still shows up regularly on best-of lists.
The play begins the day before fiery socialite Tracey Lord is about to marry respectable George Kittredge in what is sure to be the event of the season on the Philadelphia social calendar. When her ex-husband Dexter Haven shows up with tabloid journalists in tow, all her plans go awry. Initially Lord is outraged by his interference, but with help from her fiancé, her ex and an enamoured newspaperman, she undergoes some timely self-examination that prevents her wedding day from being completely ruined. It’s a comic premise that Barry’s script makes the most of, combining touches of classic farce, screwball comedy and witty rapid-fire dialogue.
Luhning, best known as the artistic director of Ground Zero Theatre, plays George Kittredge.
"He’s a bit of social climber," says Luhning. "He’s up from the coal mines. He wants to be something he’s not and maybe tries a little too hard to put on airs."
Kruchkywich plays newspaperman Mike Connor, who falls under Tracey’s spell during an evening of champagne and dancing. It’s a different role from his previous appearances in Romeo and Juliet at Theatre Calgary and Eugene Stickland’s Midlife at Alberta Theatre Projects.
"He’s a disillusioned poet who hates the rich and has an awakening – a stirring," Kruchkywich says cryptically.
Connor’s girlfriend, the tough, no-nonsense Liz Imbrie, is played by Rebecca Northan, a familiar face from her years with Loose Moose Theatre and recent appearances on the Comedy Network. All too aware of Connor’s sudden attraction to Tracey, Liz is a good foil for Tracey’s flighty behaviour, trusting that Connor will find his way home.
"I’m the dame in the show. I love (Connor) so I’m letting him go until he’s ready to come back to me," Northan observes. "I know he hasn’t made all the mistakes he needs to make yet. Sometimes you have to wait for the person you want to be with."
Audiences at Lunchbox Theatre, Sage Theatre and Theatre Junction will be familiar with Renee Amber, who almost steals the show as Tracey’s 15-year-old sister Dinah. Much of the play’s comedy comes from her uninhibited revelations about family skeletons at the most inopportune moments. For Amber, this is a comedy with a very modern feel.
"It’s really modern in its sensibility," she explains. "There are things that are stuck in the 1930s, but the interactions between people are not old-fashioned. There are some things that might be shocking to us now – like having an uncle that pinches your bum all the time and laughing about it – but the spirit of people, the way they interact and what they want from each other and from life, are completely relevant to today." |
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