The cast of Enchanted April
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Max Bell Theatre
Tuesday, February 12 - Sunday, March 2
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Theatre Calgary’s current production, Enchanted April, is, as the title says, truly enchanting. Set in 1922, it’s about four very different women and their common journey of self-discovery and self-renewal in Italy.
The unlikely quartet includes the dreamer, Lotty (Tracey Ferencz), who talks non-stop and could even “make Pollyanna ill;” the socially-repressed, “disappointed Madonna,” Rose (Jennifer Clement); the cranky and domineering widow, Mrs. Graves (Patricia Hamilton); and the glamorous but lonely socialite, Lady Caroline (Adrienne Smook).
Enchanted April began life as a novel. Written in 1922 by Elizabeth von Arnim, the story was inspired by the author’s own flight to Italy to find solace after a disastrous marriage. Playwright Matthew Barber adapted the novel for stage, an effort that garnered him a Tony nomination.
The play begins in rainy London, England. Lotty reads an advertisement in the paper for a castle for rent along the Italian Riviera. Enticed by the ad’s promise of “wisteria and sunshine,” Lotty is inspired to use her “nest egg” to rent that castle and spend April in Italy. She convinces a very hesitant and reluctant Rose to join her. After putting an ad in the paper themselves, they recruit two more women to join them on their journey of self-renewal.
First, though, Lotty and Rose must tell their husbands of their women-only sojourn. No easy task, considering Lotty’s husband, Mellersh (Paul Cowling), is a solicitor who expects his wife to tie his tie and pick up his newspaper for him every day, or that Rose and her husband, Frederick (Stephen Sparks), already have serious marital problems. It’s in those moments, when Lotty and Rose inform their husbands of their plans, the play hits some rare moments of poignancy.
Some may find Enchanted April dated and a bit hokey. Four women going to Italy? What’s the big deal? However, an audience has to remember the societal restrictions the average woman faced in 1922 to understand the magnitude of the journey for these women, particularly for the married Rose and Lotty, who plan the trip without the knowledge of their husbands.
I was caught up in their journey and found myself cheering them on every time one started to falter in her resolve to carry through with the plan. It’s a testament to the superb performances of the four women.
The characters in Enchanted April are stereotypes: the crusty widow who softens up; the socialite who hides a sad heart; and the sputtering, indignant British husband who, despite his protestations to the contrary, depends on his wife. It’s from these stereotypes that the play draws much of its humour.
Consequently, actors must be careful not to overplay their parts and slip into mere caricatures. On occasion, Costanza (Maureen Thomas) fell into the trap. The castle’s housekeeper who speaks only Italian often tries too hard to be funny. Patricia Hamilton, best known for her portrayal of Rachel Lynde in Anne of Green Gables, could easily push too hard for laughs as the cranky old widow, but she doesn’t. Hamilton gives a stellar performance that never steps into caricature.
The sets are exquisite. In particular, the balcony of San Salvatore, where the second act takes place, with all the beautiful greenery surrounding it, transports the audience to spring.
Enchanted April is a play about female empowerment, but it comes in a gentle and appealing package. The romance of “wisteria and sunshine,” and women coming into their own in Italy, is captivating.
