David LeReaney as Frank the Finback whale in The Invention of Music

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The Invention of Music by Lunchbox Theatre
Lunchbox Theatre
Lunchbox Theatre
Monday, March 30 - Saturday, April 25 Monday, March 30 - Saturday, April 25

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Lunchbox Theatre wraps up the mainstage portion of its 2008-09 season with the world première of Clem Martini’s latest work, The Invention of Music. One of Lunchbox’s founders, Bartley Bard, now based in Los Angeles, directs.

Martini is the most-produced playwright at Lunchbox and he lives up to his usual quirky style with this piece. To begin with, the four characters are whales in a deep sea sanctuary. This alone sets up the audience for something not unlike children’s theatre. You have to approach the show with a child’s imagination to accept that the characters walking around onstage, flapping their arms in costumes resembling wetsuits, are supposed to be whales.

The Invention of Music is a cute little show. Each character is well-developed and distinct. There’s Bill, “An Immense Blue Whale” (Brian Jensen); Hector, “A Romantic Humpback Whale” (Justin Michael Carriere); Frank, “A Small Finback Whale” (David LeReaney); and Kira, “An Intense Orca” (Shawna Burnett).

The performances are one of the highlights of this production — each actor dives fully into their whale identity. LeReaney is particularly amusing as crusty and cranky Frank. He also has the opportunity to display his agility by doing different “voices,” as his whale character picks up, and spits out, radio signals from the human world. (LeReaney is a dialect coach in Calgary, so it’s enjoyable to see him “show his stuff,” so to speak).

Bill and Frank live peacefully in an underwater sanctuary for whales. According to Frank, they’re there to reflect upon and contemplate life. Bill, as the largest whale in the world, is nervous he’s a prime target for hunters. He also suffers from anxiety attacks over the ocean’s many other ills, such as the depletion of the fish stocks, so he’s hanging out in the underwater lagoon trying to lose a few sizes and stay out of harm’s way.

When Hector enters the sanctuary, he stirs up the peace and quiet, much to Frank’s annoyance. Hector’s been kicked out of his pod on account of his unorthodox relationship with Kira, the killer whale. (Killer whales are meat eaters and will feed on other whales.) This predicament sets up a lot of the show’s gentle humour, with references to “wooing breakfast” and “seducing lunch.” Before long, Hector’s singing brings his lady love to him, causing further disruption in the sanctuary.

Add to this the dolphins, stingrays and humans who are all invading the sanctuary — cleverly integrated into the show on a large projection screen that the characters interact with.

Kira shakes the other whales out of their complacency and self-imposed rehab, telling them that, yes, the world’s a mess, but “hiding from it won’t make it any better,” while convincing Hector to defy convention and make a life with her.

The set is imaginatively constructed, with rocks and sand creating topography resembling a sea floor. The screen, which provides the backdrop for the set, is a very creative way to involve other images of sea life, and adds an effective multimedia element to the show.

There are many themes touched upon in this play, not least of which is the impact humans are having upon the environment — melting ice caps, warming oceans and whale hunting. The play also deals with living life to the fullest, and the concept of “live and let live.”

My only criticism concerns the play’s title. I’m not really sure how The Invention of Music applies to the plot. Yes, Hector likes to sing (another humorous element in the show, with Carriere emitting these strange plaintive whines), and he believes that singing will bring the world together, as it brings his whale love to his side. Beyond that, however, I’m unsure how the play delivers on the title.

That said, The Invention of Music is an endearing, gentle show. The bottom line is, if you can’t buy into its premise, then don’t go, because it will just seem silly. If, however, you approach the show with a childlike imagination and sense of play, you will have a lovely lunchtime at the theatre.