Stratford Beacon Herald, June 24, 2005
Cast excels in gripping Orpheus
By: Sharon Malvern
Seana McKenna and Jonathan Goad lit up the stage with their electrifying performances in Orpheus Descending on opening night. They led a strong cast in a gripping production of Tennessee Williams� story of a young man who seeks work in a small southern town and unintentionally becomes the catalyst for tragedy.
Set in a conventional community in the American South in the 1950s, this powerful story is shadowed by racist overtones and a sense of menace which explodes into violence at the end.
Valentine Xavier arrives in town on his 30th birthday, wearing the snakeskin jacket that symbolizes his wild side and toting his most prized possession, his guitar. He is hired as a clerk by Lady Torrance, who runs a mercantile store owned by her ailing husband Jabe. Val�s good looks and charismatic personality attract the attention of Carol Cutrere, whose exhibitionist behaviour has made her an outcast from her hometown; and Vee Talbot, the visionary artist and wife of the county sheriff. But mutual attraction soon arises between Val and Lady, a passionate woman trapped in an unhappy marriage and haunted by the death of her father in a fire set by racist vigilantes. Afterwards, she also lost the man she loved, David Cutrere (Carol�s brother), and the baby she was carrying.
Val and Lady find love against a backdrop of the hostility of the townspeople, Jabe�s serious medical condition, and Lady�s determination to recreate her father�s wine garden in the confectionary she creates. When long-held secrets are revealed, and Val is �encouraged� to leave town before sunrise, the situation erupts into a horrific conclusion.
Orpheus Descending illustrates many of Tennessee Williams� typical themes: loneliness, the plight of the outsider/outcast who doesn�t fit in, and the ever-present tension between the forces of light and darkness. He used the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice as a psychological model for this haunting work. The recurring symbol of the bird representing freedom is a classical device. And, as in all his works, Williams focuses on the human condition with compassion and understanding.
Seana McKenna is magnificent in her role as Lady. Passionate and intense in some scenes, she also demonstrates her gift for comic timing. She�s determined to wrench something good from the awful circumstances she�s had to suffer. There�s a terrible irony in her frequently expressed desire to �Live!�
Jonathan Goad turns in a stunning performance as Val. He skillfully captures the complex aspects of the man�s personality, and shows the audience he can sing and play the guitar as well as act.
Fiona Reid and Brigit Wilson are delightful as Beulah and Dolly, the gossipy ladies that reflect the town�s narrow-minded attitudes. Dana Green is a wonderful Carol � rebellious, flirtatious, and pathetic in turn. Sarah McVie has a difficult role as the visionary but she makes it credible and convincing. And David Francis as Jabe Torrance plays the dying invalid and the tyrannical husband with equal ease.
Designer Peter Hartwell creates the impression of an old-fashioned mercantile store with a counter, six skeletal columns and a cash register � an effective set on the Tom Patterson stage.
Director Miles Potter has the advantage of a very talented cast to work with and he skillfully uses those actors to tell a difficult story. The play�s rich imagery and poetic language come through clearly.
The sound effects are important in this production to create the atmosphere of menace: Jabe�s frequent pounding on the floor to summon Lady, the hounds barking outside, the cracks of thunder, and the off-stage sounds in the final scene.
Tennessee Williams is considered to be one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century. This production is certainly worthy of him. It�s a must-see.
Although the Stratford Festival has presented productions of five other plays by Tennessee Williams, including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in 2005, this is the first production of Orpheus Descending here.
Orpheus Descending plays in repertory at the Tom Patterson Theatre until Sept. 25.