London Free Press, January 10, 2004
Strawberries a sweet, lively treat
By: Noel Gallagher
Now is the cold winter of our discontent made more bearable by Strawberries in January.
This sweet and lively little confection, created by playwright Evelyne de la Cheneliere, is served up with immense warmth by the Grand Theatre.
"Four play in the snow," a line in the production's publicity poster, alludes to the plot's characters, desperately seeking love and finding it more rare than fresh strawberries in the frozen off-season.
The comedy's romantic scenario is nicely drawn by director Susan Ferley and a strong ensemble of actors.
Jonathan Goad, star of the Stratford Festival's 2003 hit The Adventures of Pericles, is well-cast as Francois, an affable young man who escapes the humdrum of running a small Montreal cafe by writing fanciful film scripts.
The object of his unrequited amour is Sophie, played by Londoner Deborah Hay, who brings a poignant humour to her role as a quirky veterinarian's assistant.
Sophie deftly refutes the notion her occupation is the reason she's a vegetarian: "I love dogs and cats the most and I never ate them anyway!"
Sophie's longtime friend, Lea (Diana Donnelly), is a country innkeeper still longing for that "vagabond tourist," the mysterious traveller who fathered her baby, but left because "he had to be free."
Robert, depicted by veteran Shaw Festival actor Peter Krantz, is a French literature professor whose academic brilliance hasn't helped him understand women.
"I criticize people -- but I love them dearly," observes the lonely educator, verbalizing the attitude of the play.
At one point, Francois plays matchmaker for Robert and Sophie and then becomes jealous when they start dating.
"I used to have two friends and now I'm down to one couple," he moans.
The play's original French version, Des fraises en janvier, drew nominations at the 2000 Soiree des Masques de l'Academie quebecoise du theatre for best regional production and best new discovery and was co-winner of the contest's best original script prize.
Morwyn Brebner's translation retains the work's joie de vivre, defining love as "laugh together, sleep together" and the only antidote for "the exquisite pain of loneliness."
David Boechler's deceptively simple art deco set design provides the perfect backdrop for the play's dream-like atmosphere.
The Grand's presentation does encounter an energy lag during the last part of Act One and a few comic moments could have greater impact.
Running just more than 90 minutes, Strawberries in January leaves the audience yearning to linger with the play's relentlessly optimistic personalities.
But then, as this insightful romance-comedy reminds us, "boredom is dangerous" and the most pleasant things in life are far too short-lived.