NFLT makes little theatre big

Nov 17, 2011

Photo: Principal Jim Horan (retired), Chantal Lafrance, Virginia Mayhew, Principal Val Arsenault, Janice Miles and Jim Boyce.

The North Frontenac Little Theatre's production of Maple Lodge was both well played and well received during its run at Sharbot Lake High School from Nov. 10 – 13 and it offered up the charms that only small town community theatre can.

The tiny cast of five definitely had their work cut out for them as they tackled Colleen Curran's award-winning and very dense script and they believably conveyed the complicated yet humorous relationships between three adult siblings who suddenly discover they have an older sister they’ve never known about. She was born when their mother was 16 and was given up for adoption.

The humorous play has its serious side and addressed some long time hushed up family secrets and the lies they gave birth to. In the end, it is the unknown intruder, another family secret herself, who when forced into the equation ends up bringing balance and truth, managing to make all things right. The first half of the play established each of the three siblings' long-defined roles within the family: Dennis, the musical, gay brother, still closeted to his mother, clownish, big-hearted and played impeccably by Marc Veno; his domineering, high strung older sister Tara who has her claws out from the moment she arrives on the scene, played with sting by Karen Steele; and the kind-hearted, more sensitive and easy going but lonely Heather, played soulfully by Sandy Robertson.

When the aloof and mysterious stranger, Noel, played with effect by Kelli Bell arrives later on the scene, the hijinks of this play are truly set in motion. A few lines were missed on Friday night's performance in the play's first half, causing a few awkward moments onstage plus one short spell of nervous giggles, but the cast managed to pull together and successfully placed the audience on the edge of their seats just before the intermission, when Noel finally laid bare the truth and burst out before the intermission curtain came down, “I AM YOUR SISTER!”

The second half of the play was when each player, including the soft spoken and believably caring Gilbert, played by John Stephen, truly had a chance to shine in what were the play's more intimate, one on one scenes. One felt the blooming of true love between Heather and Gilbert when they sat and spoke together, starry-eyed; one witnessed the eventual untangling of the relationship between Tara and Dennis when push came to shove during a touchy yet humorous game of Scrabble. And Noel let her true colors shine in the play's most successful slapstick scene when a bat made a surprise appearance, which added a hilarious and memorable touch courtesy of the set crew.

The music played from an onstage Victrola, a combination of older jazz and show tunes added a perfect touch to this homey play, which coupled with a simple yet effective front porch set of the long-time, well-worn family cottage allowed all of the action to unfold smoothly while adding a few creative special effects.

Hats off to the cast and all the behind the scenes wizards who once again managed to make little theatre big in Sharbot Lake.