Local community theatre group provides a free theatre experience for families
On Nov. 20, Guelph Little Theatre (GLT) opened its doors to the public for a free viewing of the Rose Scollard’s children’s play, Firebird. The play is a retelling of a Ukrainian fairytale and follows the lives of the Princesses Irenka and Alexa and their persistent conflict against Koschei the Deathless.
Irenka and Alexa are engaged and soon to be married, although Koschei protests this marriage since he would like to marry Irenka himself. In order to quell his constant bids for her hand, Princess Irenka agrees to marry him if he can give her three things she doesn’t own, which is quite the challenge for someone as materialistic as Princess Irenka. In an attempt to meet this challenge, Koschei captures the firebird, an elusive magical creature that grants prosperity to the land. Without the firebird’s influence the land quickly decays, leaving it up to Alexa and Irenka, along with some outside help, to challenge Koschei, reclaim the firebird, and prevent Irenka’s unwilling marriage to Koschei.
The play takes a family-friendly approach towards the classic hero’s journey, while also touching on themes of loss, love, and self-sacrifice. The cast fully embodied their characters in a way that kept the audience captivated. Ken Cameron as the antagonist, Koschei, expertly portrayed Koschei’s ruthless attitude while adding an element of camp that left the audience laughing at every line. Cathy Goudie perfectly embodied the character of Baba Yaga, a wise and matronly advisor, who guides our protagonists throughout their journey, but not without a fair bit of sass. Rihannon Phillips manages to make a miracle happen in the role of Princess Irenka, a spoiled princess who doesn’t appreciate all that she has, by actually getting the audience to find her endearing by the end. Thea Lale plays her role as Alexa with a level of charm and confidence you couldn’t help but root for in her battle against Koschei. Shane Smyth and Oriana Abrahamse have an excellent rapport as Rimsky and Dimsky, the two-headed dragon. The pair’s characterization, accents, and over the top reactions had the audience dying of laughter. Nicole Mazara, although not in a speaking role, managed to captivate the audience with her graceful dancing as she pranced across the stage as the firebird.
Last but not least, the cast’s four onstage foley artists (sound effect artists) — Mic Michenfelder, April Magpali, Cameron Baldwin, and Logan Fell — play an important supporting role in the production. Through sound effects the group managed to create an atmosphere that immersed the audience and added theatrics that made their fellow cast’s acting seem even more impressive. As a whole, each member of the cast did an excellent job in portraying their characters and interacting seamlessly to create an experience that families will remember.
Story by Iyess Sassi
Photos courtesy of Guelph Little Theatre