Stage 88 returns to live presentations with Parlour Games
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Stage 88 marks its return to live productions this week with a play by Brantford playwright Martin Smith.
“Parlour Games blends farce, physical humour and plenty of double entendre as the ensemble of characters weave their way through misunderstandings and misguided assumptions,” said producer Annette Langlois. “I think it’s good to come out with one with some humour and levity.”
Smith was inspired by situation comedies of the 1970s and ’80s in writing Parlour Games.
“The idea is that these two friends, Hannah and Rhonda, who are roommates, are holding a monthly charades party with their friends,” said Smith.
“We discover pretty quickly on that they have a secret that they need to tell the other members of the group. As the party starts to happen, we realize pretty well all of them have some sort of secret and that everything is going to come to a head towards the end of the play when these secrets are revealed.”
He also directs the play and welcomes the opportunity to workshop it with the cast.
“That makes the play stronger when the actors can say, ‘I’m not sure my character would say it this way’ and you find another way of delivering the same kind of idea.”
It’s the first chance for Smith to work with Stage 88, but he said he knows many of the people behind the theatrical performance company, which began in 2006.
“The theatre community is small enough that you get to know everybody, and I’ve attended many of their shows.”
Langlois said she feels that community theatre has a kind of camaraderie.
“We go to each other’s plays and help each other out,” she said.
“If we know that another production company has a particular prop, we borrow each other’s things. It’s a good community really.”
Stage 88 received funding from Enterprise Brant for this production to encourage bringing people to the downtown for arts and culture.
Langlois said community theatre allows people to support the arts without leaving the city.
“For the people on stage, it’s an opportunity to express themselves creatively, put on your alter ego, forget about the day job and have some fun working together.”
Parlour Games is being Oct 13, 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 16 at 2 p.m. at the Steven and Helen Kun Performance Theatre, located in Laurier Brantford’s Research and Academic Centre at 150 Dalhousie St. in Brantford.
Tickets cost $28. They are available at the Brantford Bookworm, 331 Brant Ave, Brantford, Green Heron Books, 47 Grand River St N, Paris, and online at: www.stage88.ca.
bethompson@postmedia.com
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