When I was sixteen years old or so I hit the library jackpot of my young life. It happened entirely by chance one day at the Halifax Memorial Library, I saw a book sitting on the shelf called The Neptune Story by Richard Perkyns. I immediately checked it out and devoured it. The book chronicles the first twenty-five years of the history of our very own Neptune Theatre. I remember the profound disappointment I felt that the book was “out of date” (it was published in 1988), so I couldn’t read about any of the productions I had seen at Neptune. I also remember wanting to buy the book and being dismayed that it seemed to be out of print. It’s obvious that, given my profound excitement to read about the theatre history of our city, I was a somewhat unusual teenager, and it’s also clear that I’ve always been this gigantic nerd who loves theatre, who loves Halifax, who loves history, and that creating a blog like TWISI, which captures the theatre history of Halifax in real time, has been my destiny all along.
One of the things that excited me during the most recent Neptune Theatre rebrand after Jeremy Webb became the Artistic Director was this Neptune Theatre History page on the website and this fantastic list of all the past productions. They have been quite valuable to me for reference over the last year or so, and their presence on the website is indicative of Jeremy Webb’s commitment to honouring Neptune’s history, and finding creative ways to bring that history to life. One of the ways that Webb has done this is in the recent staging of The Lear Project. This was a collaboration between Webb and two other former Neptune Artistic Directors. Linda Moore (1990-2000) first had the idea of doing a reading of Shakespeare’s King Lear starring Richard Donat and directed by Leon Major, Neptune’s founding Artistic Director (1963-68) and Webb programmed it into this season as a special event. He also recently unveiled a permanent commemoration of the work of Major and Heinar Piller (1968-1971,), who now have their names engraved on a wall at Neptune.
The Lear Project played between March 22nd and 24th on the Fountain Hall Stage at Neptune Theatre and it was a reading made up of many actors who have graced this stage throughout their careers and two, Ed Thomason and Henricus Gielis, making their debuts. King Lear is a play that often has quite a bit of spectacle, there are storms, and eyes being gauged out, and a “leap” off a “mountaintop,” but I found it really fascinating to see a production entirely stripped down to its language. The actors moved a bit around the stage, and each character came to life as a fully realized individual, but there were no sets, no costumes, no props, just actors reading the words off music stands, and this really emphasized the power of Shakespeare’s writing. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain and, while it does concern a King, a tragic fall from grace, and a battle for power, Shakespeare roots most of the drama in conflicts within the family, which makes this tragedy feel, in some ways, more intimate and akin to our lives today. King Lear sets his three daughters, Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia, up to compete for their inherence of the Kingdom through dramatically professing their love and reverence to him. Goneril and Regan jump at the chance, and will say anything to secure their fortune, while Cordelia refuses to jump through hoops, asking why her father needs her to prove her love on the spot. Isn’t a lifetime’s worth of actions and genuine affection worth more than anything she could say now that a third of the kingdom is being dangled in front of her face? Cordelia is stubborn in holding on to her values and Lear is hurt and disinherits and banishes her. He is then at the mercy of Goneril, Regan and their husbands, Cornwall and Albany, each greedily seeking to dispose of him and acquire as much of the kingdom as possible for themselves. Meanwhile, The Earl of Gloucester is having familial troubles of his own. His son Edmund was born out of wedlock, and is always referred to as “the bastard son,” which diminishes his societal status, through no fault of his own. Understandably, he grows up resentful, but, rather than seeing this as an oppressive social construction, he lashes out at his father and his brother, Edgar, the “legitimate” son. He manipulates Gloucester into disowning Edgar, and then he betrays Gloucester to Goneril, Regan, Cornwall and Albany, who accuse him of treason and blind him. Both fathers, Lear and Gloucester, are blind to the child that is loyal to them, and both pay heavily for their foolishness.
The actors in this production further grounded this story in its realism, in its heart, and in the ways the play still connects ardently to our world today. Shelley Thompson and Francine Deschepper played Goneril and Regan, two conniving, competitive sisters, exasperated with a father that they perceive as too old to be holding on to his kingly responsibilities and entourage. Thompson and Deschepper strike a beautiful balance between capturing the dramatic moments of evilness that Shakespeare intended (as they are the villains of the piece), and also allowing for us to see so clearly the shadow in them of contemporary daughters pushing their dad with Alzheimer’s into a Nursing home, and squabbling and scheming with their spouses over the sale of the family home. David Christoffel and Ed Thomason played Albany and Cornwall respectively, both men support their wives’ agendas (or what they know of them), but Christoffel’s Albany has a nice arc where he eventually finds a conscience.
Lee J. Campbell gave a devastating performance as Gloucester, truly a man who tries to do the right thing, but continually fails to perceive the truth in the world until he literally can no longer see. Christian Murray plays Edgar, a character who Shakespeare basically characterizes as “an ideal human,” but Murray adds some of his distinctive fun and silliness as “Poor Tom” (the character Edgar plays in order to surreptitiously help his father). Jeff Schwager played Edmund with a deep cynicism and standoffishness that especially captured the way such callousness toward those we perceive as having wronged us is often expressed today. In colloquial terms Schwager’s Edmund is much more of an asshole than a bastard.
I loved Henricus Gielis’ portrayal of France, who gives a very progressive defence of Cordelia to Lear and agrees to marry her, despite the fact that she doesn’t come with a dowry. I wished that there was more of France and Cordelia’s relationship for them to play with. He also brought Goneril’s steward, Oswald, to vivid life, as an aloofly arrogant chap who I’m sure would have professed that he was “just following orders” if anyone accused him of any kind of treachery. I have seen Ian Gilmore onstage at Fountain Hall at least seven times over the last twenty years, but it’s always been in a musical, so I was especially delighted to see him play the Earl of Kent, one of the people most loyal to Lear and who continually looks out for the King’s best interests. He gave a lovely performance.
Geneviève Steele played both Cordelia and Lear’s fool, a bit of double casting that I especially loved. It is suggested that Shakespeare may have consciously written the play so Cordelia and the Fool never share the stage together because the same actor initially played both parts, but since the introduction of women to the stage it’s been typical for Cordelia to be played by a woman and the Fool by a man. Steele brings such a bright, buoyancy to the Fool, it’s immediately clear that this magnetism and charm is what allows him to speak so brazenly, but still keep his favour with the King. Her Cordelia was practical, resourceful, and had a deeply rooted sense of self.
Shakespeare characterizes King Lear as descending into “madness,” but it’s difficult to watch through a contemporary lens and not see him as suffering from some kind of Dementia, and I saw that so beautifully in Richard Donat’s poignant performance. There was so much in his tone, how everything is slightly a question, that reminded my vividly of my grandmother after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. There is a lot in King Lear that is otherworldly. It’s difficult for modern audiences to empathize with Lear when he complains that his daughters won’t let him bring one hundred knights with him when he moves in with them. But the way Donat speaks, his posture, his interactions with the others, is all beautifully grounded in today, so even though the details of the play are often alien to us, the heart of it is right there for us to connect with.
Leon Major found the perfect balance between finding moments for the actors to move around the stage and to suggest the action of important moments, but also keeping the focus on the text. I often leave readings wishing to see a fully realized production with the same cast, and although that would be wonderful, I didn’t leave Neptune feeling like I’d heard Lear, I left feeling like I had seen it.
One sobering thing that the history of Neptune Theatre reinforces is how few opportunities there have been for people of colour at our regional theatre, especially as directors, playwrights, and Artistic Directors. It struck me that the entire team of King Lear was white, but I was equally aware of the fact that simultaneously rehearsals were underway for the Canadian Regional Premiere of The Colour Purple directed by Kimberley Rampersad. Jeremy Webb wrote on Facebook about seeing a run through of The Colour Purple, “Today I saw everything I have dreamed of for Neptune come to life before me with such expertise and heart that I was open-mouthed and on the edge of my seat. Breathless.” I feel like we are at a time where our theatre history is simultaneously being honoured, and being changed and challenged for the better. I hope that when we celebrate Neptune’s 60th and 70th and 100th Anniversary the casts that will be assembled for the shows that celebrate these milestones will better reflect the demographics of our city, our province, and our country. For the first time in a long time, I feel cautiously optimistic.
The Canadian Regional Premiere of The Colour Purple runs at Neptune Theatre’s Fountain Hall Stage from April 9th, 2019 and MUST CLOSE June 2, 2019. Opening Night is April 12th and Pay What You Can is May 28th. Performances are Tuesday to Friday at 7:30pm and Saturday and Sunday at 2pm & 7:30pm. For tickets please CLICK HERE or call 902-429-7070 (toll-free 1-800-565-7345) or visit the Box Office at 1593 Argyle Street.
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