shamira turner, clare beresford, dominic conway
Some plays you see and know right away that you will never forget them. Crocosmia, a play by Little Bulb Theatre in association with Farnham Maltings from Farnham, Surrey, England which plays until April 24th, 2010 in the Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace, is one such play.
Crocosmia is a collective creation, developed from improvisation under the direction of the incredibly astute Alexander Scott and boasting of the incredible talents of Shamira Turner, Clare Beresford and Dominic Conway. The play centers on the Brackenberg children, 10 year old twins Finnlay (Conway) and Sophia (Turner) and the precocious Freya who is seven and three quarters, which is so much younger than eight. The Brackenberg children are wonderfully imaginative and spirited and they immediately thrust the audience into their Vaudeville of toys, records, puppets and their house band, The Superfishy Underwater Orchestra.
The play’s the thing in this household and it cements these innocent, blithe, creative children deep in our hearts. We are also introduced to the children’s parents, Geoffrey and April with both Conway and Turner sharing the roles of each parent. April is reminiscent of Mrs. Darling from Peter Pan, the perfect example of glamour, beauty and motherhood with her children shining in her eyes. Geoffrey is bursting with that shy, sheepish English charm that is utterly irresistible. He is the sort of husband who will cover his wife’s eyes and say, “Don’t be alarmed, something terribly romantic is about to happen” before taking her on a trip to Paris via an overhead projector since the family cannot afford a literal vacation. Yet, the blissful lives of the Brackenberg children and the parents they adore come to a crashing halt when Geoffrey and April are killed in a car accident and the audience realizes that Sophia, Finnlay and Freya’s Vaudeville is in fact a homage to the life that has been torn from them and re-enacting their fanciful memories is the children’s way of coping with an extreme sadness and sense of loss.
It is always a challenge for adult actors to play children, for so often grownups forget how rich and detailed, complex and curious a childhood is and that each child is exceptionally unique. So often the children of the theatre are blunt caricatures of annoying and bratty stereotypes. Finnlay, Sophia and Freya spring forth, bursting with soul and humanity because Conway, Turner and Beresford infuse them with incredible nuance and capture specific aspects of childhood that resonant powerfully and hit you straight in the heart. Shamira Turner’s Sophia is eloquent and dignified and, as the oldest by four minutes, takes her responsibilities toward her siblings very seriously. Turner is brilliant at continually propelling Sophia back and forth between a child attempting to see the world through an adult’s eyes, and a young girl entirely immersed in the adventure of the moment. Dominic Conway’s Finnlay is sensitive and revels in the special bond he has with his twin sister, but he is also quick to mimic his father’s protective warmth for Freya. Clare Beresford shines with exceptional brightness as Freya in a performance detailed right down to the open palmed way the little girl continually, and awkwardly, brushes the hair away from her eyes. It is difficult not to fall in love with Freya, a girl who is continually trying to permeate the twins’ connection, who demonstrates true devotion to a fish, Stinky, that she gnawed out of a carrot, and who throws two hundred percent of herself into everything she does.
Alexander Scott has directed this piece to capture the chaotic Pioneer spirit of a child’s playroom, where any adventure is a moment away from imagining. There are so many scenes in this play that are outstanding in their poignancy and their delightfulness. From the funeral scene that reflects the children’s naive reactions to an unthinkable calamity to Freya Knows Best, a sequence in which Freya plants a crocosmia plant by burying and watering a light bulb, innovation and wonder is woven deep into this play. The scene that I found the most heart rendering was a puppet show that the children performed using pre packaged cakes, two large ones representing their parents, and three smaller ones as the children, acting out the cherished memories from their childhood. This leads to a wonderfully touching story about Geoffrey and April taking Freya on the swings and ends up with the children smashing the cakes wildly into their mouths. This is the moment where your heart will break.
Crocosmia is a shining example of dynamic and captivating contemporary theatre and the magic that can be created on a stage filled with toys when four brilliantly talented minds collide and embrace the power and profundity of play.
Little Bulb Theatre’s Crocosmia closes tonight April 24th, 2010 at Theatre Passe Muraille’s Backspace (16 Ryerson Avenue) at *7:30pm*. Call 416.504.7529 right away to book your tickets. If you use the promo code: The National Theatre of the World, you will receive a discounted ticket. Or go online and book your tickets through http://www.passemuraille.on.ca or show up to 16 Ryerson Avenue tonight and buy your tickets at the door. Avec speed! Avec speed!
