Author: Richard Young

A retired History and Politics high school teacher (1978-2008). Former Publisher/Managing Editor of The Beat Magazine (2009-2014). Freelance Writer. Proud Grandfather.

Closer: Love Laid Bare at Procunier Hall

by Richard Young

by Jo-Anne Bishop

(Pictured: Cast & Crew of Closer. Photo Credit: Ross Davidson.)

There are moments early in Closer when you may find yourself wondering where it’s all going. Patrick Marber’s provocative examination of love, desire, and emotional brutality opens at a measured pace, and I’ll admit that at first, I wasn’t convinced. The stripped-down staging and deliberate slowness made me question whether this production would land for me at all. But somewhere around the midpoint of the first act, something shifted, and from there on, I was completely engrossed.

Directed by Dave Semple and produced by Andrea Bennett, Closer unfolds in the small black box space at the Palace Theatre’s Procunier Hall, placing the audience uncomfortably close to the emotional wreckage on stage. Starring Noah Englmann as Dan, Scarlett Allen as Alice, Alex Pinter as Larry, and Meghan Brown as Anna, the production strips away nearly everything except the actors themselves and ultimately proves it doesn’t need anything more.

(Pictured: Closer Cast – Scarlett Allen, Noah Englmann, Meghan Brown, and Alex Pinter. Photo Credit: Ross Davidson.)

The performances across the board are deeply believable, but special recognition must go to the two female roles. Scarlett Allen gives a brave, uncompromising performance as Alice. Allen gives herself fully to the role, including moments of near-total nudity that could easily feel gratuitous or awkward in lesser hands. Instead, she owns the space with absolute confidence. Never hesitant, never insecure. Her fearlessness makes Alice feel raw, real, and emotionally dangerous, which is exactly what the role demands.

(Pictured: Scarlett Allen as Alice. Photo Credit: Ross Davidson.)

Meghan Brown’s Anna is equally compelling, offering a performance layered with vulnerability, restraint, and quiet devastation. I found myself hanging on her every word and movement, forgetting for a moment that this was a play and not a moment of voyeurism. Together, Allen and Brown anchor the production with emotional authenticity, elevating every scene they’re in. While Englmann and Pinter deliver strong, grounded performances as Dan and Larry, it’s the women who truly drive the emotional core of the play.

(Pictured: Meghan Brown as Anna. Photo Credit: Ross Davidson.)

Closer is, at its heart, an unflinching look at relationships and the many contradictions of love. I grew up on the verse “love is patient, love is kind,” but this play reminds us that love can also be messy, cruel, obsessive, and brutal. Marber doesn’t soften any of it, and this production leans fully into those truths. Love here is exposed for all its ugliness and beauty, its tenderness and violence, and the result in this production is as uncomfortable as it is compelling.

The program describes the show as “stripped down, grown up, and not for the faint of heart,” with a strong viewer discretion warning—and that description is absolutely accurate. This is not a play for anyone inclined to clutch their pearls. If explicit language, sexual frankness, or emotional cruelty make you uncomfortable, this likely isn’t the show for you. But if you’re willing to sit with a little bit of discomfort, Closer will reward you with a powerful exploration of love, loss, and heartbreak.

One of my initial hesitations was the minimalist staging. There are no traditional props and only sound effects and physical suggestion. At first, I found myself distracted, wondering why actual props weren’t used at all. But as the play progressed, it became clear: they don’t need them. The actors are the props. Their physicality, timing, and emotional commitment are so precise that you stop noticing what’s missing. Your focus narrows entirely to the characters and their unravelling relationships, which is exactly where it should be.

(Pictured: Set of Closer. Photo Credit: Ross Davidson.)

By the end of the two-hour production, the bare stage feels not like a limitation but a strength. The production is perfectly staged and brilliantly acted, proving that when performances are this strong, nothing else is necessary.

Despite my early doubts, I left thoroughly impressed and genuinely moved. Closer is challenging, bold, and beautifully performed. If you’re looking for theatre that doesn’t shy away from taking emotional risks, do yourself a favour and catch this production before it closes on February 15th.

IF YOU GO:

What: Closer, by Patrick Marber

When: February 5th-15th, 2026

Where: Procunier Hall at the Palace Theatre, 710 Dundas St, London Ontario

Tickets: $30-33, 2024-2025 Shows – Palace Theatre  RECOMMENDED 18+

Reviewed by Jo-Anne Bishop

Bows Up, Canada! When have you been called upon to protect Canadian unity? And when have you been able to do it by attending a concert?

by Richard Young

Previewed by Daina Janitis

On the eve of the 1980 referendum, (PET) Pierre Eliott Trudeau (not PP, that’s for sure) reminded Canadians that they were facing a tipping point:  “We must now establish the basic principles, the basic values and beliefs which hold us together as Canadians so that beyond our regional loyalties there is a way of life and a system of values which make us proud of the country that has given us such freedom and such immeasurable joy.”

A quarter-century later, it’s not Quebec making secession noises- it’s Alberta. But if you seize the opportunity to be in the presence of some Alberta talent – certain to bring you immeasurable joy – maybe you can be part of some Canadian culture that keeps Canada together for another twenty-five years.

The Jeffery Concerts on Sunday, February 8, at the Wolf Performance Hall, at a comfortable 3:00 in the afternoon, features two icons of Canadian music – the young violinist Jacques Forestier and seasoned pianist Arthur Rowe. The CBC has already included Jacques in its “Top 30 Hot Canadian Classical Musicians under 30” – and Arthur is …uh …slightly older and already loved by London audiences.

So, who is this Forestier chap? I was about to credit his musical vibe to Montreal – but he’s an Alberta kid, born in Edmonton in 2004 and already starting to learn the violin at age TWO. By the age of 11, he made his debut with the Edmonton Symphony at the Winspear Centre – and remains one of their favourite soloists. I’ll place-name-drop a bit:  He’s been at the Curtis Institute on full scholarship since 2022, picked up some pointers at the Mount Royal Conservatory, and been a student-artist at Juilliard.

(Pictured: Jacques Forestier with violinist Itzhak Perlman.)

His parents’ home in Edmonton must be bursting with prizes ~

  • From the “Olympics” of violinists, the 2018 Yehudi Menuhin International in Geneva (the only Canadian to qualify)
  • A multitude of medals from major competitions in Canada
  • Winner of the Joseph Joachim Violin Competition in Germany

And Arthur? He’s my age.

Just kidding. He’s also a world-class talent, Professor and Inspiration Manager at The University of Victoria. But BC is not seceding, so you can be nice to him after the concert- no need to go overboard.

(Pictured: Pianist Arthur Rowe.)

And if you’re new to this classical music thing – and you don’t want to appear like a thickie-thickie dumb-dumb in front of the mates on either side of you – here are a few elitist phrases you can share about the program.

When the Dvorak Sonata in G Major begins, you can ask, “That sounds familiar. Didn’t that performance win Jacques the Joachim competition?” or “I can hear the influence of Dvorak’s American sojourn, can’t you?” Or, “It’s all I can do to keep from humming along with those Bohemian folk melodies.” Don’t forget to mention it’s “intimate and dazzling – I’m going to hold my breath for all 18 minutes of it”

As for the Brahms Sonata in A Major, try this: “Isn’t it amazing- that young man received the Joachim prize – and Brahms actually wrote this sonata for his FRIEND, Joseph Joachim.” (Chuckle warmly at this point). Or involve your seatmate with “I can hardly wait for the Allegro Grazioso of the finale- those Hungarian dance rhythms make me want to kick my red leather boots while holding a perfect squat.”

If you’re not confident in the Strauss Sonata in E-flat Major, you can express relief that Strauss was in his post-Wagnerian phase. You can say, “This is going to be a thrilling capstone for this recital” and poke him or her in the ribs when you hear the “stormy passion” of the Allegro molto appassionato. Or you can just sigh deeply when the final Allegro begins, recognizing aloud the “dazzling runs and double-stops.” Don’t ask me what double-stops are. Google it.

Each of the sonatas Jacques and Arthur are performing is considered a gem of late nineteenth-century Romanticism. Perhaps you can only play them brilliantly when you are young and brilliant.

Don’t miss this opportunity to bear witness to the early career of a Canadian phenomenon. And tell him after the concert that you don’t want a Canada without Jacques Forestier – and Alberta- in it.

IF YOU GO:

What: The Jeffery Concerts presents violinist Jacques Forestier and pianist Arthur Rowe.

When: Sunday, February 8, 3:00pm.

Where: Wolf Performance Hall, 251 Dundas Street, London, ON.

Tickets: Online: https://www.grandtheatre.com/event/jacques-forestier-and-arthur-rowe

By phone: 519-672-8800

In person: 471 Richmond Street, London, ON

At the Door: Credit Card, Debit Card, or Cash.

For more information, visit https://www.jefferyconcerts.com/season2526/index.html

Previewed by Daina Janitis

The Artistry of Notion, at Westland Gallery until February 28.

by Richard Young

Reviewed by Beth Stewart

The Artistry of Notion exhibition at Westland Gallery celebrates the work and friendship of Johnnene Maddison and Mike Brouse. It includes fifteen of Maddison’s colourful abstractions, as well as three of her small hand-stitched gems, and fifteen of Brouse’s expressionistic pieces.

Maddison’s acrylic-on-canvas paintings fill the front gallery, while Brouse’s oils are spread throughout the rear gallery.

Johnnene Maddison’s delightful pieces preserve small points in time in paint and form.

In her artist statement, she writes about how her subject matter and choice of media has evolved over the years from mixed media work about women – their rights, their history, their challenges – to single-media acrylic paintings that are gestural and immediate.

This work is personal yet also presents Maddison’s experiences as universal truths.

The pieces burst with colour and carefully constructed forms. While the pieces stand on their own, the titles guide the viewer’s observations and direct their thoughts.

(Pictured: Johnnene Maddison, “Doors and Windows”, acrylic on canvas, 36 by 36 inches.)

Her 36-by-36-inch acrylic on canvas “Doors and Windows” rightfully occupies the front window. The subject can be enjoyed as is, but can also be seen as a representation of transitional thresholds.

(Pictured: Johnnene Maddison, “Wandering in My Mind”, acrylic on canvas. 30 by 40 inches.

Upon entering the gallery, her 30-by-40-inch acrylic on canvas, “Wandering in My Mind”, graces the left wall with its cadmium yellow centre clamouring for attention. Another eye-catcher, her 30-by-40-inch acrylic titled “Crazy Trip”, hangs on the back wall. Both embrace angular forms that straddle a line between staticity and busyness.

(Pictured: Johnnene Maddison, “Crazy Trip”, acrylic on canvas, 30 by 40 inches.)

While Maddison boasts a well-established artistic career, Michael Brouse came late to art after taking a class just before retirement. Around 2010, he began painting landscapes, but says he soon became “excited about the distortions caused by waves on reflections [and] segued into expressive abstraction”.

He cites Maddison and American expressionist painter Krista Harris, whose work is rooted in the natural world, as having influenced his work.

His works have an ethereal quality. As with Maddison’s work, titles are important

His layered, scratched, and scraped surfaces suggest landforms and figures, yet these remain elusive. His brushwork is ragged and energetic.

To Brouse, a notion as reflected in the title of this show refers to “an intuition, a feeling, imagination.” Fitting, as his expressive application of paint on a canvas conveys memory and dreams.

(Pictured: Michael Brouse, “Stillness”, oil on canvas, 36 by 48 inches.)

For example, he says his oil on canvas “Stillness”, which hangs on the left wall with its pops of orange, captures a vivid feeling from his childhood. It is one he has also marked with a poem: “Barefoot I stepped/ on to a cold winter floor/ as a child, touched by the/ radiant magic of a breaking morn./ My secret treasure stored away/ in the stillness.”

(Pictured: Michael Brouse, “North Shore”, oil on panel, 24 by 30 inches.)

On the right wall, Brouse’s 24-by-30-inch “North Shore” is next to the 32-by-40-inch “Notion”. While the subject of “North Shore” remains slippery, it contains forms that come tantalizingly close to representational, making it all the more intriguing.

One can assume its neighbour, “Notion”, is the source of the show’s title.

(Pictured: Michael Brouse, “Notion”, oil on canvas, 32 by 40 inches.)

IF YOU GO:

What: The Artistry of Notion featuring works by Johnnene Maddison and Mike Brouse.

When: February 3 to February 28. Opening Reception on Saturday, February 7, from 1:00 to 3:00pm.

Where: Westland Gallery, 156 Wortley Road, London, ON,

For more information, visit: https://westlandgallery.ca/

Reviewed by Beth Stewart

The Manor Park Afternoon Post: Reviving the Golden Age of Radio with a contemporary local touch.

by Richard Young

by J. Bruce Parker

There was a time before the internet, before computers, and even before television, when a form of electricity would send waves of energy into your home, in a pleasant, comforting voice. This was radio, and it changed how people were informed and entertained. 

The Golden Age of Radio was dominant between the 1930s and the 1950s, before the advent of television eventually kicked the radio signal to the curb.

It was a time when the airwaves were bristling with the voices of musical stars, comedians, singers, classical concerts, soap operas, quiz shows, and storytellers. When U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke to the American people in the broadcast of his ‘Fireside Chats’, which ran from 1933 to 1944.                                                               

One of the most popular radio programs of recent years was A Prairie Home Companion, which ran from 1974 to 2016, hosted by Garrison Keiler. It was rural, it was gentle, it was kind and comforting, and most of all, it was entertaining.

The style and tone of the show was carried on by our own CBC Radio in the mid-1990s by the weekly Vinyl Café, hosted by the late Stuart McLean. It ran on the local airwaves from 1994 until 2015.

Founding Artistic Director of AlvegoRoot Theatre, Adam Corrigan Holowitz, assisted by Associate Artistic Director Kydra Ryan, has carried on the spirit of this grand tradition with his own version of the classic radio variety show.

The Manor Park Afternoon Post Country Edition was presented at Manor Park Memorial Hall on the most brilliant but bitterly cold last day of January. It was the twenty-second installment of this collaboration between Corrigan Holowitz and Ryan.

(Pictured: Manor Park Afternoon Post Country Edition Cast, Kydra Ryan, Deborah Mitchell, Adam Corrigan Holowitz, Matt Martin, Jack Sizeland, and Stephen Holowitz. Photo Credit: J. Bruce Parker.)

In a conversation before the one-off performance, Adam defined the event:

“It is a performance in the classic style of a variety show. There is music, comedy in the form of original radio sketches, and there are stories about Manor Park and London, all done in the vein of the great American storytelling”.

“It is inspired by both Vinyl Café and The Prairie Home Companion, but it takes its inspiration from a broader tradition of radio variety shows. This goes back to the times of Fred Allen, Fibber McGee and Molly, as well as Canadian storytellers Stephen Leacock and W.O. Mitchell.”

(Pictured: Adam Corrigan Holowitz. Photo Credit: J. Bruce Parker.)

“There are three basic ingredients of flavour we incorporate into our shows. The music is gorgeous and top-tier; the stories are gentle with a broad view of the neighbourhood, and then there are the sketches, which can be salty and sarcastic with a bite to them. When Kydra and I write the sketches, there is topical stuff, but I am always interested in how you can push a comedy concept,” he adds.

So how does this kind of entertainment stay relevant?

“It gets to something that we are drawn to. It’s about stories, it’s about people coming together, it’s about discovering music, literature and poetry,” says Adam.

As the congenial host, Adam was joined by co-creator Kydra Ryan, Jack Sizeland, Matt Martin, Deborah Mitchell, and musical director and keyboardist Stephen Holowitz on this cold January afternoon.

(Pictured: Kydra Ryan, Jack Sizeland, and Adam Corrigan Holowitz. Photo Credit: J. Bruce Parker.)

While borrowing from the formats of both Vinyl Café and Prairie Home Companion, Adam and Kydra gather up the stuff of living in Manor Park, keeping their original stories very close to home.

We witness a walkabout around Manor Park in the voices of ‘Nephew Jefferson’ and ‘Aunt Julie’ describing their exploits and meanderings, one being an ongoing dumpster fire in the neighbourhood.

Matt Martin, in his rich baritone, weaves his interpretations of the songs of Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, and Elvis between the stories.

Local actress Deborah Mitchell dons the character of “Louella Brulais”, a gossip columnist, scraping her claws across the unfortunate few who get into her crosshairs.

We have ghost stories told by actual ghosts, unhappy with their representation in film.

Framing the entire performance was the keyboard work of musical director Stephen Holowitz, whose carefully crafted accompaniment set the musical tone which propelled the event.

(Pictured: Matt Martin and Stephen Holowitz. Photo Credit: J. Bruce Parker.)

Adam Corrigan Holowitz and Kydra Ryan have gathered the best of classic live radio, reviving it with their creative talents and presenting a warm, energetic, and touching event of song and storytelling. It was joyful, well-crafted, and above all, fun.

The ongoing success of The Manor Park Afternoon Post has a follow-up on March 14.

Don’t miss it!

By J. Bruce Parker.

Ingersoll Theatre of Performing Arts presents Daniel MacIvor’s BINGO, March 6-15.

by Richard Young

Prepared with Files from ITOPA

ITOPA is thrilled to present BINGO by acclaimed Canadian playwright Daniel MacIvor — a sharp, darkly funny, and deeply human look at what happens when the past refuses to stay buried.

Five former classmates reunite for one unforgettable night for their 30th high-school reunion. For some, it’s a welcome return home. For others, a reluctant obligation. And a few, they never really left at all. As the evening unfolds and the drinks keep coming, old friendships are rekindled, memories resurface, and laughter gives way to revelation. What begins as nostalgia slowly turns into something far more dangerous — as long-held resentments and darkest secrets finally come to light.

“BINGO is a night of theatre that will make you laugh, cringe, and maybe rethink your own high-school reunion.”

IF YOU GO:

What: ITOPA presents Daniel McIvor’s BINGO. Directed by Vix Ledgley, produced by Rebecca McNall, and stage managed by. Adam Tanton

When: March 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14,15. Showtime: 7:30 PM. Matinee Performances: 2:00 pm.

Where: Ingersoll Theatre of Performing Arts, 88 Thames Street South, Ingersoll, ON.

Tickets: Online at https://app.arts-people.com/?show=282904 By Phone 519-485-3070. Adult $26.00 Senior (65+) $24.00 Student (12+) $22.00 Student (12-) $10.00.

To learn more about ITOPA, visit  https://www.itopa.ca/. Follow ITOPA on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ingersolltheatre and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ingersolltheatre/

Big Laughs, Honest Moments, and Stories We All Recognize: St. Marys Community Players 2026 Season

by Richard Young

Prepared with Files from the St. Marys Community Players.

St. Marys Community Players have announced their 2026 Season Lineup: Marc Camoletti’s BOEING BOEING and the beloved Peanuts Musical You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

“Our 52nd season lineup of productions will offer a vibrant pairing of plays that celebrates the full spectrum of theatrical joy—combining the dizzying precision of a classic farce with the warmth, wit, and gentle introspection of a beloved musical,” says Greg George, the company’s Marketing and Communications coordinator.

BOEING BOEING: A High-Flying Comedy.

Opening the 2026 season in April, the St. Marys Community Players present the delightful farce that has captivated audiences worldwide. Written by Marc Camoletti and translated by Beverley Cross and Francis Evans, this fast-paced production chronicles the misadventures of Bernard, a swinging bachelor in 1960s Paris. Bernard’s elaborate scheme of juggling three fiancées – all airline hostesses with staggered layovers – takes a turbulent turn, threatening to send his plans crashing.

Directed by Ralph Small and produced by Stephen Brockwell and Read Paxton, BOEING BOEING features door-slamming, smart dialogue, and hilarious situations, guaranteeing nonstop laughter and entertainment.

Performance Dates:

April 24 to May 9, 2026, Town Hall Theatre, St. Marys, ON.

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown: A Musical for All Ages.

Happiness is great musical theatre. With charm, wit and heart, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown explores life through the eyes of Charlie Brown and his friends in the Peanuts gang. This revue of songs and vignettes, based on the beloved Charles Schulz comic strip, captures childhood worries, quiet hopes, and the universal desire to belong and be understood. Musical numbers include “My Blanket and Me,” “The Kite,” “The Baseball Game,” “Little Known Facts,” “Suppertime” and “Happiness.” Guaranteed to please audiences of all ages.

Performance Dates: 

October 22 to November 7, Town Hall Theatre, St. Marys, ON.

Tickets for the 2026 Season are available through the St. Marys Community Players website www.stmaryscommunityplayers.ca beginning in early March or locally at Troyer’s Spices in Downtown St. Marys, 110 Queen St. E. Phone: (226) 661-8777.

Follow the St. Marys Community Players on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/StMarysCommunityPlayers and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/st.maryscommunityplayers/

A closer look at Closer at the Procunier Hall, February 5 to 15.

by Richard Young

Previewed by J. Bruce Parker

In a recent conversation I had with London playwright, Jason Rip, he stated that he writes plays for “the precious few who prefer their theatre to be hard-hitting social commentary instead of song and dance.”

Actor/director Dave Semple mentioned to me in an interview last year that he likes “stories that are dark and have a good depth of substance to them.”

So, what is theatre to a viewing audience?

Should its goal be to enlighten or enrich? Do you prefer leaving a theatrical performance with a smile and a sense of contentment rather than feeling troubled by what you just saw on stage? What are the limits of theatrical performances? What should be performed and spoken on stage?

Dave Semple is directing Patrick Marber’s Closer, which will be performed on the Procunier Hall stage at the Palace Theatre from February 5 to 15. Marber’s play offers a lens into the rawness of the human psyche as it defines love, trust, and betrayal.

Getting a whiff of the oncoming production, The London Free Press warned the viewing audience that the play, “may feature nude actors and scenes depicting sexuality, spurring the addition of an intimacy coach to the crew.” Is press like this a help or a hindrance?

I recently had the opportunity to view a rehearsal and talk with the cast and crew.

Dave Semple, with over forty years of experience as a drama teacher, actor, and director, explained why he wanted to undertake such a project.

“I don’t think there are always happy endings in lives and relationships, and I wanted to direct a play which was representative of something real, not the usual perfect relationships and happy endings that we usually see in theatre.”

He adds, ‘Despite the characters’ flaws and how they treat each other, what we want you to discover is that there are moments of redemption for all of them. We tried to build that into the story. The play is about the mistakes we make in relationships. Everyone says that they are looking for love, but ‘love’ for everyone is different.”

(Pictured: Sarah Taylor and Dave Semple. Photo Credit: J. Bruce Parker.)

Semple is assisted by Sarah Taylor, a teacher and actress who was brought in as an “Intimacy Director” for the production.

I must admit, this role in a theatre production is new to me, so a quick Google search helped define it. Better yet, I asked Sarah to interpret her role.

“The role of Intimacy Director has been around for some time, but certainly more prominent than it used to be. It is someone who handles sensitive stage moments; things that may need finesse or support. The director sees the big picture, but the Intimacy Director partners with the director to be the bridge between them and the actors,” she says. “We have to look at the actor’s comfort and what the director wants the actor to do in terms of intimacy, understanding the actors’ boundaries and finding a way to honour both. I can be the voice of the actor and still have a relationship with the director to make sure that their vision is maintained.”

I asked Sarah what she wants the audience to walk away with at the play’s end.

“I want the audience to experience vulnerability,” says Sarah. “There is a vulnerability in this play that sees humanity in a 360-degree view. I really believe this is something important for the audience to engage with.”

(Pictured: Set of Closer. Photo Credit: Palace Theatre.)

The production is laid out on a sparse set. Just a black curtain as a backdrop and a few chairs centre stage. With only four actors performing, dialogue has to propel the story deeply and compellingly.

Semple has carefully assembled his cast with the likes of Alex Pinter (Larry), Meghan Brown (Anna), Noah Englmann (Dan), and Scarlett Allen (Alice).

(Pictured: Cast of Closer – Alex Pinter, Noah Englmann, Scarlett Allen, and Meghan Brown. Photo Credit:J. Bruce Parker.)

I asked each actor to define their character:

Alex (Larry) – “My character is generally an honest person, but I think he is driven. Larry wants to have good, constant sex, but he mistakes sex for love.”

Meghan (Anna) – “Anna is someone who thinks she has her life together and thinks she knows what she want but she tends to self-sabotage. She is not comfortable with being comfortable, especially with love, and this is where desire takes over.”

Noah (Dan) – “His incessant need for the truth gets in the way of love. At the end of the play, I don’t think Dan believes in love. In my presentation of Dan, he doesn’t question his belief in love at the end of the play. He keeps seeing the pattern happening over and over, and he is starting to waver in his belief in love.”

Scarlett (Alice) – “I am empathic towards Alice. The story is about people looking for connections, and this is all she wants, and in searching for it, she is always pushing people away. She tries to make herself into something people want, so she totally makes herself up. She likes to create a persona, and that is probably why she becomes a stripper.”

Closer brings together four people whose lives collide, intertwine and subsequently collapse. The mood is edgy, with dialogue that is muscular, tough, and brutal. There is a blurred line between love and lust, and sex is used as currency as well as a form of deception and vengeance.

Larry tells us, “What’s so great about the truth? Try lying for a change. It’s the currency of the world.”

Alice reiterates by saying, “Lying is the most fun a girl can have without taking her clothes off.”  

There is humour in this story, but it’s brief and fragmented and never diffuses the ongoing tension between the characters.

Closer holds up a mirror to the audience in portraying the bold, honest and unsavoury aspects of relationships. It is the right fit for Procunier Hall and the right fit for those who appreciate a more visceral form of theatre.

IF YOU GO:

What: Patrick Marber’s Closer, directed by Dave Semple.

Where: Procunier Hall at the Palace Theatre, 710 Dundas St., London, ON.

When: February 5-15, 2026.

Tickets: Adults: $33, Students/Seniors (55+): $30, Preview: $22 (fees included). https://mytickets.palacetheatre.ca/eventperformances.asp?evt=525

Note: Contains explicit sexual content, strong language, and mature themes. THIS SHOW IS RECOMMENDED FOR 18+ ONLY.

(Closer Cast. Photo Credit: Palace Theatre.)

Previewed by J. Bruce Parker

Finding Connection in Primary Trust at the Grand Theatre

by Richard Young

Reviewed by Jo-Anne Bishop

The Grand Theatre’s production of Primary Trust, written by Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Eboni Booth, is one of those plays that sneaks up on you – and it just might be my favourite play so far this season. Directed by Cherissa Richards, Primary Trust is funny, tender, and deeply touching, exploring themes of loneliness, loss, and hope without feeling heavy-handed. What begins as a modest, intimate story – complete with Kenneth directly addressing the audience – slowly evolves into something much larger and more emotionally resonant.

(Pictured: Durae McFarlane as Kenneth. Photo: Dahlia Katz.)

Durae McFarlane portrays Kenneth with such honesty and openness that he immediately had me leaning in. His story takes you on a full emotional journey, moving effortlessly between humour, vulnerability, and moments of genuine sadness. I found myself completely absorbed, hanging on his every word, and by the end of the show, wishing for nothing more than to give him a hug. Kenneth’s experience feels deeply personal, yet widely relatable, which is where this play finds much of its power.

(Pictured: Peter N. Bailey, Durae McFarlane, Ryan Hollyman, and Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah. Photo: Dahlia Katz.)

The supporting cast adds warmth, texture, and balance throughout the production. Peter N. Bailey brings calm reassurance as Kenneth’s best friend, Bert, while Ryan Hollyman offers humour and charm as Clay/Sam/Bartender, transitioning seamlessly between each personality. Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah is engaging and natural as Corinna, providing moments of humour, compassion and emotional grounding. Lawrence Libor, as the musician, weaves well-timed music into the storytelling organically enhancing emotional shifts without drawing attention away from the narrative. The performances feel believable and connected, carrying the audience through laughter, reflection, and quiet heartbreak. Around me, the crowd responded thoughtfully – laughing often, sitting at times in contemplative silence, and clearly moved by Kenneth’s journey.

(Pictured: Primary Trust Set Design by Julie Fox. Photo: Dahlia Katz.)

Julie Fox’s set design supports the story beautifully, creating a space that reflects Kenneth’s inner world while allowing the play to move smoothly between moments of memory, reality, and imagination. Under Cherissa Richards’ direction and the assistant direction of Vanessa Spence, the production maintains a gentle but steady rhythm that allows the emotional moments to land naturally, without being rushed or overstated.

Listen to Director Cherissa Richards talk about Primary Trust: https://youtu.be/lUON_-f6JbY?si=fYahgazhxQVEuQKq

Primary Trust explores themes of grief, loneliness, friendship, and the courage it takes to reach out for connection, particularly when doing so might feel risky or unfamiliar to us. By the final moments, Kenneth’s journey feels personal and earned, and the audience leaves the theatre reflective, moved, and reminded of how important even the smallest acts of human connection can be. This is a powerful story movingly brought to life and is one not to be missed at the Grand Theatre this season.

IF YOU GO:

What: Primary Trust by Eboni Booth, directed by Cherissa Richards

Where: Spriet Stage at the Grand Theatre, London, Ontario

When: January 20th – February 7th, 2026.

Tickets: Single tickets range from $25 to $97 in-person at the Box Office, by phone at (519) 672-8800, and online at https://www.grandtheatre.com/event/primary-trust

Reviewed by Jo-Anne Bishop.

Pulitzer Prize winning Primary Trust takes the stage at the Grand Theatre, January 20 to February 7.

by Richard Young

Prepared with files from the Grand Theatre

Ebobi Booth’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Primary Trust, comes to the Grand Theatre’s Spriet Stage in an all-new London-made co-production with Crow’s Theatre and directed by Cherissa Richards, January 20 to February 7.

Considered one of the most exciting scripts to grip modern theatre, Primary Trust is one of those stories that grabs you and whisks you into the styled yet realistic, gritty yet beautiful world of a Tiki Hut regular, Kenneth. “We are taken back to a recent time, but a time before smartphones, in North America, where connection wasn’t merely a click away and interpersonal connection took some work,” says Rachel Peake, Artistic Director of the Grand Theatre. “We lean into how Eboni Booth explores loneliness and the complicated need for connection.”

(Pictured: Rachel Peake, Artistic Director of the Grand Theatre.)

“This is my favourite play that I read for the season, and now I am so excited to get to share it with London audiences,” says Peake. “Full of magic realism, humour, and heart, Primary Trust lets you walk in the shoes of someone else in a way that unlocks the world a little differently.”

For the past several months, Booth’s script has been in the hands of theatre artists recruited from across Canada, including director Cherissa Richards and designers Julie Fox (set), Rachel Forbes (costume), Imogen Wilson (lighting), and Thomas Ryder Payne (sound). Together, they are building “a world that feels like ours, that looks like reality,” explains Peake, “but in fact, is not bound by the laws of physics or time and lives inside an active idea.”

(Pictured: Cherissa Richards, Director of Primary Trust. Photo: Kristen Sawatsky.)

One ‘happy hour’ at a time, the character of Kenneth will unfold on the stage, seemingly set with a life-size diorama. “The characters will step out into a frozen photograph and bring it to life. Surreal, fragmented buildings, slices of evocative settings, signalling to the audience that we are only being let in on part of the story – the rest is in your imagination,” says designer Fox. “There is a tumbleweed feel of boarded-up storefronts and empty spaces that resonates as we continue to come back from the pandemic in our own cities. In this kind of desolate, urban landscape – so typical across North America – we still manage to find beauty and connection, and the unexpectedness makes it that much more special.”

(Pictured: Durae McFarlane as Kenneth in Primary Trust. Photo: Mai Tilson.)

‘Extraordinary, ordinary’ Kenneth is played by Durae McFarlane, who is making his Grand Theatre debut after a series of theatre and TV roles. Musician and actor Lawrence Libor will perform keys on stage, adding a live soundtrack to the show. Libor is known to Grand audiences, having previously been in last season’s smash-hit musical Waitress, as well as the three-times-extended run of Cabaret, which set a record as the longest-running show on the Grand’s studio stage. Peter N. Bailey (Stratford, Canadian Stage) also makes a much-anticipated return to the Grand, after performing in August Wilson’s Fences (2018/19). The cast also includes Ryan Hollyman (Soulpepper, National Arts Centre, Mirvish) and Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah (Stratford Festival), who are both making their Grand Theatre debuts.

Creative Team

Cherissa Richards – Director

Julie Fox – Set Designer

Rachel Forbes – Costume Designer

Imogen Wilson – Lighting Designer

Thomas Ryder Payne – Sound Designer

Vanessa Spence – Assistant Director

Kai-Yueh Chen – Stage Manager

Emma Jo Conlin – Assistant Stage Manager

Finnley O’Brien – Apprentice Stage Manager

Cast

Peter N. Bailey – Bert

Ryan Hollyman – Clay / Sam / Le Pousselet Bartender

Lawrence Libor – Musician

Durae McFarlane – Kenneth

Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah – Corrina

(Pictured: Primary Trust Company. Photo: Farrell Tremblay.)

To learn more about Primary Trust at the Grand Theatre, please visit www.grandtheatre.com/event/primary-trust. Follow the production and peek behind the scenes by following @thegrandlondon and #GrandTrust on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, YouTube, & TikTok.

IF YOU GO:

What: The Grand Theatre presents Ebobi Booth’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Primary Trust.

When: January 20 to February 7, 2026.

Where: Grand Theatre’s Spriet Stage, 471 Richmond Street, London, ON

Tickets:  Tickets can be purchased online at grandtheatre.com, by phoning the Box Office at 519.672.8800, or by visiting the Box Office in person at 471 Richmond Street (weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.). 

Jason Rip – London’s Man for all Seasons

by Richard Young

by J. Bruce Parker

Jason Rip is very much aware that his name will also be his epitaph. Mention this to him, and his eyes narrow slightly, accompanied by a nefarious smile. This is understandable as the poet, author, actor, director, comedian, and cartoonist has incorporated a sense of the macabre into much of his work.

With all these titles before his name, I ask, “Who is Jason Rip”?

He diffuses it down to “I’m a storyteller.”

I met up with Jason at one of his favorite haunts, the Landon Library in South London. He was deep into Charles Dickens’ heavy-handed tome, Bleak House, and also researching the Boer War for an upcoming book.

Jason’s stories, many evolving into plays, exactly 100 of them with 74 being produced, also tell the story of Jason Rip in some way or another. Two of his plays were written about London luminaries, Marc Emery and Roy MacDonald.  

With the finality of his theatrical work ending at 100, he adds, “I stopped writing plays after my 100th as I felt no one needs to write more than 100 plays”. His notion of practicality certainly hasn’t diminished his restless creative spirit.

Jason Rip was born in Guelph, migrated to Indiana due to his father’s work as a biochemist, and ended up in London when he was six.

He was formally educated at the University of Western Ontario and, as a teacher, taught in Tillsonburg as well as at South Secondary School in London.

At six foot six, Jason Rip is an imposing figure.

“A lot of people have told me that I am intimidating when they first meet me. I can’t help being six foot six.”

His love of theatre inspired him to seek out roles, but in his own words, “If you are the dimensions that I am, there are limits on roles that you will get.”                                                    

In a 2018 documentary, directed by Matthew Downs and produced by Faith Clark, appropriately titled A Tombstone Epitaph, Jason is described as “a big man with strong opinions.”

In the film, Jason tells us, “I didn’t really choose theatre, it chose me, but I know I am passionate about it to the exclusion of almost everything else; relationships, jobs, money, or whether I eat or not. I do what I want. I don’t think I am influenced by whether it is going to sell or if anybody is going to want to see it. I am doomed to a low budget, but I do what I want. In terms of a guy who writes in this town, I am the last man standing”.

He slyly adds, “I have never written anything that shouldn’t be burned in a fire.”

As an aspiring actor, Jason began writing plays to create parts for himself. “The playwriting came as I wasn’t satisfied with the parts I was getting.”

Reflecting on his own life, he took to writing plays about the downcast, the vulnerable, the destitute, and marginalized; those who are swept aside or misunderstood by society.

This could be defined in a work he co-created with Rachel Ganz and performed at Manor Park Theatre in 2024. Man Up is a definitive and somewhat uncomfortable look at the issue of male suicide. All five performances were sold out. He expressed on his Facebook page that the play was for “the precious few who prefer their theatre to be hard-hitting social commentary instead of song and dance, and for all who have lost loved ones to the ‘unspeakable’ but everyday tragedy.” Jason cast seven local actors to perform the eighteen scenes/vignettes.

The play demonstrated the role of masculinity in our society; the perceived image of what a man is about and the myths of machismo. To make it timely, consider the highest point of office in the U.S. by an individual who has proven himself as an example of the worst kind of toxic masculinity.

His previous theatrical works explored the lives of artist Andy Warhol, poets Arthur Rimbaud and Edgar Allen Poe, and jazz musician Chet Baker; all highly creative but troubled souls. 

Jason tells me, “I started out my life feeling like an outcast, and in some ways, I still feel like one, with what separates me from others is quite extreme, but it is also a source of strength. I write about the poor and destitute because I can’t stand the problems of the rich. I work with people who don’t have anything, and that is where my sympathy lies.”

And Jason would know, as he recently retired from a ten-year career working the night shift at Unity, a homeless shelter which he proudly states has no religious affiliation.

He defines himself as ‘nocturnal’ and, despite working the night shift, which he admits “makes me a little crazy”, he continues to write. 

“I can knock off a short story in one fevered session or a page in a day,” adding, “I write obliquely about everyday stuff, always turning a bit of a twist to the story. I like my little niche.”

Thirty years of writing have evolved into Jason’s most recent works. My Gehenna, published in 2024, was quickly followed up by The Goblin and Other Tales, released in 2025. Both volumes delve into the world of horror. He introduces the reader to the dark side of humanity; to those misfits who live beyond the fringes of scruples and sanity. The troubled and invective characters he creates transport the reader along a journey of both humor and horror. There are those defined with a “fondness for acts of indecency,” and Mr. Rip boils it all down to “people being nasty to each other.”

My Gehenna and The Goblin and Other Tales can be purchased through Amazon.

A copy of his first book was given to a homeless man who dubbed Jason Rip as “the Dostoevsky of Goof Town”, a title which he relishes.

The stuff of Jason Rip comes from both the likes of Edgar Allen Poe and William Shakespeare, whose entire theatrical work Jason has read. And there is American author Norman Mailer, whom Jason decrees is America’s Tolstoy.

Musically, in his writing, there is an inspiration from both the likes of musicians Tom Waits and Warren Zevon, who documented his terminal diagnosis of cancer over three albums. It is this dark and unexploited channel of human life that seems to propel his desire to continue writing.

(Pictured: Anne Moniz, Jason Rip, and Daniel Oniszecko.)

His life’s work, which he decrees, “One of the happiest things of my life is that I feel that I have written everything that I need to write,” has also recognized by our community. Jason was awarded the 2018 Chris Doty Lifetime Achievement award, as well as being recognized as a “Distinguished Londoner”. He is grateful for both accolades.

You can often find Jason Rip at the Landon Library in Wortley Village, possibly inspired by the solace and solitude that a library offers.

Leaving the theatre behind, trust that something dark, sinister, but highly compelling will come out of London’s premier storyteller.

This April 15 to 19, AlvegoRoot Theatre is producing a brand new version of Jason Rip’s darkly hilarious play Luce. Mark the date in your Calendar now.

by J. Bruce Parker