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Dates and Venue April 2–May 2, 2015 Mon & Tues at 7:30pm, Wed – Sat at 8pm, and Wed & Sat at 2pm | Granville Island Stage, 1585 Johnston Street Director Craig Hall Cast Graham Percy, Beau Dixon, Lucia Frangione, Stephen Hair, Anthony F. Ingram, Jamie Konchak, Emma Slipp Reviewer Karen Fitzgibbon |
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The year is 1941,
Los Angeles and Detective Philip Marlowe has been hired to find a woman
by the name of Velma. The plot thickens with dead bodies, crooks, seductive
women and the question, “What is really going on?” Tonight is opening night and it’s a packed house. I find the theatre backdrop well done with black and white scenes of the 40s flashing on the various screens that are part of the architecture. I like the slick and quick manner of changing stage props with the actors sliding the props from Marlowe’s small desk to a fancy mansion’s interior. Of course there are the flashing neon lights of the bars as one of the trademarks of films noir. Marlowe has a tendency to attract the beautiful women Konchak and Slipp who are part of his investigation. If he isn’t kissing a beautiful woman, or pouring another drink then he has this wonderful bantering relationship with the chief of police. The scene at the bar between Marlowe and Grayle was a very sexy 40s scene with a sultry female jazz voice singing "Cry Me a River." The mix of film noir and jazz adds magic to the play. The acting is well done but I did find the play a tad on the slow side. More from the original novel could have been incorporated. © 2015 Karen Fitzgibbon |
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