Theatre
Last Days of Graceland
BY Meghan Harrison March 24, 2008 13:03
Featuring Catherine Bruhier, Jim Jones. Written by Franca Miraglia. Directed by Patricia Vanstone. To Apr 6. Tue-Sat 8pm; Sun 2:30pm. Tue-Thu $30; Fri-Sat $35; Sun PWYC/$15 adv. Theatre Passe Muraille, 16 Ryerson. 416-504-7529. www.artsboxoffice.ca.
Last Days of Graceland bypasses most levels of subtlety and nuance to lunge straight for the squishiest bits of your heart. Unfortunately, it does not reach them, and ends up scraping by on a number of fine performances that should be in service of a stronger show.
The plot concerns Sandra (Catherine Bruhier), a professional eulogist who has come to Graceland — here represented by a hideous painting of gates — to win a final chance to visit the mansion before it’s converted into a billionaire’s private residence. She meets Robert (Jim Jones), who’s strangely not much of an Elvis fan and who turns out to have other reasons for making the trip. Dark secrets are revealed, friends and family die, much is apparently learned about grief and the importance of forgiveness.
The main problem here is Sandra, both as a character and as she’s played by Bruhier, who seems to think wide-eyed over-emoting is sufficient for the role. Based on her interactions with Robert, it’s tough to believe that Sandra would be much of a speechwriter, never mind a sought-after eulogist. Her poor relationship with her father (Earl Pastko, not doing much here) seems written by rote, and the secret that drives them apart is too sensational.
Things get interesting and more believable as Sandra is either not involved or peripheral to the action. Robert is a much less cartoonish character, with believable neuroses, and nearly all of Jones’ nervous mannerisms get laughs. Walter Borden as Jackson, Robert’s queeny boyfriend, is a drawling delight, and a dignified Tedde Moore quietly embodies the wisdom that Sandra allegedly possesses. Andrew Hachey wrings a lot of business out of a pretty underwritten role as a high-school drama club member and Ieva Lucs gives an admirably understated though considered performance as Cath, a developmentally delayed young woman.
Though sometimes static, most of the direction is adequate; Patricia Vanstone smoothly integrates the upper level of the Passe Muraille into the flashback scenes and makes likewise smart use of the large swinging door on stage.
Franca Miraglia’s idea for Last Days of Graceland is fascinating, but the execution’s off — it’s full of characters who are flimsy fronts for their dark pasts rather than actual people. An audience that can’t suspend its disbelief won’t be moved to tears.
625 Church St, 6th Floor, Toronto M4Y 2G1
Related Stories
My Fair Lady
The fourth Dancap show to hit town is a real winner.
Misery
The Canadian Stage Company used to present plays by Brian Friel, Martin McDonagh, Tom Stoppard and Michel Tremblay on the Bluma Appel stage.
Sexual Practices of the Japanese
It’s all here: the masturbators who grope girls on a packed subway; subservient women and overbearing men; a love of gadgets; corporate loyalty; and a baseball fetish that just won’t quit.
- EYEWEEKLY.COM
- Write a Letter to the Editor
- Masthead and Contacts
- Privacy Policy
- Employment Opportunities
- Advertise With Us
- Distribution
- Star Media Group Sites
- ren.ca
- canadianimmigrant.ca
- insurancehotline.com
- swaymag.ca
- More Star Pass Sites
- TheStar.com
- toronto.com
- Wheels.ca
- Ourfaves.ca
- LiveDeal.ca
