I reluctantly headed off to see "The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead" this weekend at the Manitoba Theatre Centre - a one-woman play written by playwright Robert Hewett, and performed by Canadian theatre staple Kelli Fox. My concern was not only content, but how much my attention could be kept by a one person show. Happily, these fears were quickly cast aside half way through the first act.
Fox plays Rhonda Russell - a red-headed housewife who turns to vengeance after being dumped by her womanizing husband, Graham Russell. Fox opens as Rhonda, and quickly captures the audiences attention as she goes on about her life with Graham, their recent split, and a hint to the trouble that ensued following her discovery of his infidelity.
Fox goes on to play the roles of almost every character mentioned who are part of the web of sex and lies. The character changes were quite interesting, set behind a silk screen canvas, while audio plays providing an idea of the physical environment. The set does not change throughout the play, only the characters. And change they did, as Fox brings a uniqueness to each role.
The play is about two hours, but never seems long. One character could have probably been skipped out - Matthew - the son of one of the lead personas in the play. The part was played well, but felt out of place to the rest of the play. My personal favorite was Fox's rendition of Graham opening the second act following intermission. Her take as the womanizing husband was as convincing as any of the female parts throughout the play.
All in all I was happy I peeled myself from the couch to take in the production. My wife and I have been very pleased with the quality and variety of this year's MTC lineup. Our faith has been officially renewed after a couple of shaky seasons, thanks to the outstanding performances seen this weekend, and throughout the year.
Monday, February 23, 2009
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