Commentary: Fund Raising of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby' for Talk is Free Theatre
In Support of Dinner à la Art and for directly aiding Barrie’s locally owned restaurants and Downtown Barrie BIA businesses.
Talk Is Free Theatre (TIFT)
Production Adapted and Directed by Richard Ouzounian
Artists: Eric McCormack, Chilina Kennedy, Autumn-Joy Dames, Aidan deSalaiz, Griffin Hewitt, Gabe Maharjan, Mike Nadajewski and Kimberly-Ann Truong.
The dramatic technique of reader’s theatre certainly enhances a production obviously when there are trained individuals who can handle the demands of it. Yes, it is a technique used in elementary schools to enhance student reading fluidity, comprehension, and confidence.
But reader’s theatre can be incorporated on the legitimate stage and can also leave a lasting impression if the readers/artists understand the power and the impact of the words.
Director and adaptor of TIFT’s presentation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’, Richard Ouzounian, spoke briefly before the production began. He shared something interesting that I believe is important to remember about what we are to experience. Fitzgerald’s iconic novel is now in the public domain meaning it can or could be written for the live stage.
Personally, for me as an audience member, this caught my attention as I have always and continue to be intrigued by this story. The fact that the ‘reader’s theatre’ technique would be used to tell the story attracted me more as I have always found this dramatic technique piques my interest provided a story is told by those who understand the power of words and what they truly convey.
What comes to my mind when I consider reader’s theatre is A. R. Gurney’s ‘Love Letters’, a fine two hander where we see two individuals who first meet when they are children, grow up and mature before our eyes and, in two hours, we learn these two people truly did love one another. Many fine artists have read this play either on Broadway or in touring productions.
During this time of Covid, there have been plenty of Zoom, You Tube and online productions to fill the void for those missing and craving live performance once again. I’ve had the opportunity to see some, but not many. When I learned ‘Gatsby’ would be part of Barrie, Ontario’s Talk is Free Theatre’s program to aid the city’s local businesses, I didn’t want to miss it because I loved teaching ‘Gatsby’ to high school students before I retired plus it was also important to help local Barrie restaurants.
And when there is a dynamite cast who effectively gel (albeit remotely) to tell this story with relished passion, this ‘Gatsby’ was a definite personal pleaser. I hope there’s an opportunity for others to see this reading once again.
It is the America after the first World War and the society of the ‘nouveaux riches ‘and some individuals who have amassed tremendous and wealth and yet are heartbreakingly bored to tears.
Narrator Nick Carraway (Mike Nadajewski) breaks the fourth wall and tells the listening audience the story of his oddly eccentric ‘rich’ neighbour, Jay Gatsby (Eric McCormack, of TV’s ‘Will and Grace’) that intertwines with the life of his dainty flower cousin Daisy Buchanan (Chilina Kennedy) and her husband Tom (Aidan deSalaiz). Others also become mixed in this story: the blunt Jordan Baker (Kimberly-Ann Truong), town mechanic from the Valley of Ashes George Wilson (Griffin Hewitt), his wife and Tom’s mistress, Myrtle (Autumn-Joy Dames). Gabe Maharjan reads the roles of Catharine, Butler 1, and the Police Officer.
Each of these actors understands the power of the words and the dialogue which clearly maintained my interest for the approximately 70-minute reading. Mike Nadajewski’s Nick strongly hooked me immediately as I did indeed want to hear the tale he was going to tell. Chilina Kennedy is a dainty petal of a flower Daisy that sadly wilts before our very eyes. Aidan deSalaiz is a brutish Tom prepared to snap at any moment.
For me, Kimberley Ann-Truong combined just the right amount of both the seductive and the saucy in Jordan Baker. Autumn-Joy Dames’ Myrtle correctly combined that hint of white trash and tragic figure. Griffin Hewitt convincingly created a white trash sad sack’ George Wilson who takes matters into his own hands at the end. Gabe Maharjan created three definite character roles in his cameos as Catharine, the Butler, and the Police Officer.
I also want to acknowledge Richard Ouzounian’s work as adapter and director of this story. There are at least three adaptations of Gatsby on film that I know, and he created a story for me that made me realize just how relevant two themes of Fitzgerald’s classic work are just as relevant then as they are today – money and power can destroy if we all allow it and it is not possible to re-create a life in the past that was not meant to be.
Final Comments: As we move forward out of this pandemic and a return to live theatre, I’m beginning to see how digital theatre may become part of our 21st century canon of the live arts. This cast made me feel comfortable knowing that it can be accomplished. From seeing this digital production, could a live stage production of ‘Gatsby’ be in the works especially if a Canadian company mounts it first? Let’s hope.
I did see on the Talk is Free Theatre website that a new date has been added by popular demand for this Gatsby.
Check out TIFT’s Dinner à la Art website for this new date and for other readings of classic plays: www.tift.ca.
Poster from Talk is Free Theatre’s Facebook Page.