Review: Beethoven Lives Upstairs

Lucinda Davis, Alex Macooeye

(photo: David Babcock)

Bustin’ Out Some Beethoven

Holy Schroeder!

by Amy Barratt

For the final offering in its 30^th anniversary “celebrating art” season, Geordie productions has chosen a play about a Classical composer dead nigh unto 200 years. Wow, Dean Patrick Fleming, way to appeal to the Mario Kart generation.

Of course, Artistic Director Fleming, like Charles Schultz’s toy-piano playing prodigy, knows better than to try to compete with whatever  technology or fad the kids are chewing up and spitting out this week. Geordie has always understood that to cultivate  an audience you just have to make the best theatre you can, as theatrically as you can.

Beethoven Lives Upstairs is fine theatre by any standard. From the dramatic lighting by Thomas Godefroid, to the minimal but highly effective set by James Lavoie, to Amy Keith’s costumes to the intricate puppets designed and built by Jesse Orr, Beethoven is a delight to the eye. Peter Cerone’s sound design works in many of Ludwig’s greatest hits alongside crying babies and crashing thunder.

Review: A Beautiful View

(photo: Tim Matheson)

Missing Jessica Stein

Love, laughter and lesbian clichés in A Beautiful View

by Amy Barratt

I keep reading that A Beautiful View, the Daniel MacIvor play closing out the Centaur season, is inspired by today’s generation of 20-somethings. Something about how they are free to hook up with partners of either gender and not have to define themselves as gay or straight. I’m skeptical about this premise, but it doesn’t really matter because  the characters on stage in this play are not of that generation. The two women, Linda and Mitch – names that are used in the programme but not once in the dialogue - are kicking forty when we meet them, presumably in the present day.