Anne of Green Gables

Postcard Review by Caroline Russell-King

Show – Anne of Green Gables

Playwright/s/Composer/s – Book by Donald Harron, music by Norman Campbell lyrics by Donald Harron, Norman Campbell, Elaine Campbell and Mavor Moore (son of Dora Mavor Moore for whom the Toronto Theatre Awards is named for) adapted from the novel by Lucy Maude Montgomery.

Production Company/Theatre space – StoryBook Theatre / The Beddington Arts Centre

Length – 2 Acts, 2 hours, 20 minutes (one 15-minute intermission)

Genre/s – Musical

Premise – A feisty, imaginative, bright girl is adopted by an elderly brother and sister to help run the farm, has a hard time fitting into the small-town ethos, and is teased by the farm boy with whom she is in contest for a university scholarship.

Why this play? Why now? – Successful Canadian children’s classic that spawned an industry. A famous, folksy, familiar family show.

Curiosities – Do some take umbrage at the history of PEI depiction? Why were the lyricists omitted from the program? I wonder which of the SBT alum will be the first to win a Dora?

Notable Moment – The many tears of the older audience members in act two.

Notable writing – Originally written in 1965, Anne is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running annual musical theatre production and was produced on Broadway in 1971. The novel was a CBC movie and latter CBC/Netflix television series.

Notable performances A talented, cohesive cast. In another few years – Grade 12 Juliet McDonald (in the titular role) will be on the Confederation Stage in PEI performing for international tourists for a 16-week run. Grade 9 student Raina Muradali, who has already been in half a dozen SBT shows and worked at Theatre Calgary, is also destined to go on to great things. Adults Amanda Rae Cross and Joanna Murphy are great role models for the young’uns in the cast.

Notable design/Production –Costume Designer Catherine Handford and Set Designer JJ Penaranda keep to the dictates of this Canadian period classic, beautifully. The sound mixing is always a challenge as some singers rely on the lavalier and others can project in a stadium.

Notable direction – Jayme Armstrong is in kindred spirts with her artistic collaborators and delivers a great show.

One reason to see this show – A charming right-of-passage play for any young Canadian and a nostalgic visit for adults.