Anne of Green Gables

Postcard Review by Caroline Russell-King

Show – Anne of Green Gables

Playwright/s – Book and lyrics by Gretchen Cryer, music by Nancy Ford, based on the novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery.

Production Company/Theatre space – Rosebud Theatre / Rosebud Opera House

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

Genre/s – Musical

Premise – A feisty imaginative bright redheaded girl adopted by an elderly brother and sister (who were expecting a boy), changes lives, saves a baby, and falls for the farm boy (with whom she is in contest for a university scholarship), and ends up affecting a whole community.

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

Curiosities – Is the humming of the original show tune “ice cream” an homage to the more widely known musical stage adaptation? Or for insider comic effect “for those in the know”.

Notable Moment – The many tears of the older audience members in Act Two.

Notable writing – This adaptation was commissioned in 2007, ran off-Broadway for six weeks, and then had a USA tour. This rendition has been produced in community theatres in Canada, but this is its first professional production. The music is less catchy than the Harron/Campbell Charlottetown production, but the lyrics and book are successful. This script focuses a little more on the awkward coming of age relationship, between Anne and Gilbert but the overall message is of community, acceptance, and tenacity over romance.

Notable performances - The titular role is played by the oh-so-charming, and talented recent university grad, Rayanne Laycock. Fantastic role models for any actors studying at Rosebud are brother and sister Matthew and Marilla played by the powerhouse Calgary actors Christopher Hunt and Elinor Holt. Hannah Kerbes-Anson gets her laughs as busy-body neighbour, and Mark Kazakov as Gilbert, Amilia Brandford as Josie and Kate Corrigan as Diana round out this delightful cast.

Notable design/Production –Deneane Osmond’s set designs are sometimes erratic. This one was perfunctory, but the moving wooden pieces seemed out of place against the shiny fabric trees. Costume Designer Robyn Ayles keeps to the expected dictates of this Canadian period classic.

Notable direction – Having an award-winning director with over 40 years of experience in professional theatre plus the added bonus of working as a drama teacher, the show couldn’t have been in better hands than those of Valerie Pearson.  Alix Cowman, an alum of Rosebud and now the Musical Director, lends her talents to the cast and 3-piece band.

One reason to see this show – The story somehow feels more poignant in a theatre nestled in an old time feeling, rural valley – tickets are almost sold out – it’s worth the drive!