People are Saying Great Things About The Weir...

Here are some of the reviews for Walterdale's 54th Season Opener, The Weir.  It sure is flattering to hear all this praise for our work!

Colin McLean, Edmonton Sun

"The potent mix of McPherson's gift for storytelling, blarney, charm and poignancy,sympathetic direction (Anne Marie Szucs) and an excellent cast that seem as authentic as the peat moss burning in the grate, will keep you entranced."

Charlotte Forss, Gateway

"The warmth of the pub atmosphere is key to the success of The Weir as a play. The production’s strongest point is its ability to transform the seats of the theatre into the seats of a pub where you just happen to be overhearing a night of stories. Everything from the technical elements to the cultural details to the non-verbal communication between characters contributes to the believability of the characters and, by extension, the believability of their stories."

Ana Osorio, Sound and Noise

"Yes, this is a play about ghosts and fairies, about unexplained phenomena—some hearsay, some from personal experience. In total, the characters will tell you four stories about an incident related to the paranormal, and if you have a very active imagination I can guarantee you will get goosebumps as you hear each one of them."

Anna Borowiecki, St. Albert Gazette

"The Weir combines theatrical art, entertainment and a bit of a spiritual quest. The stories are brilliant, the dialogue lyrical and cast truly embodies their character."

It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This...

Vue Weekly released their review of Nine. Here's a snippet...

"The music is truly what has made the story such a success, and the Walterdale cast pulls of demanding choreography and vocals effortlessly with the accompaniment of a live instrumental quartet. On top of high-energy musical numbers and an intricate plot, the cast was required to take the Italian aspect one step further with accents, which can be tricky territory. However, each cast member pulled off every rolling "R" and nuance as if it were second nature."

Only 3 more shows.  There are tickets available at the door tonight and you can get your tickets online or by phone through Tix on the Square for the other two evenings.

* photo of Nadine Veroba (Claudia), Kristin Johnston (Luisa) and Erika Noot (Carla); photo by Janine Hodder

A Couple of Excellent Reviews!

We are enjoying the praise!

From Sound and Noise:

"This play allows you to connect with the characters at many different levels, in different circumstances, and touch you and make you reflect about life in the way plays should. I think you will enjoy the live music as well. The Walterdale, the cast, and director Kristen M. Finlay should all be proud of their production, which is—as they promised—full of talent, fun, and powerful, insightful, songs."

From St. Albert Gazette:

"It’s a large-scale project with 24 actors, many playing multiple parts. Ambitious in scope, it shows once again that Kristen M. Finlay is an imaginative director, an artist that turns a desert into a blooming garden."

A Couple of Reviews of Albertine in Five Times

From the Edmonton Journal

"You'll see six vivd portraits of distinct women, thanks to committed performances by Kreisel's actors." - Liz Nichols

From the Edmonton Sun

"Albertine's jounrey is heart-rending but intensely dramatic and this adept Walterdale company defy and define the bittersweet moments when we create the stuff that is our lives" - Colin McLean

* photo by Douglas Dollars-Stewart featuring Mary Ellen Perley and Michele Vance Hehir.

A Delightful Review of Rabbit Hole in the Edmonton Journal

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/Haunting+characters+Rabbit+Hole/4268567/story.html

We Heartily Agree!

I love it when newspapers and bloggers say nice things about us. Here is the first review for Much Ado About Nothing hot off the presses on the SEE Magazine Blog.

http://www.seemagazine.com/edmonton-blogs/seen-heard/2010/12/03/theatre-review-much-ado-about-nothing-248/

Theatre Review: 'Much Ado About Nothing' Posted by Kristin Rodier in SEEN & HEARD
Director Anne Marie Szucs brings one of Shakespeare’s most loved comedies to life in this current production at the Walterdale theatre. The production is fast-paced, whimsical, facetious, and uproariously funny. The two leads, Murray Cullen (Benedick) and Erika Conway (Beatrice) exactly embody the fickle, nimble, and verbose characters through which Shakespeare wrote some of his best insults and most biting criticisms of the frivolity of love. The set dressings are simple, but the performances are anything but.

This production is glaringly well acted. Often Shakespearean productions leave audiences to think through the dialogue because it is more recited than acted. Such is not the case under Szucs' direction. The actors bring the words to life by thinking through the prose as they fall in love, denounce commitment, hatch plans, and receive scorn. There are so many small details and added directorial touches that bring out so much more of the humour in Shakespeare’s irreverent comedy. This show is beyond an amateur production and is just the thing for cold winter’s night. Four and a half stars out of five.

Much Ado is now playing at the Walterdale until December 11th.

Isn't It Nice When They say Nice Things?

http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=6ee7a5eb-e427-4448-83b3-80cb67b80f86

The above review was in the Edmonton Journal today. I quite agree! This show is a high note. I am quite pleased with the piece and it is so much fun. The laughs will certainly warm you up in this ccccccold weather!