This week, while visiting my family in Regina, Sk, an offer of solace and entertainment came my way in the form of an invite for a night out.
The Globe Theatre had invited me to their holiday performance of Robin Hood.
Living and growing up in Regina, you are very aware of the Globe, but it’s not until you leave, travelling to see many other theatres (including that of Broadway), that you really realize what you had.
Globe has mastered the art of theatre in the round and utilizes every inch of the stage, playing a perfect performance to all sides. The Artistic Director, Ruth Smillie, who has been the matriarch of this theatre for as long as I can remember, knows exactly what good theatre needs.
Great Actors, Sound Tech, Lighting, Costumes and Direction all come together each season.
Although this world premier of Robin Hood was adapted to be more child friendly and a little too ‘slap stick’ for my taste, the company as a whole did not let me down.
The show’s opening with a lone deer, puppeted by Kate Herriot, immediately transformed the entire theatre into the dark and mysterious Sherwood Forest; chills from the on edge deer were felt by everyone.
Kate also was a standout performer playing the love interest, Maid Marian, of Robin Hood.
My favorite performance from the night came from Lucy Hill who played Lady Lily and Carla the Weaver’s Wife.
Also playing Wendy in Peter Pan last season, she is able to completely loose herself in the moment; her emotion to her character is capturing.
One actor that didn’t have enough stage time was Stephen Gartner, who played Little John.
To the audiences delight he entered near the end of the first act and added to the show 10 fold. His commanding presence and raw talent kept me wanting more. Stephan will definitely be an actor to watch out for and I hope he re-joins the Globe for another season in a smaller casted show.
My biggest applause and compliments for this show have to go to Dana Osborne and Wendy Greenwood for their Set, Costume and Lighting design. Time and time again Dana has wowed me with the unbelievable caliber of her costume work, While Wendy had perfectly transformed the space and taken me to another world with her lighting design. Both these women deserve awards for what they do!
If you are lucky enough to live in Regina, as far as I am concerned, you have one of the best theatres in Canada with the most talented team of dedicated artists keeping it alive. Make sure you go see them every chance you get. And if you are outside of Regina, maybe an aspiring actor, costume designer, or someone dreaming of working in the arts, I recommend you make a trip to the Globe, they have perfected theatre!
Mr. Fab in Hood
