Hot Docs is ON! April 28 - May 8th

Coming soon: interviews and film reviews from Hot Docs 2016. In the meantime follow me on Instagram and twitter  @tmtmwithdonnag and Facebook The More the Merrier with donna g.
www.hotdocs.ca
Box Office: 416.637.5150
http://www.hotdocs.ca/p/passes-and-packages

Seven Siblings Theatre Tackles Steve Martin in a Bar

Director, Erika Downie
courtesy of www.sevensiblingstheatre.ca 

Seven Siblings Theatre presents
Picasso at the Lapin Agile
By Steve Martin
Directed by Erika Downie

DESCRIPTION: " Sparks fly as Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein debate the meaning of the universe and its inescapable ties with art in this surreal comedy." -SST

donna g: Steve Martin is not a name that readily comes to mind when the average person thinks of playwrights. How did you discover "Picasso at the Lapin Agile"?

ERIKA DOWNIE: Steve Martin’s plays found me. I was at my university bookstore picking up textbooks and it stood out as something I needed to read. As “fate” has it Martin’s works also found their way into the hands of Will King, the artistic director and co-founder of Seven Siblings, and Madryn McCabe, the third co-founder and marketing and publicity manager of the company.  When I moved to Toronto last summer it was the first play the three of us decided to put into our 2016 season because we loved the rhythm of the comedy, the fantastic relationships between all the characters and the atmosphere of a 1904 Paris café.

donna g: What is it about the play that appealed to the company?

ERIKA: The imagined scenario between Picasso and Einstein and the surrounding characters and the interactions between everyone was the biggest appeal.  Our company is defined by putting on works that are based in the realm of the fantastic, a heightened world, situation or moment. Picasso has these beautifully crafted fantastic relationships that was supported by Martin’s comedic skills and all of us just fell in love with the script as a whole.   

donna g: The major names in the play are, obviously Picasso, but there is also Albert Einstein. Did you do any research into the backgrounds of each man, or did you base everything on what Martin presented?

ERIKA: With every play I do research and with Picasso at the Lapin Agile my research was more focused on the artistic movement of Picasso and the scientific writings of Einstein and how these men shaped science and art, as we know them today. I also did a lot of research on the other characters of the show discovering that each character did have some tie into the lives of Picasso and Einstein, which just made this play richer. This is just the beginning of my process, it’s in marrying the play to the research where the challenges, but also the magic, happens.

donna g: Setting the show in an actual bar is wonderful idea. Was this something that Seven Siblings wanted to do all along? How did you manage to get Round Venue to buy into your project?

ERIKA: We absolutely wanted to set Picasso in a bar from the get-go. It was important to us because of how we wanted to treat the audience in within the play, as another character. We did a lot of hunting for the right venue, and it was a wonderful find on Will’s part.  He did all the legwork to seek out the best venue for our production. Approaching Round Venue and discussing what we wished to do in their space was a great experience.  The programming at Round is unique and community based so when we approached them with the idea of Picasso taking place within their space and how we wanted to involve the Kensington Market community they hopped on board. 

donna g: I'm always interested in how characters are dressed. This is a period piece set at the turn of the Twentieth Century. Could you please talk about the process of finding the right look for the characters, especially for Erin Burley who plays three different characters, and for Andrew Gaunce, who plays the very comical, Schmendiman?

ERIKA: Schemendiman was fun to costume; Kate McArthur our production manager did a lovely job with accenting the buffoonish qualities of Schmendiman. We discussed that he needed to stand out in the most outrageous way and that required breaking the blues and neutrals of Einstein and Picasso and really making him pop out of the picture.  Erin’s costumes were based in the blue and green palate of the colour spectrum because her characters where meant to represent Picasso’s blue phase. I commend Kate because if we didn’t have access to a specific costume she would build it out of materials that were lying around her house. With all of the costumes on the show Kate and I sat down and discussed the most important quality being the silhouette of the period rather than the full out period costume.  She took that idea and made in to what you see on stage today, and I couldn’t be happier. -END-

Erika Downie is a founding member and company manager of Seven Siblings Theatre. She holds a BA and BFA in Acting and is a certified educator in the Michael Chekhov Technique.

Dylan Evans and Will King

promo photo courtesy of Seven Siblings Theatre

Picasso at the Lapin Agile

Featuring Dylan Mawson, Jamie Johnson, Madryn McCabe, Will King, Erin Burley, Erik Helle, Dylan Evans, Andrew Gaunce and Maxwell LeBoeuf

Stage Manager Jocelyn Levadoux

Production Manager Kate MacArthur

Lighting Designer Parker Nowlan

Dialect Coach Margaret Hilda
Front of House: Gwendolyn Hodgson

Performances and Ticket Information

February 18 at 7:30pm (Preview)

February 19 at 7:30pm (Opening Night)

February 20 at 7:30pm

February 21 at 7:30pm

February 25 at 7:30pm

February 26 at 7:30pm

February 27 at 2:00pm (Matinee)

February 28 at 7:30pm

Preview $15

February 18-21 $20, February 25-28 $25

Venue:

Round, 152A Augusta Avenue, Kensington Market, Toronto, Ontario

Tickets: http://www.sevensiblingstheatre.ca/picassoatthelapinagile/

Precisely Peter Production of Alan Bennett's Talking Heads Dark And Hilarious

Thank you John Shooter for leaving England and coming to Canada, or to be more precise Toronto. Because of your desire to create theatre in your new city, I have been delighted to attend plays by Mike Leigh (Abigail's Party) and Alan Bennett (Talking Heads).

Shooter is back with Talking Heads 2 and as the program notes state: "Step into the lives of six ordinary people, each concealing a far from ordinary secret!"

The 6 monologues have been divided into Part A and Part B. If you are able, I recommend  you see both parts.  At $25 per evening, $50 is all you will pay to see very talented Canadian and English actors performing the brilliantly witty, darkly-edged dialogue of Britain's preeminent author, playwright, and actor Alan Bennett (The Uncommon Reader, The History Boys, The Madness of King George).

I saw Part A last year, and recently took in Part B. The major contrast between the two parts is the difference in tone. The monologues in Part A are more dramatic, although, Bennett never lets the scenes get too heavy, using the catharsis of humour to direct us through each piece; the segments in Part B are more overtly humourous, but at their core, they are no less emblematic of life's challenges than his monologues in Part A.

Bennett's characters are everyday, relatable  people, and these monologues directed by John Shooter are expertly delivered by an outstanding cast. The scenes are presented in various rooms of Toronto's historic Campbell House, which gives each performance an intimate, voyeuristic feel, whether the character's experiences take place in a home, park, antique shop or church. Shooter's blocking moves the characters in such a way that the audience cannot escape the connection by proximity nor Bennett's quotidian soliloquises so perfectly rendered by each actor .

PROGRAM "A"
The Outside Dog in which Marjory, wonderfully captured by Naomi Wright shares her anxiety about a serial killer. Playing Sandwiches in which Jason Gray infuses his handyman character of Wilfred with both pathos and repulsion. A Lady of Letters in which Alex Dallas convincingly brings to life Irene, the neighbourhood busybody, who thinks her poisoned letters are for the good of society.

Remaining Performances
Evenings, 18, 20, 21
Door opens 7:30 pm; show begins 8 pm

Matinees, November 14
Door opens 2:30 pm; show begins 3 pm

PROGRAM "B"
The Hand of God in which Deb Filler artfully presents her antique shop owner character of Celia as a woman who is completely oblivious to her own middle class snobbery and greed. Shakespearean actor, Richard Willis deftly brings the right touch of empathetic neuroses to Mama's boy Graham in A Chip in the Sugar. Fiona Reid's matter-of-fact delivery is heartbreakingly humorous in Bed Among the Lentils in which Susan, a vicar's wife, struggles with her Godlike husband and her increasing lack of faith in Him and him.

Remaining Performances
Evenings, November 13, 14, 17, 19
Door opens 7:30 pm; show begins 8 pm

Matinees, November 21, 22
Door opens 2:30 pm; show begins 3 pm

Tickets: $25 (general admission)
http: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2396024
TALKING HEADS
Precisely Peter Production
Directed by John Shooter
Sound design by Evan Jerred
Set and costume designs by Rachel Forbes
Lighting design by Siobhan Sleath
Stage management by Laura Lakatosh
Production management by Christopher Douglas

Campbell House Museum*
160 Queen St. West, Toronto

* Please note that there will be no late admittance. Campbell House is not wheelchair accessible, patrons will be required to climb stairs.

Writer Spotlight: Julia Hart on her script for The Keeping Room

photo courtesy of Films We Like

I missed "The Keeping Room" when it was an official selection of The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) last year, so was happy that the film was recently released and is presently screening at the TIFF Bell Lightbox. The film tells the story of three women (two white sisters and their black slave) defending themselves against rogue soldiers at the tale end of the American Civil War. I love westerns and was intrigued by the female perspective of this film, especially since it brought back memories of my university days writing papers about women in the US south during this time period. When the opportunity arose for a quick interview with screenwriter, Julia Hart, how could I resist?

donna g:  Could you please tell me more about your script being selected for the Black List in 2012? This is not an area that the average film-goer is familiar with.

JULIA HART: A bunch of people in our industry - executives, producers etc... are asked to vote for their favourite unproduced screenplays each year and the scripts with the most votes end up on the Blacklist. The Blacklist is a wonderful organization and warm and inviting community of which I am truly honored to be a part. All the writers are just very supportive of each other's work and films and Franklin Leonard and Scott Myers are just the best.

Julia Hart at TIFF '14

donna g: "The Keeping Room" premiered at TIFF '14. That's an awfully quick turnaround from screenplay to film festival screen. You must have felt as if you were caught up in a whirlwind!

Julia H: I definitely did. I was teaching high school English when I wrote the script. I wrote it over my summer break and then it started going out to agents in October of that year and by June we had a director and a cast and I had quit my job. And now I'm writing full time, I directed my first feature and I have a baby. It's been quite a trip! 

donna g: Female-centred scripts with women as heroines are rare enough, but you've written one that's as rare as hen's teeth. Audiences are used to Scarlett O'Hara's Georgia, not your version that features two starving white women and their slave staving off "bummers". What triggered the writing of the script?

Brit Marling (forefront),
Muna Otaru, Hailee Steinfield (rear)
photo courtesy of Films We Like

Julia H: I was sick of exactly what you say -- I wanted to see real women instead of damsels in distress and I think we're starting to see that other people want that too. There's definitely a shift happening in terms of the types of films that are getting made and the way that women are portrayed on screen and I'm just excited to be a part of it. 

donna g: In the film there is a line "we're all niggers now" . Given our era of political correctness, did you ever consider revising that line or were you ever pressured to rethink the line?

Julia H: I think political correctness is an enemy to art. I think we have to ask ourselves is the character racist or is the artist? And if it's the character then it is an artistic depiction of a type of person from a certain place at a certain time. I think it's important to show racism and sexism in our art in order to expose it. That line is Augusta just completely misunderstanding her place in the world and the circumstances under which she's in. She thinks that her life is like Mad's life now, but it's not in the least and she learns that by the end of the film.

photo courtesy of Films We Like

donna g: These three women have had to redefine the social structure they were all raised with. Your script does an excellent job of showing us this new social order. One of the scenes that brings this home for me is the one in which Augusta, a white woman and Mad, her slave, share a drink and talk as equals. Was this part of your original screenplay or was it added during the film stage?

Julia H: That scene was in the very first draft of the script. I was actually inspired to write the film while sitting in a keeping room on a farm in Georgia drinking moonshine with some friends so that scene was one of the first scenes I found when I started writing the script. It was actually cut down quite a bit by the director -- there was a lot more of that scene that we shot that I love and miss when I watch the film. That scene is in many ways the heart of what I was trying to say about these women and I'm so glad it spoke to you.  

donna g: Will you be writing any more Westerns? There are so many untold stories about women and the American frontier.

Julia H: I couldn't agree more! I actually happen to be writing one right now. I also happen to find a way to turn a lot of what I write into a western even if it's not technically a western. There is something so potent and connected for me about coming into your own as a woman (no matter where or when you are) and the myth of the American West and Manifest Destiny. 

donna g: Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and for sharing your thoughts.

Julia H: Of course! Thank you for supporting the film. 


THE KEEPING ROOM
Directed by Daniel Barber
Written by Julia Hart


Principal Cast
Brit Marling as Augusta
Hailee Steinfield as Louise
Muna Otaru as Mad


For showtimes at TIFF Bell Lightbox
www.tiff.net
416.599.TIFF (8433)

From Weekly Radio to Online Coverage!

With JACK director/writer, Elizabeth Scharang at TIFF15

Hey, tmtm fans! I am on hiatus for the next couple of weeks, as I move from connecting with you on a weekly basis at CIUT 89.5 FM, to sharing arts-at-large coverage via social media. Until then, please make sure to follow me via

Facebook
www.facebook.com/tmtmwithdonnag

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@tmtmwithdonnag

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@tmtmwithdonnag

TIFF15 Review: A Patch of Fog





Conleth Hill (left) & Stephen Graham, "A Patch of Fog"



I don't watch Game of Thrones nor Boardwalk Empire so walking into "A Patch of Fog", I didnt' have any pre-conceived notions of what to expect from Conleth Hill and Stephen Graham. Hill stars as Sandy Duffy, an author famous for a seminal work that's celebrating it's twentieth anniversary. Duffy is also a creative writing professor, a regular contributor to an arts television show and a shoplifter. Unfortunately for Duffy, he gets captured in the act by security guard, Robert (Stephen Graham), who blackmails Duffy into a one-sided friendship.

The tension between Duffy and Robert is skillfully maintained by director, Michael Lennox, who knows when to go for the close up and when to pull away and let the action unfold. The script by John Cairns and Michael McCartney is smart, well-crafted, and delivered with credibility by the two leads. Watching the successful Duffy, who is so imposing and opinionated in his own world of television and academia, reduced to beseeching and bargaining with the quiet, non-descript Robert is a fascinating voyage that is at once uncomfortable and relatable. Who can't empathize with someone who has a secret that, if revealed, could blow their world apart if uploaded on social media? Conversely, Robert is indeed lonely in his box of a room at work and in his modest apartment; and while Duffy has friends and fans, Robert has no one except his pet snake. The contrast and emotional sparring between the two men is further emphasized by the stature of the actors with Hill being the wide-shouldered heavyweight and Graham the quick-stepping bantam.

I had a ball watching this cat and mouse story unfold, and by the rare sound of applause at the end of my the Press and Industry screening, I was not alone in my appreciation of A Patch of Fog.

A PATCH OF FOG
Final Screening
Saturday, September 19
9:00 AM, Scotiabank Theatre (Richmond and John)

Details/Buy Tickets: http://tiff.net/festivals/festival15/discovery/a-patch-of-fog

TIFF '15 Interview : Director, Sanna Lenken on "My Skinny Sister"





My Skinny Sister (Min Lilla Syster) screens as part of TIFF Kids, but this Swedish film about eating disorders is far from being an after-school special. I was especially impressed by the casting of this smart, realistic film with its portrayal of sisterhood and family dynamics.

donna g: You are so right in your Director's Statement that eating disorders are as common in families as alcoholism, yet the subject is never given equal attention.  Based on this lack of awareness, did you have any problems getting this film made or was funding readily available for this project?

Director/Writer, Sanna Lenken, "My Skinny Sister"

SANNA LENKEN: It  wasn’t as hard as I had expected even though we, of course, had some meetings without luck. The main problem was distribution in Sweden. The distribution companies didn’t believe in the film as a commercial product, mainly because of the cast, two young girls, and the heavy subject. I was really scared for a while because in Sweden you can’t get all the money before having a distributor. In the end, Scanbox said yes and very luckily we could shoot when we had planned. I have heard other filmmakers who have a story with children or a young cast having the same problem, especially when the subject is a bit darker than usual. Now we have sold the film to almost 50 countries!

donna g: I have to ask about your cast because I truly felt as if I was watching a real family:  Firstly, what a star you have in Rebecka Josephson. She is absolutely incredible in the  role of Stella. I know you spent a long time looking for her but where did you find her? You could easily have gone with one of the young people you've worked with previously.

Rebecka Josephson as Stella

Sanna L: Yes it was very, very hard to find her. I knew she had to be in every scene. She had to have integrity but also be able to show a lot of emotions. Strong and weak at the same time. And then, since she was a child, also be able to perform on a high level for seven weeks. Rebecka was a blessing, only one and a half months before the shooting we found her. I was on my way to just say yes to another choice but I’m so happy I waited and had the patience even though it was nerve-racking.

donna g:  Amy Deasismont  is taking on a large role in this film as the “skinny sister”. She is not new to the scene, but her role as a skater battling anorexia is a challenging one. As Katja, she is both a loving older sister to Stella and a raging teen who is cruel to her.  What did you see in her that made you know she could play this very emotional role?

Amy Deasismont  as Katja

Sanna L: She wasn’t a person I had thought about, but she came to a casting. I wanted to find a person no one had seen before. But Amy did the best casting (I met so many girls before her). She completely gave herself to the project and we trusted each other through the whole shooting. She gave so much of herself and she wasn’t scared to be ugly. I wanted to make her beautiful in the beginning, the picture of the ideal girl, the norm (which I think, with her being famous in Sweden, was a nice thing to play with). And then just show the truth behind. How the norm is fake and makes us sick. To me the disease is a symbol for a society that is making women sick. Through both Stella and Katja, I show the limitations a girl is forced to face. Being a woman and not just a human being.

donna g: I was familiar with Henri Norlén from seeing him in Lisa Langseth's "Hotell', so it was a pleasant surprise to see him as the father of teenage girls in this film. As for Annika Hamlin, I remember her from "Patrick, Age 1.5" (although she is probably better known for The "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" trilogy of films). Could you please comment on finding and casting them as the parents in this film?

Sanna L: I tried different couples and the main reason (except that they are both great actors) was that they immediately had a strong connection together as a family. They are, like Amy, not vain. They want to be truthful and they also went into the project with so much love and energy.

donna g: How long was the rehearsal period before you started shooting?

Amy Deasismont  & Rebecka Josephson

Sanna L: I actually see the casting as a rehearsal period because I use casting a lot to really get the right actors, and also the right actors together. I guess it was about a week of casting and trying the scenes without them knowing for sure that they had the part. Then I had one week of different sort of rehearsals. We improvised some of the scenes I was unsure about and that was a great way to change the scenes into more authentic dialogue. I will do that with the whole film next time. We also did a lot of things together, like cooking, going to a museum, talking on Skype and we also stayed in the house we shot in for a day. Everything I could come up with to make them a family and trust each other before shooting.

donna g: This film is beautifully shot. I especially appreciate the way in which you position the camera at Rebecka/Stella’s height. Could you please talk about your collaboration with your Director of Photography, Moritz Schulthefeiß?

Sanna L: We hadn’t worked before. He’s from Germany and I got a recommendation and then watched one of his films, "Tore Tantz”. I understood after watching it that he was great with actors and we had a meeting in Sweden. Our collaboration is the best I have had with a DoP. He was on my side the whole pre-production and shooting, and together we created an atmosphere which was focused and totally in ”the moment” which is so important to get good acting. He loved the actors and I think he is a big part of the acting as well, everyone felt happy and filled with energy around him. Positive but also questioning things in a great way. We shot the film through Stella's perspective. I wanted "a girl's gaze" through the whole film.

donna g: Costuming is something I always pay attention to. Having said that, am I correct in noticing that Stella is the only one in the family that wears bright colours? If so, was this a deliberate choice to play into the isolation she sometimes feels as the unnoticed sister, or was this just “teen gear”?

Rebecka Josephson as Stella

Sanna L: I fell in love with her jacket, it was something I can’t explain. Of course, it was an artistic choice but sometimes pure love makes me do decisions without any other reasons. I love pink and I know it is a ”girl” colour but to use it without the normal cuteness connected to it was a reason of

course.

      

donna g: I thoroughly enjoyed this film, and think that it playing in TIFF Kids will give parents (and other adult viewers), a wake up call. I know the film has won awards, but what has been the audience response to the film in your home country?

Sanna L: We have our premiere next week so I don’t know yet! But during the pre-screenings the film has been very well received by the audience. tmtm

TIFF '15
September 10 - 20, 2015

My Skinny Sister (Min Lilla Syster)

Swedish & English with subtitles
Recommended for ages 11 and up

Screening Dates
Saturday, September 12, 4:15 pm, Scotiabank Theatre
Saturday, September 19, 12:30 pm, TIFF Bell Lightbox

For screening details please visit: http://tiff.net/festivals/festival15/tiffkids/my-skinny-sister
For tickets: http://tiff.net/festivals/festival15/tickets

Photo stills from My Skinny Sister, courtesy of WIDE.
TIFF photo courtesy of www.tiff.net