Major Barbara at Université de Saint-Boniface,presented by The Winnipeg Mennonite Theatre Society, Feb. 1, 2012
Reviewed by Stephanie Adamov
Seeing Major Barbara in 2005 at the Shaw Festival was a turning point in my adolescence as well as in my audience experience. No longer did theatre exist only as a means of entertainment and escapism, but it became a way to educate, debate and present moral issues and dilemmas. The topics of ‘absolute morality’ and the examination of the ‘true evils in society’ stirred a deep sensation within me.
When I am asked, “why do you go to theatre?” my answer is, “to be changed.” Just as Major Barbara affected me seven years ago, I look for scripts, stories and stage performances that arouse the moral senses. I search for plays that urge the audience to reflect, seek answers and ask new questions. I attempt to walk out after the final curtain, a better or changed person than when I entered the theatre.
When I saw that Major Barbara was being presented by the Winnipeg Mennonite Theatre I was instantly intrigued. How would the community theatre tackle the subject matter of the play? Would it be didactic? Sarcastic? Would Undershaft be presented as a Prince of Darkness, or would he be portrayed with redeemable qualities? Would Barbara be swayed by her father’s rational arguments or would she stand her ground till the last scene?
Major Barbara confronts the notion of good and evil. Battle lines are drawn as Barbara and the Salvation Army, with their mission of saving the souls of the poor contrasts with Andrew Undershaft’s munitions factory, and his mission of searching for “improved methods of destroying life.” When the Salvation Army risks being shut down due to lack of funds, Undershaft shakes Barbara’s moral foundation when the money from his factory and the whiskey distillery is used to keep the doors of the Salvation Army open. Barbara can’t bear the notion that the money necessary to the Salvation Army’s existence is provided by the profits of “drunkenness and murder.”
Ali Tataryn as Major Barbara, and Jeff Madden as Andrew Undershaft
As the Winnipeg Mennonite Theatre launches their 40th season with Major Barbara, there are many veterans of the community theatre on stage. Major Barbara is played with conviction by Ali Tataryn. She grows increasingly conflicted and frustrated with her father, Andrew Undershaft’s morality and ideals. Jeff Madden, who portrays Shaw’s “Prince of Darkness” unfortunately preaches to the audience and not to the characters on stage, “the evil to be attacked is not sin, suffering, greed, demagogy, monopoly, ignorance, war, drink, pestilence, nor any other of the scapegoats which the reformers will sacrifice, but simply poverty.” Catherine Enns in her portrayal of matronly Lady Britomart, concerns herself with marrying off her children, adding some comic relief to the lengthy dry deliveries of the other performers.
In Undershaft’s interactions with Barbara and her fiancé Cusins, statically played by Terry Zimmerly, he urges them to face very harsh realities: first, that the world is more complex than simply good and evil, and second that without money, there is no real power.
Although projected in a preachy style, the words Undershaft delivers suggest that he does not have the answers. He sees the hypocrisy of the Salvation Army and points out to Barbara that the ‘souls she saves’ will convert to ‘her God’ so long as they are being fed.
Shaw drew upon his experiences as a Fabian Socialist with the writing of this play. He admired and applauded the work of William Booth and the Salvation Army’s sincerity and determination. Meanwhile, this “Salvation Socialism,” however well-intentioned, could not be the answer. Those in extreme poverty will turn to violence and alcohol as a means of coping. As Undershaft articulates, “alcohol is a very necessary article… It makes life bearable to millions of people who could not endure their existence if they were quite sober.”
The show’s opening day flaw was found in characters tripping over the delivery of their lines. Granted, this can also possibly attributed to the nature of the community theatre context. Also given that accents appeared and disappeared despite work with vocal coach Shannon Vickers. She has been an absolute asset to several productions at Shawfest as Shaw’s use of accent determines character, class and geography.
It became increasingly evident in characters such as Andrew and Stephen Undershaft that text, not a character’s thought process, were rehearsed and performed on stage. When the line order was fumbled, or a character conducted a cue out of order, the cast could be seen scrambling to get back on track. Act I was littered with lighting miscues during scene transitions which thankfully did not reappear later in the show.
Awkward staging of the actors and placement of set pieces falls on the shoulders of director Alfred Wiebe. Although the use of projected images on sliding backdrops aided to a degree in presenting different locations, the images were not time period appropriate and not scaled in proportion to the actors. This gave it a slightly surreal Alice in Wonderland type feel as giant chairs and ottomans lay on the background behind the actors. As a community theatre, budget is extremely tight. Perhaps these were simply accessible pieces of scenery from another production and used in Tom Monteyne’s set design. However, the actors should not need to rely on having a physical image to refer lines to; creative stage construction or scene breakdown could function just as well.
The staging of the piece lacked diversity and complexity. Characters would be motivated to leave the stage but curiously linger without a specific reason or purpose. This is seen throughout Act II, at the Salvation Army Center. Bill Walker played by ‘tough guy‘ character and pauper, Curt Krahn, strikes the overly bubbly and vivacious Salvation Army member, Jenny, played by Anastasia Furlong. Bill quickly strides to go offstage, pauses and then sits down. He remains on stage till further lines appear minutes after this overly dark, ill-timed and drawn out fight sequence.
In the scenes staged in Lady Britomart’s library, characters are simply placed and sat down. As a sitting audience member, watching sitting, talking heads of cast members, the scenes lacked diversity and dimension of both action, movement and levels.
The costumes acquired by Judy Danchura were for the most part well utilized. Specifically noted were the Salvation Army uniforms worn by three cast members which were provided by the Salvation Army’s vintage collection.
Although Madden undercuts and undersells the comedy of the piece through his speech-like delivery, Shaw’s script was still heard by the audience. The wit and rhetoric managed to survive. In Shaw’s words, “Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh.”
Despite the line errors, static stage direction, and questionable set design, I do admire the Winnipeg Mennonite Theatre Society for pursuing one of Shaw’s most famous and compelling works. Many theatre companies resorted to pursuing his lesser known plays and performed one-act shows. I must applaud the efforts of the community theatre in this pursuit as a brave undertaking.
Major Barbara presented by the Winnipeg Mennonite Theatre Society at Université de Saint-Boniface, Salle Martial-Caron, 200 de la Cathédrale Avenue.
Showtimes: Thurs Feb 2, 8:05 pm • Sat Feb 4 2:05 pm • Sat Feb 4, 8:05 pm
Major Barbara, Stiff but Brave
Columns
Major Barbara at Université de Saint-Boniface, presented by The Winnipeg Mennonite Theatre Society, Feb. 1, 2012
Reviewed by Stephanie Adamov
Seeing Major Barbara in 2005 at the Shaw Festival was a turning point in my adolescence as well as in my audience experience. No longer did theatre exist only as a means of entertainment and escapism, but it became a way to educate, debate and present moral issues and dilemmas. The topics of ‘absolute morality’ and the examination of the ‘true evils in society’ stirred a deep sensation within me.
When I am asked, “why do you go to theatre?” my answer is, “to be changed.” Just as Major Barbara affected me seven years ago, I look for scripts, stories and stage performances that arouse the moral senses. I search for plays that urge the audience to reflect, seek answers and ask new questions. I attempt to walk out after the final curtain, a better or changed person than when I entered the theatre.
When I saw that Major Barbara was being presented by the Winnipeg Mennonite Theatre I was instantly intrigued. How would the community theatre tackle the subject matter of the play? Would it be didactic? Sarcastic? Would Undershaft be presented as a Prince of Darkness, or would he be portrayed with redeemable qualities? Would Barbara be swayed by her father’s rational arguments or would she stand her ground till the last scene?
Major Barbara confronts the notion of good and evil. Battle lines are drawn as Barbara and the Salvation Army, with their mission of saving the souls of the poor contrasts with Andrew Undershaft’s munitions factory, and his mission of searching for “improved methods of destroying life.” When the Salvation Army risks being shut down due to lack of funds, Undershaft shakes Barbara’s moral foundation when the money from his factory and the whiskey distillery is used to keep the doors of the Salvation Army open. Barbara can’t bear the notion that the money necessary to the Salvation Army’s existence is provided by the profits of “drunkenness and murder.”
Ali Tataryn as Major Barbara, and Jeff Madden as Andrew Undershaft
As the Winnipeg Mennonite Theatre launches their 40th season with Major Barbara, there are many veterans of the community theatre on stage. Major Barbara is played with conviction by Ali Tataryn. She grows increasingly conflicted and frustrated with her father, Andrew Undershaft’s morality and ideals. Jeff Madden, who portrays Shaw’s “Prince of Darkness” unfortunately preaches to the audience and not to the characters on stage, “the evil to be attacked is not sin, suffering, greed, demagogy, monopoly, ignorance, war, drink, pestilence, nor any other of the scapegoats which the reformers will sacrifice, but simply poverty.” Catherine Enns in her portrayal of matronly Lady Britomart, concerns herself with marrying off her children, adding some comic relief to the lengthy dry deliveries of the other performers.
In Undershaft’s interactions with Barbara and her fiancé Cusins, statically played by Terry Zimmerly, he urges them to face very harsh realities: first, that the world is more complex than simply good and evil, and second that without money, there is no real power.
Although projected in a preachy style, the words Undershaft delivers suggest that he does not have the answers. He sees the hypocrisy of the Salvation Army and points out to Barbara that the ‘souls she saves’ will convert to ‘her God’ so long as they are being fed.
Shaw drew upon his experiences as a Fabian Socialist with the writing of this play. He admired and applauded the work of William Booth and the Salvation Army’s sincerity and determination. Meanwhile, this “Salvation Socialism,” however well-intentioned, could not be the answer. Those in extreme poverty will turn to violence and alcohol as a means of coping. As Undershaft articulates, “alcohol is a very necessary article… It makes life bearable to millions of people who could not endure their existence if they were quite sober.”
The show’s opening day flaw was found in characters tripping over the delivery of their lines. Granted, this can also possibly attributed to the nature of the community theatre context. Also given that accents appeared and disappeared despite work with vocal coach Shannon Vickers. She has been an absolute asset to several productions at Shawfest as Shaw’s use of accent determines character, class and geography.
It became increasingly evident in characters such as Andrew and Stephen Undershaft that text, not a character’s thought process, were rehearsed and performed on stage. When the line order was fumbled, or a character conducted a cue out of order, the cast could be seen scrambling to get back on track. Act I was littered with lighting miscues during scene transitions which thankfully did not reappear later in the show.
Awkward staging of the actors and placement of set pieces falls on the shoulders of director Alfred Wiebe. Although the use of projected images on sliding backdrops aided to a degree in presenting different locations, the images were not time period appropriate and not scaled in proportion to the actors. This gave it a slightly surreal Alice in Wonderland type feel as giant chairs and ottomans lay on the background behind the actors. As a community theatre, budget is extremely tight. Perhaps these were simply accessible pieces of scenery from another production and used in Tom Monteyne’s set design. However, the actors should not need to rely on having a physical image to refer lines to; creative stage construction or scene breakdown could function just as well.
The staging of the piece lacked diversity and complexity. Characters would be motivated to leave the stage but curiously linger without a specific reason or purpose. This is seen throughout Act II, at the Salvation Army Center. Bill Walker played by ‘tough guy‘ character and pauper, Curt Krahn, strikes the overly bubbly and vivacious Salvation Army member, Jenny, played by Anastasia Furlong. Bill quickly strides to go offstage, pauses and then sits down. He remains on stage till further lines appear minutes after this overly dark, ill-timed and drawn out fight sequence.
In the scenes staged in Lady Britomart’s library, characters are simply placed and sat down. As a sitting audience member, watching sitting, talking heads of cast members, the scenes lacked diversity and dimension of both action, movement and levels.
The costumes acquired by Judy Danchura were for the most part well utilized. Specifically noted were the Salvation Army uniforms worn by three cast members which were provided by the Salvation Army’s vintage collection.
Although Madden undercuts and undersells the comedy of the piece through his speech-like delivery, Shaw’s script was still heard by the audience. The wit and rhetoric managed to survive. In Shaw’s words, “Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh.”
Despite the line errors, static stage direction, and questionable set design, I do admire the Winnipeg Mennonite Theatre Society for pursuing one of Shaw’s most famous and compelling works. Many theatre companies resorted to pursuing his lesser known plays and performed one-act shows. I must applaud the efforts of the community theatre in this pursuit as a brave undertaking.
Major Barbara presented by the Winnipeg Mennonite Theatre Society at Université de Saint-Boniface, Salle Martial-Caron, 200 de la Cathédrale Avenue.
Showtimes: Thurs Feb 2, 8:05 pm • Sat Feb 4 2:05 pm • Sat Feb 4, 8:05 pm