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by John Krizanc, directed by Richard Rose

Moses Znaimer and CityTv, World Stage Festival, Graydon Hall Manor, Toronto

April 1-13, 2003

Tamara, the now legendary play written by John Krizanc and directed by Richard Rose, returns to Toronto as part of the 2003 du Maurier World Stage Festival 22 years after its original run.  It's a piece where the brilliance of the concept triumphs over the actual results.   

Graydon Hall Manor plays the role of the country villa of decadent Italian poet and patriot, Gabriele d'Annunzio (John Gilbert) in 1927.  D'Annunzio and nine other characters from servants to aristocrats simultaneously play out scenes in separate rooms.  Audience members choose one character to follow as he/she moves to other encounters in other rooms.  As if at a theatrical buffet, audience members build their own play based on the scenes on offer.  The viewer determines what is viewed.

A buffet, however, is only as good as its offerings.  Two platefuls of Tamara, now and in 1989, confirm that the experience of seeing the show is more interesting than what actually is seen.  The play is ultimately a pretentious historical soap opera.  Krizanc's dialogue, rather than suiting intimate settings, is overtly stagy and frequently sounds like a poorly dubbed Italian art film: "To you I am breasts, but I, too, am an artist!"  Two viewings suggest that deciphering the complex, ambiguous plot may not be worth the effort. 

The acting in the present production, at least from having followed d'Annunzio about, is highly variable.  Maria Ricossa (the head housekeeper) and Maggie Huculak (d'Annunzio's ex-mistress) are best at making us feel we are overhearing private conversations, while Gilbert and Dan Lett (the new chauffeur) act as if they were still on stage, not in real rooms.  Tamara Hickey as the title character may look the part but is totally unconvincing.  Despite its failings Tamara is an experience every theatre-lover should try … once.

©Christopher Hoile

Note: A version of this review appeared in Eye Weekly 2003-04-10.

Photo: Maria Ricossa and Amy Walsh. ©2003 Necessary Angel.