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by David Eldridge, directed by Jason Byrne

The Company Theatre,

Berkeley Street Theatre Downstairs, Toronto

November 20-December 13, 2008

The Company Theatre’s production of Festen is an absolutely shattering experience.  The ensemble acting under director Jason Byrne is so truthful, so vivid, it is simply breathtaking.  The casting itself is remarkable in gathering together some of Canada’s finest actors--Eric Peterson, Rosemary Dunsmore, Nicholas Campbell, Gary Reineke, Tara Rosling, Caroline Cave, Philip Riccio, Allan Hawco and Richard Clarkin among others.

Festen is the 2004 adaptation by British playwright David Eldridge of the acclaimed 1998 Dogme film written and directed by Thomas Vinterberg and Mogens Rukov and of the 2002 Danish stage play based on the film by Bo hr. Hansen.  Festen means “The Celebration” and here refers to the 60th birthday party of successful hotelier Helge Klingenfeldt (Peterson) that gathers his three surviving children Christian (Riccio), Michael (Hawco) and Helene (Rosling) with their partners not long after the funeral of Christian’s twin sister Linda who committed suicide.  This might seem to be yet another version of the overused dramatic device of “family reunites, secrets are revealed,” except Festen gives this formula a significant twist.  Christian announces the horrific secret of the past early on in the play.  The focus therefore shifts to what will finally cause the family, especially the patriarch Helge, to admit that this secret is true.  Eldridge’s text and Byrne’s direction generate enormous tension between what we know of past horrors versus the increasingly fragile façade of propriety the family struggles to maintain.  The play’s abundant humour serves as a kind of release valve but still the pressure builds.

Every member of the 14-person cast gives an impeccable performance.  Peterson is magnificent.  He seems to generate an aura of evil about him even before the past is mentioned.  We see Riccio’s Christian writhe inwardly over the task of truth-telling he has set himself, but when he starts to waver, the taunting and violence of others only pushes him to utter even grimmer details.  Hawco is frightening as a character incapable of self-control.  Rosling’s Helene delivers an emotional coup de théâtre when the family’s virulent racism against her black boyfriend (Milton Barnes) pushes her, too, to divulge the truth.  Clearly visible floodlights blaze down on the stage undimmed for the entire 90 minutes, a sign that once on stage no character can hide.  If you thought that a play with the force of classic tragedy could not be written in the modern age, this powerful production of Festen will change your mind.       

©Christopher Hoile

Note: A version of this review appeared in Eye Weekly 2008-11-21.

Photo: Eric Peterson and Philip Riccio. ©Guntar Kravis.