At the end of a busy Thursday this week, I had a chance to unwind at the Prince George Playhouse by attending the final dress rehearsal of 12 Angry Jurors, the adaptation of the Reginald Rose classic play of a near-identical title and directed and presented by Anna Russell and Judy Russell respectively.
I have to admit that I went into the theatre not really expecting to be challenged, having seen the classic 1957 film version many times.
Staging these types of productions is always a test for director, that is, taking a classic story and putting a new spin on it to keep it fresh and relevant.
My thought was that director Anna Russell does a fine job of this. As the first act unfolded, I noticed that I was leaning forward in my seat. This production has assembled a cast that really explores the power differentials in the relationships of the characters. The cringe-worthiness of being stuck in a group of people, all with low tolerances for one another, was palpable on stage.
I found I wanted to get down closer to the stage just to catch more of that energy. The vibe was really strong.
This is what makes live theatre so important these days. We spend our time watching two dimensional TV screens and computer monitors. People's faces are just pixels and digital compilations. It's just so amazing when you finally get to see real people perform in a three-dimensional space.
The stage production is very well executed, and as is often the case, the Russells have a knack for presenting timely material.
On one level, this courtroom drama is about one man's belief that the boy being tried for the murder of his father is not guilty, standing up to his 11 co-jurors who are convinced without a doubt that the boy is a murderer. But on another level, with this adaptation being set in the 1980s, it explores class and gender hierarchies and personal prejudices against the sense of "otherness," with perspectives coloured by economical and most probably racial politics.
As the plot progresses and the members of the jury begin to feel the heat, their anger takes a different dimension because the conversation does not remain confined to the immediate discussion about the trial of the boy, but rather how people form opinions based on established biases and preconceived beliefs.
I couldn't help but think about how this play really is about deconstructing false narratives, and the work and courage it takes sometimes takes to dig oneself out from under the superficially obvious, and be ready to face the reality that the truth, the real truth, might be very different than what you think.
In this age of fake news and moral equivalencies, the play made me think about where we are as a society and how often we are quick to embrace stories handed to us, either because of their sensationalism, or the fact that they nicely fit our pre-packaged belief system.
Anna Russell has cast a great group of local talent, with several perennial favourites.
Sandra Clermont is an absolute tour de force, and her shoulder-padded, chain-smoking, big-haired bristle of a character cuts a swath of emotional carnage on stage throughout. The cast works well together, although the same-old acoustical challenges of the Playhouse do test some of the more timid characters' capacity to project their voices without any amplification.
Folks, the play is definitely worth catching, and for the really modest price of $20 per ticket you will be hard-pressed to find a better night of professional-quality, affordable, live entertainment in town this weekend.
The play runs today and Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are available at www.centralinteriortickets.com.
