The first show of the year for Dalhousie鈥檚 Fountain School of Performing Arts runs this week (Oct. 17-21), bringing an ensemble of final-year acting students together for a performance that scratches at the surface of everyday life in a small rural town.聽
DalTheatre鈥檚 production of Will Eno鈥檚 Middletown, directed by Dora Award-winner Cherissa Richards, zeroes in on the mundane to shine light on just how spectacular day-to-day life truly is 鈥� and how that unites us as people.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a play that deals with the everyday,鈥� says Richards, who, by the end of this year, will have directed shows in every major city across Canada. 鈥淭he middle parts of life . . . hence the name, Middletown.鈥�
The play draws on the idea that everybody on Earth is born and will one day die, and that all anyone has control over is the middle parts of their lives 鈥� the stuff that happen between those two massive events. By the play鈥檚 conclusion, we find there鈥檚 truly nothing ordinary about ordinary ol鈥� Middletown 鈥� and, really, nothing ordinary about any of our lives.聽
聽鈥淚 think that the play has a lot to say about living. I would say that the message of the play is, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e a bit more normal than you think you are,鈥欌�� says Thunder Defayette, assistant stage manager on the production.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 special about Middletown is that it鈥檚 all about the ordinary lives of people,鈥� adds Emma Lamont, stage manager. 鈥淎nd I love stories like that because that鈥檚 the life that 99 per cent of people experience. Being able to see the profoundness in ordinary stories is really nice.鈥�
Eric Eyers, Emily Lux, Daisy Rayne.
By students, for students
Middletown came together as a complete team effort, says Richards.聽
鈥淭he source material is always the beginning, and then what ends up on the stage is a collaboration between director, designers, actors, stage managers, and the team,鈥� she says. 鈥淚n the end, it becomes a thing that you all created together.鈥澛�
鈥淒alTheatre is kind of unique, since most of the work in rehearsal is done by students,鈥� says Lamont. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a director who鈥檚 either a faculty member or hired outside, and each section, like props and sets, are overseen by a faculty member, but the rest of the work is done solely by students. The shows, once they get on their feet, are run only by students.鈥澛�
August Van Meekeren and Ben Burchell
Dalhousie鈥檚 entire production of Middletown, down to the smallest of details, is made by students, for students.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 a big job. It鈥檚 a lot that falls on our shoulders,鈥� Lamont continues, 鈥淎nd you grow as an artist so fast because of that responsibility. I have a lot of respect for everybody in the team, and really getting to be artists together is special.鈥�
Actor Emily Lux, who plays Mary Swanson, says this effort has been a true coming-of-age.聽
鈥淲e have [source material] that鈥檚 written for us, but we have free-range of figuring out our characters鈥� backstories, why they鈥檙e here, finding what kind of similarities we have to our characters. It鈥檚 like, the big leagues, you know?鈥�
Daniel Nwobi feels that his role has been particularly special for his growth as an actor. The complicated character of John Dodge has really pushed him to find his emotional core.聽
鈥淚鈥檇 say John is a very awkward man,鈥� says Nwobi.鈥淗e鈥檚 living in Middletown right now, he鈥檚 been here a while, and he鈥檚, as easily as I can say, depressed. He realizes he doesn鈥檛 really have any emotional connections with anyone around him and that鈥檚 what he strives for most of his life. And then he finds that, with Mary.鈥�
Emily Lux and Hal Rotman
An immersive experience
From the detailed characters to the special effects and staging, no stone has been left unturned in Middletown鈥檚 production.
For example, the show is performed on a round set, with audience members seated in a circular fashion. This grants actors a unique space to work from as activity is happening on all sides, from all angles.
This unconventional form of staging also lends itself to the show鈥檚 plot. As Lamont explains, 鈥淭here鈥檚 a circular narrative to Middletown. It鈥檚 about the cycle of life, and everything between birth and death 鈥� specifically, everything that happens in-between is the important part. It鈥檚 supposed to represent the life cycle in that way.鈥�
Audiences can also look forward to being directly spoken to by a variety of characters, making for an immersive, and often hilarious, experience.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an interesting show to see because it鈥檚 kind of trying to encapsulate a lot of different milestones in life,鈥� says Defayette, 鈥淚t鈥檚 a fun way to spend your evening if you want to experience a lot of different emotions.鈥�
Ben Burchell
Richards urges audiences to 鈥淐ome see these students shine. They鈥檙e doing really beautiful work 鈥� where they started from, and now where they鈥檙e coming to, is such a huge journey. It鈥檚 such a transformation. Everybody in this class has really stepped up and jumped in with both feet.鈥�
Middletown runs from October 17 through October 21聽 at 7:30pm, with an additional 2:00pm matinee on October 21.聽
While all shows are sold out, some select seating may become available after 4 p.m. on the day of performances. Call the Dal Arts Centre box office at (902) 494-3820 or to check availability.
Cast and crew of Middletown.
Ian Bueltel
Sarah Jackson and Daniel Nwobi