4th Line Theatre 2025/The Housekeeper by Ian McLachlan & Robert Winslow, directed by Robert Winslow, Barnyard Theatre, Winslow Farm, Millbrook ON, closes Jul. 19. Tickets here.
The Housekeeper is a play of moments.
There are episodes which are completely riveting after which there are people who make you marvel why are they within the play. It’s also, sadly, a play with a been there, achieved that really feel.
Background
The Housekeeper is the fourth of McLachan’s and Winslow’s Bernardo performs which has adopted the up and down fortunes of Walter White and Billy Fiddler, who, torn from their impoverished life in London’s east finish, had been despatched to Canada as Dr. Bernardo’s Youngsters for an opportunity for a greater life.
Oddly sufficient, in The Housekeeper, Walter (Jay Davis) is a secondary character, whereas Billy doesn’t seem in any respect.
Quite, the main target is on an alluring younger girl referred to as Eleanor (Julia Scaringi), whose personal life has mirrored that of the Bernardo Youngsters — a foul starting, adopted by going through tough obstacles whereas attempting to determine a house someplace for themselves.
Coming to Millbrook
It’s a likelihood assembly at Toronto’s Union Station that brings Eleanor to the small city of Millbrook.
A person referred to as Grant (Matt Gilbert) strikes up a dialog with Eleanor, and when he finds out she is bored with waitressing, bored with Toronto, and has no particular plans, tells her of a housekeeper job accessible in Millbrook.
In fact, Grant has an ulterior motive.
When Eleanor arrives on the White farm, she doesn’t give Walter an opportunity to say no, however merely takes on the job. For modesty’s sake, she boards with Anthea (Hilary Put on), the city gossip.
Different Characters
Walter has two kids, teenage son James (Darius Maliha-Evans), who lives at dwelling, whereas daughter Ruth (Kiana Bromley) is a reporter on the Peterborough Examiner.
James has a boon companion Herman (Zach Newnham), whereas Daisy (Hanna Marie Toll) considers herself James’ girlfriend. Then there’s the employed hand Hiram (Ian McGarrett), who’s the native storyteller, and his longwinded ghost story is a type of ancillary “why is it there?” moments
Plot Tropes
When Eleanor will get fed up with Anthea’s complaining about her late nights carousing with Grant and spying on her generally, she creates a scandal by transferring into the White farm, and extra to the purpose, beginning an affair with widower Walter.
An opportunity comment by a travelling salesman that he acknowledges Eleanor, however beneath a special identify, sends Anthea off on a quest in quest of Eleanor’s previous, and that is simply one of many many contrived plot strains within the play.
One other trope is the alluring stranger who comes between father and son as teenage James falls hopelessly in love with Eleanor.
There’s the city that turns towards the gorgeous, scandalous stranger.
As taken collectively, these well-known plot conventions are tried and true, and border on uninteresting.
Some Improvements
One towards sort the writers do embrace is Ruth’s assist of Eleanor. That is the Nineteen Fifties. Would a daughter be that forgiving of a younger girl in her late mom’s mattress? Ruth, nonetheless, is enchanted by the tales that Eleanor writes and desires to assist her get them revealed.
Then there’s Walter’s lovely line about Eleanor.
“Don’t you see how treasured she is?”
Whereas his function is underwritten, giving Davis little to do, it’s Walter, nonetheless, who understands Eleanor’s distinctive qualities, maybe as a result of he too was as soon as out of time and misplaced.
The Greatest
The strongest moments within the play are any scene with James — significantly his encounters with Eleanor and Walter. Maliha-Evans is a incredible younger actor and he ought to have a beautiful profession forward of him.
Scarangi’s efficiency as Eleanor is incandescent. She fantastically captures the free spirit of a younger girl who’s totally different, the nonconformist, the one that resides life in line with her personal guidelines. Her fantastically drawn character is likely one of the play’s nice successes.
As soon as once more the superb Justin Hiscox has composed the atmospheric scene change music, in addition to the music for the 2 unique songs set to McLachlan’s haunting lyrics, and sung by Julia Scaringi like some fey flower-child in her personal magic world.
The Route
This being 4th Line Theatre means an enormous forged of volunteer actors from six to 60 yr’s previous, however director Winslow has been fairly uninspired in his stage image. Maybe The Housekeeps is an effective instance of the previous adage {that a} author ought to by no means direct his personal work.
Finale
Briefly, in The Housekeeper, the writers have provide you with a beautiful character in Eleanor, however have positioned her in a really typical therapy, with poor Walter White being virtually completely eclipsed.
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Paula Citron is a Toronto-based freelance arts journalist and broadcaster who hosts her personal web site, paulacitron.ca. For over 25 years, she was senior dance author for The Globe and Mail, affiliate editor of Opera Canada journal, arts reviewer for Classical 96.3 FM, and dance previews contributor to Toronto Life journal. She has been a visitor lecturer for numerous cultural teams and universities, significantly on the function of the critic/reviewer, and has been a panellist on COC podcasts. Earlier than assuming a full-time journalism profession, Ms. Citron was a member of the drama division of the Claude Watson College for the Arts.
