David Mirvish and Hannah Mirvish & Confederation Centre for the Arts/Inform Story Harbour, musical adaptation by Adam Brazier, Alan Doyle, Bob Foster, and Edward Riche, based mostly on the unique screenplay The Grand Seduction by Ken Scott, choreographed by Robin Calvert, musical path by Bob Foster, directed by Brian Hill, Royal Alexandra Theatre, till Nov. 2. Tickets here.
The unique Canadian musical Inform Story Harbour is assured to depart a smile in your face and a track in your coronary heart.
Background
Impressed by the 2013 Canadian movie The Grand Seduction, which itself was based mostly on the 2003 Quebecois movie of the identical identify, the present had its wildly profitable world premiere on the Charlottetown Competition in 2022, adopted by an equally profitable tour of Newfoundland and Labrador that very same 12 months.
A revival in Charlottetown in 2025 featured a much-revamped present which earned crucial reward, and it’s this new iteration that’s making its mainland debut in Toronto on the Royal Alex.
The Story
The story begins when the small Newfoundland fishing village of Inform Story Harbour will get the dangerous information that each one the fish processing crops are going to shut.
The corporate man Chip (Jacob Hemphill) says that one city will nonetheless have work if it will get the brand new French fry plant.
There are two situations. The inhabitants will need to have 3,000 individuals, and there needs to be a resident physician.
Enter Frank (Alan Doyle) the city dreamer and loyalist. He’ll give you a sport plan to get the chip plant for Inform Story Harbour.
Frank isn’t frightened concerning the 3,000 individuals as a result of that may all the time be fudged. It’s the physician that’s the issue, but it surely simply so occurs {that a} British physician has simply arrived within the space on a 30-day locum.
The salty and lovable Vera (Susan Henley) has regarded up this Dr. Chris with three names on Fb and found he’s an actual wanderer who’s been all around the world working for Docs With out Boundaries, by no means resting in a single place for very lengthy, so maintaining him past 30 days goes to be an actual problem.
And so the city led, by Frank, swings into motion to get Dr. Chris to remain completely, and the shenanigans that they undertake to make this occur are completely hilarious.
Be ready for various real stomach laughs.
I don’t wish to give something away to spoil the enjoyable however I provides you with one clue: cricket.
The Characters and The Actors
There are some splendidly vibrant characters within the present, as is typical of Newfoundland. This can be a solid stuffed with persona.
The aforementioned Vera has her French-Canadian lover Yvon (Laurie Murdoch). Then there’s the outspoken Gina (Gabrielle Jones), and Frank’s buddies Henry (Daniel Williston), Gord (Stephen Man-McGrath) and Gus (Joel Cumber). On the distaff aspect you have got Marie (AP Bautista) and Louise (Karen Burthwright).
The one level-headed individual on the town appears to be Frank’s spouse Barbara (Alison Woolridge), who occurs to be married to the least level-headed individual on the town, but it surely’s a heat and loving relationship, nonetheless.
The romantic couple, (and sure one does develop), are Frank’s niece Kathleen (Melissa Mackenzie) who has a tragic story of her personal, and naturally Dr. Chris himself (Kale Penny).
The glory of this comparatively small ensemble is that they’re actually all sizes and styles, and but they sing and dance with nice gusto. You possibly can’t assist loving them for giving their all in punching by means of Calvert’s very vigorous choreography.
Everybody can belt out a tune huge time.
Doyle in fact is the engine that drives the present, and his power is unstoppable. He is sort of a perpetual movement machine, even seeming to bounce when he’s standing nonetheless.
Woolridge is his anchor, McKenzie is his resistance, whereas Penny falls into Frank’s appeal offensive like a bee to honey.
You actually really feel the pull of this ensemble.
Solely Chip the corporate man is the right capsule all through.
The Music
There may be heaps and many authentic music within the present and each tune is hummable.
A lot of the music is of the raucous Down East roots, Celtic, folks, household kitchen, toe tapping selection, however there are a number of ballads which have nice which means, notably for Frank and Barbara.
One track is completely lovely. “My Household” is a hymn to Newfoundland and nature and deserves to turn out to be a typical within the repertoire.
The truth is, the lyrics of the songs in Inform Story Harbour are uniformly intelligent, which provides to the enjoyment issue of the present.
This can be a musical the place the identify musical means one thing.
What’s fascinating is that the orchestra has not picked up native musicians. Led by co-creator Bob Foster, the present has introduced its orchestra with it, so that is the actual deal of East Coast musicians.
The Design
High of the road designer Michael Gianfrancesco, who’s definitely well-known to Toronto theatre goers, was introduced in to do the revamp units, and his expertise actually exhibits.
Little wood homes evoke the Newfoundland fishing village, and the well-worn Legion Corridor is bang on, as are his intelligent moveable set items, together with the wharf and the hill.
Davida Tkach has supplied the suitable lighting of many moods notably for the cyclorama sky, whereas Joyce Padua’s costumes are completely character particular.
And Lastly….
Inform Story Harbour is endearing, charming, heat hearted, and to not be missed.
It’s Canadian, and whether or not you’re from the East Coast or not, it’s nonetheless all about us.
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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 varied cultural teams and universities, notably 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 Faculty for the Arts.
