by Chris Bowers, Flying Shingle, Monday, May 26, 2014
Gabriola Players once again single-handedly reduced the Gabriola Boredom Quotient over the last two weekends with their May 17, 23, and 24 productions of three one act plays at the Seniors’ Rollo Centre.
Donna Deacon and Catherine Andersen starred in Theatrical Digs, a play that proves there’s nothing as likely to turn competitors into friends as having a mutual enemy.
Lawrence Spero, Tessa Spero, and Alex Dewar starred in Variations on the Death of Trotsky. A series of ridiculous and funny explorations on what might have happened between when Leon Trotsky, of Soviet fame, was hit in the head with an ice pick and when he “died the next day”.
Joyce Ashley and Madeleine Ani, starred in The Way of All Fish, in which Ani (Miss Riverton) shares her plans about becoming famous by killing someone important, and Ashley (Ms. Asquith) finds new motivation to keep herself fit enough to ensure it’s not she who provides that venue.
The interplay between the two women as the power shifted back and forth between them (ending with a push-up contest) was entertaining, and obviously a blast to act.
As usual all three plays were enjoyable, but Joyce Ashley’s depiction of a rich – um – not nice woman stood out as the person an audience will most love to hate.
(c) Flying Shingle