Presented by Solo Collective
Written by Amiel Gladstone
Directed by Ruth Madoc-Jones
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Photo by Lindsay Anne Black. |
Amiel Gladstone’s The Trolley Car begins by asking the audience to make a choice: what would you do if you saw a trolley car heading down the tracks towards a group of people and you were able to pull a switch to change its course? Would you do it if it meant killing one person but saving five? Would you do nothing?
Even not making a choice is a choice. We are reminded of this fact by Florence, the play’s narrator, who weaves this philosophy into her story of a steamy love triangle between a local butcher, his wife and his visiting cousin in German-occupied Paris.
The Trolley Car is a fast moving, finely polished period piece that runs just under 50 minutes but still manages to create a complete journey for all of the characters. This is a testament to Gladstone’s well written script and to the first-rate performances by Monica Dottor, Rose Laborde and Matthew Tapscott. All of the actors have strong moments on stage, blending the right amount of humility and humor and allowing the audience to connect to each character’s situation (quite a feat in such a short time).
Under the creative direction of Ruth Madoc-Jones (who keeps all of the characters on stage for the entire run using imaginative blocking and great use of space) this show keeps your attention from beginning to end. The Trolley Car is a truly engaging piece of storytelling.
Catch the last performance tonight at the Factory Theatre Studio Space at 10PM. Visit summerworks.ca for more information.
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