(A review of White Christmas at Theatre Aquarius. Originally published by Mayday Magazine, December 2009.)
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas is a fun, sweet-natured family musical that gets your feet tapping for the Holidays. Directed by Ron Ulrich, the new Artistic Director of Theatre Aquarius, the show is lively and engaging, and passes by in a very swift two and a half hours. White Christmas follows the story of a Vermont Inn that is run by a much-admired but very gruff General, and so understandably, the Inn is desperately in need of a boost. In pours the cast of White Christmas (complete with a duo of men who fall in love with two beautiful sisters) to put on a series of show-stopping numbers to give the Inn––and the General––a taste of what this season is all about.
This cast will blow you away. They are fantastic from start to finish, with clear, strong voices, precise comedic timing, and heart-warming interactions. They perform with great warmth and the relationships are largely sincere, making the theatrical illusion come to life as only skilful portrayals can. This can be seen in the ensemble, but also particularly in the core group of leads. Stephen Patterson made a perfect Bob Wallace, and you’ll no doubt be charmed by Michael Therriault as Phil Davis. It’s little wonder that broadway loves Therriault. I recognized him immediately from The Producers, and his acting and singing impress me as much now as they did in Toronto. Keep your eye on Charlotte Moore performing as Martha Watson, she has a huge personality and a gutsy alto voice to match. Her battle with Tim Koetting’s General is entertaining and dynamic like the best relationships––romantic or otherwise––always are. Also be on the lookout for “Love You Didn’t Do Right By Me”, sung with great tenderness and feeling by Robin Hutton (playing Betty Hanes) in Act II. Dayna Tekatch (Judy Hanes) has a unique voice and sharp dancing ability. It’s wonderful to see a show and leave knowing you got your money’s worth, and this cast has been well selected. No disappointments here.
Another treat, and by no means a small one, is the music. The tunes are soothing and melodic, with all the sweetness of the 50’s, all the glitz of broadway, and all the fantastic musicianship you expect from a professional band. Many numbers are steeped in humour; there is even a love song to the piano which is hilariously cute and includes beautiful harmonies. Enhancing the music (aside from the incredible set of voices) is the choreography. The dancers are great! You will love the tap number at the top of act II, which is brilliantly executed and fast enough to make you lean forward in your seat. A lot of rehearsal time and effort was no doubt put into it, and kudos to the actors for pulling it off.
I always like to give credit to the lighting and set designers, and the crew at Aquarius did a great job as usual. I like the way they went about staging the barn, the red and white panels serve their purpose well and don’t distract from the action. You’ll smile when you see the old fashioned backdrop on the curtain with “White Christmas” scrawled on it in fancy letters, it looks like a giant 40’s Christmas placemat, and slightly has the look of an old TV if you tilt your head just so. I will say, however, that there is a strobe light at one point, and it’s too much for the number and ill-suited to the show. Also, some of the wardrobe was a bit much for a family musical. Give the dancers some credit; they are beautiful and very skilled, and therefore don’t need to be bare from the waist down to catch the audience’s attention. Those are my only grumbles about the technical and esthetic side though, everything else was beautiful, and served the show well.
You’ll love the messages in White Christmas. General Henry Waverly is both fierce and caring in the dichotomous way great men can be. It’s uplifting to see him respected and admired even with his ferocity, (or perhaps because of it), and refreshing to see a man admired for being a man, rather than being portrayed as wishy-washy or weak willed. A major plotline of the show is a dramatic demonstration of love towards the general. This is a great tribute to men who have honour and are willing to die for what they believe in, and a great reminder of a time when people believed in things more readily. White Christmas will certainly inspire you to do selfless things for those around you, and to believe in people, an outcome that makes it well worth the cost of the ticket. Hopefully you will breathe a sigh of relief when the final curtain goes down, and think to yourself about all you have to be thankful for. I myself went with my family and boyfriend and we enjoyed ourselves greatly, especially with the surprises at the finale. Be sure to ask about deals for children and families. Also, my hat goes off to the box office staff and ushers at Aquarius, they were very kind and helpful. Treat them well, patrons, and Merry Christmas!
dustymaytaylor.com 