A sci-fi adventure with a song in its heart has come to the stage in Martin Exeter Hall.
The latest production from the 100 Mile Performing Arts Society, A Long Time Ago... is a jukebox musical pantomime full of dastardly villains, noble heroes and one hysterical dame. With a massive cast and crew, the play has a chaotic but endearing energy sure to entertain the entire family.
A Long Time Ago... straddles the realm of fantasy and science fiction, at times feeling like a fairy tale and at others a loose parody of popular sci-fi franchises like Star Wars and Star Trek. Its plot centres around the wedding between the spacey Prince Mooncheese and the strong-willed Princess Orion. However, Orion's heart has been captured by Flash Artois, a would-be fly-boy and son of wedding planner extraordinaire Stella Artois, complicating the celebrations. Add in the machinations of the evil Emperor Mange and his henchmen Blooper and Gormless and you've got a recipe for star-crossed rip-roaring good time.
The show's tone is set with an opening monologue by Brayden Herperger. His dry and dignified voice-over is soon wrecked by the interjection of the rest of the cast much to his frustration and the audience's amusement.
Following this is the introduction of A Long Time Ago...'s dame, Stella Artois brought to life by Glen Tanner. In his second outing as a dame, Tanner brings his trademark bombastic flair to the role, embodying a fussy wedding planner and doting mother with a foxy side. Stella's dynamic with her son Flash, played by Karl Lundsbye, is genuinely heartwarming while her rapid-fire delivery of jokes, high brow and low brow, is sure to get a laugh out of even the most stoic of audience members.
Lundsbye's earnest and boyish performance is a delight to watch, especially his wholesome flirting with Mary Miller-Davis' Princess Orion. For her part, Miller-Davis plays the part of the put-upon princess well and makes effective use of her eyes to communicate her true feelings about her would-be suitor, the brainless Prince Mooncheese, played delightfully by Kailey Glotze.
A hero is nothing without a villain and A Long Time Ago... gifts us with three particularly memorable ones. Dave Wishnowski relishes his role as Emperor Mange, the scheming ruler of half the universe. Wishnowski fully commits to the bit and maintains a consistent lisp throughout the production that makes him somewhat endearing, despite his villainy.
Backing him up are the chaotic and hysterical Gormless and Blooper, a pair of alien henchmen who delight in making fun of their master's speech impediment. Jenny LaRue and Miranda Wasstrom bring a frantic, pell-mell energy evocative of Saturday morning cartoons to every scene they enter. Their antics and stage business never fail to bring a smile to your face and will doubtlessly be a hit with children.
The supporting actors and chorus also play their roles well, with Neil VanderHorst and Julie Viergutz playing the delightfully forgetful King Quasar and the tipsy Queen Ursa respectfully. Jeena Pillon and Margaret Kennedy likewise make the most of their scenes as Dark Ada and Elvis, with Pillon playing a memorable evil psychiatrist and Kennedy bringing the King of Rock and Roll back from the dead.
The Children's Chorus are also a welcome addition to the production bringing a youthful enthusiasm to every scene they appear in. Their rendition of Very Best at Being Bad is a standout moment in the show and it's impressive they both memorized the song's lyrics and an entire dance routine, choreographed by Wasstrom.
Director Margot Shaw has crafted a play with the look and feel of a classic 70s B-Movie and I mean that in the best possible way. The simplistic yet versatile sets invoke the imagery of Flash Gordon and Star Wars: A New Hope. Shaw and fellow set designer Donalda Spears were able to do a lot with very little on stage, with the creative use of balloons and a toy spaceship being a particular delight to watch.
Likewise, the costumes put together by Shaw and assistant costume managers Margaret Perry and Janet Dundas match this aesthetic with a fusion of distinctly sci-fi costumes mixed in with some classic fantasy outfits. The outfit for Stella stands out as one of the best, while the adult chorus' colourful wigs paired with their silver tunics sell the retro sci-fi feel.
Technically the show is largely solid barring a few instances of live mics picking up the cast backstage. The inclusion of a live band made up of Jasmine O'Leary, Geoff Butcher, Chris Saban and Bryan Adriel is a welcome addition, especially during the occasional long scene change. They provide great backup for the baritone voice of Tanner, the rich tones of Lundsbye and Kennedy's enthusiastic imitation of the King himself.
A Long Time Ago... is a solid production made all the more impressive by how much ground cast and crew have covered in just three months. If you're looking for a fun night out at the theatre with your kids, you won't be disappointed and nor will they.
The show premieres on Thursday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. at Martin Exeter Hall. Additional shows take place on Nov. 29, Nov. 30, Dec. 1, Dec. 4, Dec. 5, Dec. 6 and Dec. 7, with matinees on Dec. 1 and Dec. 5. Tickets are available at Didi's Boutique, Donex Pharmacy and Department Store, online at100mileperformingarts.com and at the door for $20 a ticket.
