Chester Theatre Company, Chester, MA
through August 5, 2018
By Mary Fernandez-Sierra
A beautifully crafted romance directed by Colette Robert is
unfolding at Chester Theatre this summer: Mary’s Wedding by Stephen Massicotte.
Taking place in Mary’s dreams, memories and imagination,
this show is a tour-de-force for its two fine actors. It tells the tale of
young lovers Charlie and Mary, who meet in rural Canada just before the
outbreak of the World War I.
As Mary, Marielle Young is winning and courageous: a perfect
heroine. She strikes just the right blend of ingénue and independence in her
character, and is a pleasure to watch onstage. Ms. Young also plays another
role in the production: that of officer Gordon Muriel Flowerdew, a historically
based character, whose bravery during the last cavalry charge in military
history earned him great honor. Her portrayal of this war hero is just as
strong and memorable as her Mary; she clearly expresses both Flowerdew’s
strength, and the softer side of this soldier’s heart, in the special
friendship he develops on the battlefield with Charlie.
Steven Lee Johnson is forthright, charming, and completely
believable as Charlie, transitioning from ingenuous youth to young man in love,
and then into the ardent and patriotic soldier. He never loses Charlie’s simple
faith and integrity, thus endearing his character to both Mary and his
commanding officer (not to mention his audience.) Mr. Johnson’s subtle comic
timing makes for some of the most delightful light-hearted moments in the play.
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| Photo by Elizabeth Solaka |
As always at Chester Theatre, the artistry of the production
elements harmonize and enhance the stories portrayed on the stage. Lighting
Designer Lara Dubin has surpassed even herself in this production with dazzling
thunderstorms, starry heavens, dark austere looks on the battlefield
reminiscent of old black and white photos, and delicate color transitions on
the sky field of flowers hanging above the actors. Simple stage elements
cleverly designed by Travis George morph into completely different worlds: a
horse in the Canadian countryside, a war-torn trench in France, a farm fence, a
home; and the field of flowers growing invertedly from above is breathtaking.
Sound Design by David Wiggall includes a beautifully orchestrated thunderstorm,
highly realistic battle explosions and a lovely old Strauss waltz… and costumes
by Elizabeth Pangburn reflect the characters and fit the period (Mary’s wedding
dress is simply perfect.) This artistic team deserves an ovation.
The creativity of director Colette Robert is in everything
throughout Mary’s Wedding, making the transitions between all the different
times and locales easy for the audience to follow: no small feat. The dreamlike
quality of each scene, natural pace of the dialogue and the lovely chemistry
between all the characters show a master’s hand. Bravo!
