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Dinner With the Duchess

Now on stage in the Studio Theatre at Crow's Theatre, 345 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto

Ann Baggley, taken at the summer 2024 production at the Here For Now Festival in Stratford. Pictured: Jan Alexandra Smith and David Keeley

Joe Szekeres

VOICE CHOICE, a must see

“Nick Green’s affecting script and Jan Alexandra Smith’s emotionally charged performance are the reasons for seeing ‘Dinner with the Duchess.’ Theatre like this is worth the price of tickets.”

I rarely give a standing ovation unless I'm genuinely moved by what I’ve just experienced. In her Director’s Note, Kelli Fox writes how making art requires rigour and asks a lot of the artists and of those who love them. Nick Green’s emotive script is truly impressive. I'm pretty sure I was the first to stand and applaud this outstanding cast for the appreciation they truly deserve.

Set in a stylish Toronto condominium, designer Darren Burkett embodies a chic 21st-century aesthetic, where every item has a specific place and function. The dining room, reminiscent of IKEA furniture, features a sleek dining table. Positioned upstage of the table is a sideboard that holds two books. The titles on the spines read "BLANC/NOIR" and "PERFECT/IMPERFECT." These book titles play a significant role as the story unfolds.

The wet bar-looking kitchen to the right of the dining room provides an ideal vantage point for David, Margaret's husband, to listen, observe, and offer comments when needed. The condo's balcony is on stage right in the audience seating area, where Margaret walks outside to smoke a cigarette.

According to the Crow’s website, "Dinner" explores themes of fame, power, and legacy through the lens of artistic passion. Virtuoso violinist Margaret (Jan Alexandra Smith), the Duchess, gives her final interview to astute reporter Helen (Rosie Simon). Margaret's charming husband, David (David Keeley), assists both Helen and the audience uncover the secrets of Margaret’s past. Together, Helen and David confront how Margaret wishes to be remembered for her career as a musician.

Kelli Fox directs the production with exquisite skill, envisioning a world with the artistically gifted and talented is not always black and white (NOIR/BLANC – Remember the book title mentioned earlier?)

What’s most intriguing about this production is not always what is being said but what is implied. That reality becomes clear upon first seeing Margaret. Smith enters in silence, but there is a determination and focus on her face. She can’t sit still. She flutters around the stage and then moves to the balcony to smoke a cigarette.

Smith exudes a polished sense of flair and style throughout this initial chaos. Costume Designer Monique Lund has a keen eye for selecting clothing that draws attention to the Duchess’s every move as she crosses the stage back and forth with anticipation in waiting for the reporter’s arrival. Margaret wears a fashionable jet-black caftan with matching black sandals. Even when she removes them and walks around the condo barefoot, Margaret still exudes that regal sense of being somebody.

Smith guides the audience through a psychological journey of Margaret’s career with heightened intensity and passionate believability. I’m on every word uttered as the violinist’s artistic life gradually unfolds into a world of perfection and imperfection (remember the book title mentioned earlier?). I stop writing notes in my notebook because I do not want to miss anything.

As the reporter, Helen, Rosie Simon is forthright, savvy, and direct. This is the reality of the career, and Simon captures this matter-of-factness with precise care. Helen is not simply content with writing superficial puff pieces; instead, she gets straight to the point. She recalls how much she admired the Duchess as a little girl, but tastes and personalities can change over time. Now, Helen is curious about why Margaret is called "the Duchess." The look of dread, anger, ire, and horror on Smith's face as Margaret speaks reveals a deeper story that Helen is determined to uncover.

David Keeley is likable as Margaret's husband. He brings food from the restaurant downstairs because Margaret doesn’t enjoy cooking; instead, she loves hosting dinners—two very different activities in her mind. David, however, is the one who prefers cooking and adding spices to the food he brings home. While everything seems fine between husband and wife at first, Keeley effectively reveals the underlying tensions, especially when David stands in the kitchen, listening to and subtly responding to Margaret’s comments during the interview. What makes Keeley’s performance particularly noteworthy for me is that he never overshadows the action between Simon and Smith. His presence is always felt, even when the kitchen lights are dimmed, and the focus is on the dining room table.

The Studio Theatre at Crow’s is an excellent venue for creating realism and naturalism, essential to making "Dinner with the Duchess" a powerful theatrical experience. In her Director’s Note, Kelli Fox emphasizes that creating art demands rigour, as it requires a great deal from both the artist and those who love them.

I’m going to add one more item with Kelli’s permission and indulgence.

Receiving art requires the audience to be open to this beautiful gift and understand that it will also demand a lot from us.

‘Dinner with the Duchess’ is an extraordinary gift from artists that I greatly appreciate.

Please go see this production as it embodies the essence of what theatre is all about.

Running time: approximately 85 minutes with no interval/intermission.

‘Dinner with the Duchess’ is now on stage in the Studio Theatre at Crow’s Theatre, 345 Carlaw Avenue until February 9.

For tickets: crowstheatre.com or call (647) 341-7390 ex. 1010.

A HERE FOR NOW THEATRE COMPANY PRODUCTION in association with CROW’S THEATRE
‘Dinner with the Duchess’ by Nick Green
Directed by Kelli Fox
Set Designer: Darren Burkett
Stage Manager/Lighting Designer: Kelsey Rae
Costume Designer: Monique Lund

Performers: Jan Alexandra Smith, David Keeley, Rosie Simon

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