The Exquisite Hour: are you satisfied with what you know?

The Exquisite Hour

The year is 1962. The time is approximately 5:30 in the afternoon. Mr. Teale, a well adjusted, introverted bachelor, pours himself a glass of lemonade and settles in for a quick afternoon nap in his perfectly manicured back yard.  As he starts to nod off, he is unexpectedly interrupted by the intriguing and persuasive Mrs. Deremont, an encyclopedia saleswoman with an interesting pitch. Out of politeness and curiosity, Mr. Teale surrenders his next hour of his time to Mrs. Deremont, which turns out to be one of the most poignant hours of his life.

The Exquisite Hour is a charming two-person show written by playwright Stewart Lemoine that opens our eyes to what we don’t know, what we do know, and what we could know by drawing on what we already know.  Inspired by the poem L’Heure Esquise [sic] by 19th-century poet Paul Verlaine and music by French composer Renaldo Hahn, Lemoine has created a magical experience between two strangers who learn, through the sharing of new and old knowledge, that they both share the same ultimate desire - to love and be loved.

Josue Laboucane (Mr. Teale) and Nevada Yates (Mrs. Deremont) are superb in this Relephant Theatre Production. The chemistry between their characters is fabulous - from awkward moments, to playful interactions, their timing is just right, evoking laughter and feelings of empathy from the audience members throughout the entire show. Despite the small stage, director Julie McIsaac has manipulated the space well, and the set pieces literally become an obstacle course for Mr. Teale and Mrs. Deremont at times, adding comic value to the already amusing storyline.

The colour-coordinated 1960s costumes and the jars of fresh lemonade for the audience with real sliced lemon, really do top off this charming experience.

So are you satisfied with what you know? Give an hour of your time to see The Exquisite Hour and you will certainly be craving to know more about…..anything!

The Exquisite Hour is on as part of this year's Vancouver Fringe. For more information go here.

By Keira Louis