Legoland - victorians defy stereotypes
Torontonians have something in common with Victorians (the ‘resident of Victoria’ kind, not the ‘steam engine and top hat’ kind): we both happily defy stereotypes.
Not all Torontonians are soulless bankers clad in black, nor are all Victorians little old ladies with rose gardens and a penchant for tea. Some Victorians are young, daring and utterly magnetic theatre artists, and they go by the name Atomic Vaudeville.
The quirky company burst onto the Toronto scene at the 2006 Summerworks Festival, where they made their debut with their smash signature play, Legoland, and won the Contra Guys Award for Best New Play. They returned the next summer to more praise and sold out houses at the Toronto Fringe Festival and are now making it a hat trick with yet another remount in the Theatre Passe Muraille backspace, running until December 6th.
Legoland is the demented coming of age tale of Penny and Ezra Lamb, a brother and sister duo who, after being shielded and home-schooled by hippies, discover the real world for themselves. The eye-opening experience has unintended repercussions and it ultimately leads them to embark on a bizarre and hilarious road trip to meet Penny’s musical idol in order to save his artistic soul.
It may sound soft and fuzzy but the script by Atomic Vaudeville co-founder Jacob Richmond is anything but. Penny is a gentle spirit with a fierce streak, while Ezra is a deadpan cynic who punctuates his sister’s sentences with outbursts of the uber-droll. The two characters recount their epic tale at breakneck speed while incorporating sharp satire and social commentary that takes on everything from McDonald’s to Mormonism.
Richmond’s dialogue walks the perfect line between ‘innocent’ and ‘heady’, allowing the performers to disappear into their youthful roles while giving them plenty of great lines to play with. Celine Stubel delivers a touching and fragile performance as Penny, while Amitai Marmorstein nails the stoic Ezra. One truly appreciates Marmorstein’s transformation when, in the midst of his performance, he briefly steps out of character to use his own pleasant natural voice and body language which genuinely takes one by surprise.
Richmond and Vaudeville co-founder Britt Small co-direct Legoland with wit and precision. Abrupt transitions, perfect musical cues, and stylish efficiency give the production a cartoon-like flair that engrosses rather than annoys. A little more movement could have helped underline the animated style but it’s a minor complaint considering the constraints of the performance space.
Legoland is a treat for those who enjoy something out of the ordinary, and a great introduction to independent theatre for those who have always been wary of the ‘genre’. Original, funny and iconic theatre is not easy to find, so it doesn’t take all that much humility for a Torontonian to thank a gang of friendly Victorians for one of the best examples in recent memory.
Legoland Written by Jacob Richmond; Produced by Atomic Vaudville in association with Theatre Passe Muraille, running at Theatre Passe Muraille in Toronto until December 6, 2008 for more inforamation look here.