Salt-Water Moon: Charms

Charm is a rare commodity in the theatre. With entertainment dominated by violence and special effects, it is difficult to engage an audience long enough to have them care about two very ordinary people.

Yet, that is what director Michael Fera and the cast of Salt-Water Moon manage to do superbly in this 90 minute one-act play by Canadian playwright, David French, produced by Horse Raven Theatre.

Salt-Water Moon introduces us to the Mercer Clan, the subject of a total of five plays by French. Specifically we are introduced to Mary Snow (played by Abby Renee Creek) and Joel Grinke (Jacob Mercer), charming youngsters who we meet on a summer evening in 1926 at Coley’s Point, Newfoundland. There is a prodigious amount of verbiage in the play for the young actors to handle but they do – and they do it well. Creek is effortless as Mary and has a stolid presence, even when her heart falters in matters concerning Jacob. She is particularly effective in a long monologue about her sister Dot. Grinke plays an inept charmer who has come to woo Mary. Grinke was having a little trouble with words on opening night but that should iron out in the playing over the course of the run.  

The production values for this unpretentious production were very effective, particularly the set by Mimi Abrahams. The costumes by Rita Aripova were spot-on for Ms. Creek and disastrous for Mr. Grinke: who wore, in addition to a badly fitted suit in need of suspenders, a shiny pink tie!!!….an odd choice that kept jarring me out of the 1920’s and into the 90’s. 

Overall, the kudos for the evening belong to director, Michael Fera who once again demonstrates a delicate touch in invisible staging and allowing the inherent charm of these two characters to live and breathe. It made me want to see the rest of the plays about this family and hopefully Horse Raven Theatre will bring them to the stage for us.

Salt-Water Moon plays at the Jericho Arts Centre, at 1675 Discovery St. through to August 1.