Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The Hypothetical Tennessee: "His Greatness"

photo by Sean Baker

by Kelly Bedard

His Greatness at the Factory Theatre is an interesting if not totally engrossing production. Writer Daniel MacIvor also plays “The Assistant” with an excellent blend of subtle heartbreak and perfect dry wit. His longstanding relationship with “The Playwright” (Richard Donat) is well established and his constantly moving, ever-tidying movements are wonderfully specific. Donat plays “The Playwright” with excellent entitled exhaustion and world-weary self-destructiveness. The weak link in the cast is Greg Gale as “the young man”. He’s not actually bad but in comparison to the nuanced leading men, his overwrought Newfie accent is a little much, his pretty boy affectations a little grating. The script is a too long, the small story might be better suited to a one-act, but it’s semi-ambiguous tale of a hypothetical Tennessee Williams is a fascinating take on celebrity, artistry and friendship.

His Greatness plays at The Factory Studio Theatre until October 23rd.

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