A Sweet Transvestite
Pleiades Theatre Presents Revival Of Tremblay Masterpiece
Michel Tremblay has always had a knack for stirring the pot. His plays, most of them based on his upbringing in Montreal and his own family, have graced stages worldwide.
One of his most controversial pieces, Hosanna, had its English-language premiere at the Tarragon Theatre in 1974, starring a young Richard Monette. Written as a metaphor for the Quebec Separatist movement, the play tells the story of a young transvestite in Montreal who has to come to terms with his identity. This production is the first major revival of the play in almost 20 years, when the show was produced again at the Tarragon Theatre.
Salvatore Antonio plays Hosanna, a transvestite hairdresser searching for answers. His performance is haunting, touching, and is one of finest performances in recent memory. In Act Two, he is alone for most of the 45 minutes, and he takes us on an emotional journey that has the audience wiping away tears by the end of it all.
Hosanna's lover and partner, Cuirette, is played by Jean-Stephane Roy who is making his English theatre debut in Toronto. Roy makes a noble attempt at the complex English translation, but his thick French accent gets in the way of some of his dialogue, and it becomes difficult to understand at times. His performance is just as difficult to comprehend. At times, Roy's performance is amateurish and uninspired, and at other times, absolutely magnificent. His final scene with Hosanna couldn't carry the impact it did without his subtle and heart wrenching moments of sheer brilliance. Overall though, his performance leaves something to be desired.
John Van Burek, who originally translated the piece with Bill Glassco, directs the production with wonderful pacing, clever staging, and helps shape the work beautifully. He has attempted and succeeded in a creative re-imagining of the piece, and it's almost certain that there isn't another director who knows the world of the play better than Van Burek.
There are so many things that are right - even perfect about this revival of Hosanna, and it's about time that the show be revisited, especially in the current political climate this country is in. While Roy's performance lacks at times, that should not stop you from heading down to the Distillery District and catching this great night of theatre, especially if it takes another 20 years for it to appear again.
Hosanna
By Michel Tremblay
Translated by John Van Burek and Bill Glassco
Presented by Pleiades Theatre
Young Centre For The Performing Arts
Now until October 28th, 2006
Click here for show and ticket information.
*** (out of five)
