Tara Rosling is establishing herself as one of the finest stage actresses in this country.
Rosling plays the title character in the Shaw Festival revival of George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan, and no role is more perfectly written for her. She dazzled this critic last year in The Magic Fire and The Heiress at the Shaw Festival, and Rosling doesn't disappoint.
Shaw's take on Joan of Arc centres around her first battle, taking the bridge of Orleans from the British, right through her trial and conviction. Joan experiences the highs of winning a major battle against an enemy, and the lows of the world crumbling around her.
This production is filled with solid performances, including Norman Browning as the Archbishop of Rheims, Ben Carlson as the Bishop of Beauvais and Thom Marriott as La Tremouille. Each of these fine actors bring a presence on that stage that draws you to them, each offering us a subtle and genuine performance. Carlson, after Joan is taken to the square to be burned at the stake, has a look on his face that will break your heart. He has moments of brilliance throughout, which has come to be expected of him based on his previous work.
What the Stratford Festival loses, the Shaw Festival gains in Thom Marriott. A main-stay in the company at the Stratford Festival for many years, Marriott has gone south to the Shaw Festival, and his work here in Saint Joan is captivating.
The majority of the credit though has to go to Jackie Maxwell, who directed the production. Her work here is some of her finest, offering a clear and concise story line and spot on performances from everyone on the stage. Despite some of the faults in the script, Maxwell manuveres around them, by moving the problematic epilogue to the beginning of the piece to form a new prologue, which works brilliantly.
The clever set and costumes were designed by Sue LePage, and the beautiful lighting was designed by Kevin Lamotte. Each designer has used the vastness of the Festival stage to create multiple locations by adding a simple chair or a change in the lighting. The music is another fine addition to this production, composed by Shaw Festival musical director Paul Sportelli. His melodies haunt the stage, and add just the right amount of ambiance to the piece.
The only flaw in the production is the script itself. Although it does seem as relevant and as important today as it was 84 years ago when it premiered, the arguments presented in the piece are repeated so often that it becomes rather tired after an hour. It seems like Shaw wasn't sure if the audience was going to get it or not, so he had Joan remind the church and those around her that she was on a mission from God, and that she was a strong, courageous woman. She reminds us of this fact from the beginning until the very end, and it just gets so that we almost stop paying attention. The saving grace is performance of Rosling, as she grabs us right from the top of the play until the very end.
Saint Joan is one of those rare historical plays that is simply captivating, and draws the audience in and doesn't let go.
Don't miss it, or the performance of the year thus far.
Saint Joan
By George Bernard Shaw
Directed by Jackie Maxwell
Now playing until October 27th, 2007 at the Festival Theatre, Niagara-On-The-Lake.
**** (out of five)
For ticket and show information, click here.
