A FINE DINING EXPERIENCE
Student show gets top marks
Like most family traditions, a dining room table is sturdy and offers support, but over time even the strongest table can falter. However, at the end of the day, we can always rely on tradition to bring us together. In A.Y. Jackson Secondary School’s performance of The Dining Room, the underlying importance of family tradition was captured in a strong performance laced with emotion and well-timed humour.
First performed in 1982, The Dining Room, written by A.R. Gurney, tells the stories of various white, upper-middle class families in North America and the evolution of their family traditions surrounding the dining room. Over time, the families struggle with adultery, old age and finding acceptance within the family. As the dining room becomes central and is replaced by kitchens and living rooms, keeping their traditions becomes a battle.
The small cast was effortlessly excellent. Samra Brkic was engaging in each of the seven roles she portrayed, particularly as Emily. As part of the Standish family ensemble, she was captivating with her facial expressions, great projection and believable mannerisms, all of which were needed to portray her anguish.
Out of all seven characters he played, Jake Crocker also delivered an amiable performance in the role of Standish. Alongside Brkic, he was a dynamic presence who was both funny and convincing.
Each character was defined by their appearance, something that was brought to life by the hair and makeup crew, led by Monica MacFadyen, and assisted by Hannah Anderson and Lianne Heath. From additional freckles, wrinkles, and sleepy dark circles, to effortless hairstyle transitions, MacFadyen, Anderson, and Heath paid tremendous attention to the details needed to realize each character.
Of course, without the set, created by Caleigh Hartery, Amanda Vellan, and Morgan Lux, there would be no dining room. Equipped with an elegant table and matching chairs, the set was welcoming, complementing both the modern and older scenes. Various props used throughout the play, primarily the radio, allowed other technical aspects to shine, such as the sound. The sound cues by Jessica Dahanayake were always perfectly timed and allowed the performance to run smoothly.
As lives become busy, it is often easier to put aside our family traditions in favour of methods that facilitate our modern lives.
However, as seen in A.Y. Jackson’s riveting production of The Dining Room, despite the drama and turmoil, revisiting family traditions may just bring us closer together.