Blood Relations a horrifying and sly whodunnit
Did she? Didn't she?
Lizzie Borden killed — with no hint of frenzy, hysteria, or trace of blood upon her person — her stepmother and father. Thirtytwo blows to the skull of Mrs. Abigail Borden, gentlemen, 32 blows!
In Greater Fort Erie Secondary School’s horrifying game of Clue, the curtain opens and the scene is revealed: a picture-perfect set — an old-timey kitchen and living room cleverly divided by an open door frame with flowered pink walls and white wooden trim. A velvet-lined couch sits ornately in the living room; a gramophone sitting stagnant beside it. The scene seems like no place for a murder — but the devil’s in the details. An axe sits ominously left stage — will this be the slaughter weapon?
In this production of the historical-psychodrama “Blood Relations,” the audience is transported back in time to 1892 in the small town of Fall River, Mass., where Lizzie Borden was accused — then acquitted — of brutally hacking her parents to death.
It is now 1902. Eccentric Lizzie Borden still stays in the house of her parents’ murder, and actress Nance O’Neil questions Lizzie’s past. Together, the pair decide to re-enact the weeks leading up to that fateful night 10 years prior. The actress (Emma Venator) takes on the role of the infamous Lizzie Borden, and Lizzie (Kendell Perchaluk) doubles as the benign Irish maid Bridget Sullivan — a witness to the horrific crime.
It would be a play within a play — the two women and supporting cast travel back a decade for a dizzyingly detailed re-enactment of the events leading to the fated double murder.
Venator delivers a simpering performance as the spirited Lizzie Borden, a headstrong woman reluctant to accept the womanly role pushed on her by her father Andrew Borden (Ben McCreary) and stepmother Mrs. Borden (Carmen Burke). As the actress, the relationship with Lizzie (Perchaluk) is captivatingly convincing — the dialogue flows naturally between the two, the performer’s fluid interactions portraying the infatuated pair effortlessly.
Perchaluk gave an arresting performance as Lizzie and the Irish maid — the shawl-turnedapron serves as an effective visual cue of Perchaluk's transition between the past and the present, executed easily and efficiently throughout the performance. This was further achieved by the fluctuating lighting: the differing colour schemes distinctly marked the transitions between past and present.
Owen Riel excels in the role of the quirky Dr. Patrick, his sly body language and astute tone subtly betray the truth of Dr. Patrick’s intended relationship with Lizzie. Riel's poignant comedic delivery served as a needed pause between the tensest moments
of the show.
Each scene was perfectly practised and performed — the characters float from scene to scene with grace and poise. Similarly, the performance was void of the monotonous and stiff dialogue typical of many high-school plays; each character’s connection to his or her role was audible both in enunciation and inflection. However, occasionally the performance of the dialogue bordered on unnatural speech.
The performers weave in and out of the present, spinning a tale of mystery and intrigue. By defying the logical progression of time, “Blood Relations” asks more questions than it answers. It leaves the audience with the 100-year-old question: Did Lizzie Borden murder her parents?
Was Lizzie Borden a feminist before the times, trapped by the Victorian mores of her parents? Or was she simply an unsociable girl, unwilling to compromise?
Either way, the beautiful set construction, period-specific dress, and exponential pace make Greater Fort Erie School's “Blood Relations” a heartwrenching and captivating performance that leaves you on the edge of your seat.