LEND ME A TENOR by Ken Ludwig. Directed by Cate Clelland. Free-Rain Theatre Company. ACT Hub. Sept17-27.
Lend Me a Tenor is an unabashed romp about life behind the scenes at the opera. There are six doorways in the hotel suite on stage and they’ll get a work out in this farce about backstage events in a 1930s American opera company who are doing Pagliacci with a somewhat doleful guest artist, world renowned Italian tenor Tito Merelli (William ‘Wally’ Allington). He's staying the hotel. The visit will not go smoothly.
Saunders (Michael Sparks) is the wily company manager whose shy offsider Max (John Whitfield) harbours some singing ambitions as well as a passion for Saunders’ daughter Maggie ( Maxine Beaumont). Maggie is dying to meet Tito and is a little dismissive of Max. She wants a bit of excitement in her life before any settling down.
The somewhat daffy Julia (Sally Cahill), chair of the Cleveland Opera Guild and fond of extremely bedazzling dresses, enlivens the scene.
And the hotel’s wide eyed bellhop (Justice-Noah Malfitano) has an intense crush on Tito and comes in at all the wrong moments.
Tito comes complete with brisk and passionate wife Maria (Christina Falsone) and neither have a great deal of English.
The opera company’s leading lady is the powerful Diana (Meaghan Stewart), wolfishly ambitious and eager to use Tito to climb the singing heights.
There’s a presumed death and dual tenors in full identical clown costume and makeup as Max has to take over the role. Luckily he can sing.
Much confusion and use of those multiple doors is the well controlled order of the night under the firm hand of director Cate Clelland. The play’s demands are easily met by a strong cast and the pace does not slacken.
It’s not deep but it is a theatrical workout for all concerned and an excuse for some seasoned performers to let their hair down.
Alanna Maclean
