When a troupe of talented and stage savvy actors find a script they fall in love with, and when they have a director spot on their wavelength at the helm the result on stage should glow brightly. And at the Stirling Theatre it does just that. The Stirling Players’ production of John Cariani’s “Almost, Maine” shines like the ethereal Aurora Borealis that is its sporadic yet constant backdrop. The eight vignettes about love sought, love found, love unrequited, love lost et al are variously touching, silly, hilarious and unwaveringly (maybe uncomfortably) familiar. The evenly talented cast of seven made an instant connection with their audience and that relationship not only remained but grew throughout and across the eight separate scenarios.
Director Ben Proeve assembled his cast of seven with a vision of a final presentation product firmly in mind. And his cast did not let him down! Their characters all inhabit the maybe town or place called “Almost” located vaguely somewhere north of the USA. It’s a location graced at a certain time of the year by the magical display of the Northern Lights. Each couple in focus sets about revealing feelings and doubts as timeless and mysterious as the universe itself. In each individual scenario they highlight and traverse the distances between endorphin driven highs of “in love” to the dark depths of disappointment and/or rejection. Now, that all sounds a wee bit heavy and serious but not at all! The writing of these mini plays is intelligent, light, purposeful, pertinent and irresistibly entertaining. Allow me to outline a few.
In “Her Heart” with Kaila Barton and Oliver Medwell it’s a case of “Goodbye to Wes” and “Hello to Pete” (who fixes things). “Sad and Glad” with Sam Ewart, Harri Wolff and Annabel McGregor precipitates the issue of having to move on, whatever that means, whatever that takes, and whatever might happen next. (You just might find love where and when you least expect it.) “Getting it Back” with Kodi Jackson and Tim Stoeckel poses the question of what is love and can it be measured by the truckful? Can you give it back and do you really want to?
The full cast of seven is named in each of the above sketch references but the all double up (at least once) again and adopt another role in a different scenario. I do feel the need to highlight the somewhat bizarre comic elements of “They Fell” with Sam Ewart and Oliver Medwell. They are both great buddies swapping personal relationship disaster stories. One claims his girlfriend has an olfactory issue whilst the other outlines a dance floor mishap. Then after some awkward dialogue and pausing, they fall! Quite literally, fall, to the great amusement of the audience. Enough said!
Not only in that last referred instance but in all of these wonderful couplings, the necessary essential of timing was simply spot on. Every actor on stage knew exactly when to deliver and all understood the exquisite value of a pause, a glance or a mere shrug. Good acting and astute direction. Not only was a natural feel for the stage in evidence but a goodly pace was set and maintained throughout. Both diction and articulation were excellent and it all added up to an exemplary ensemble effort. The audience did not lose interest for a second.
I’ll end with a reference to the most philosophical of the pieces, the somewhat serious “Story of Hope” with Annabel McGregor and Tim Stoeckel. Having made a crusade years later in order to deliver an answer to a question posed long before, Hope says to Danny: “Everybody starts out when they’re young. And everybody gets their hopes dashed”. Danny ultimately responds to Hope’s surprise visitation with the rejoinder: “You’ve got to hold onto people or else you will lose them!”
Amen to that! The Stirling Players production of “Almost, Maine” is thought provoking, very funny, heart warming and an immensely satisfying piece of theatre.
