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Dion Boucicault at Stratford

Seana McKenna on Dion Boucicault's London Assurance

Sep 23, 2006 Coral Andrews

Canadian actor Seana McKenna says Dion Boucicault's characters are as much fun for the actors as they are for the audience.

Three stars of London Assurance say that they would rather hang around Stratford, Ontario's Avon Theatre stage wings than their own dressing rooms. They says it's not so much about the script (written by Irish lad Dion Boucicault in 1839, when he was 19!) as it is the colourfully named characters they play, led by director and divine scene-stealer Brian Bedford.

"Here and there are wonderful lines: 'Man is the creature of the hour, the dinner hour'. Or here's one we chuckle at: 'Woman is either in love with two things, a man or herself. I know which is more profitable'."

Here's what Seana McKenna, who plays Lady Gay Spanker, says: "It (the text) is not rewarding for an actor as far as the actual words put together, not like a Williams or Shakespeare, but it's a farce, so you have to be caught up in the situation of things, and be willing to go to extremes, so it requires different skills of you. It is always good to stretch that way and be outrageous and try to wrestle the audience from Brian Bedford." she laughs.

Dion Boucicault's London Assurance continues at the Stratford Festival's Avon Theatre to Oct 21.

The copyright of the article Dion Boucicault at Stratford in Playwrights & Stage Actors is owned by Coral Andrews. Permission to republish Dion Boucicault at Stratford in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.