Theatre's Finest Females in 2006
Five Actresses proved why they are Theatre's Finest
Five actresses had an extraordinary 2006 season - some in theatre's classic roles and some in bold new premieres.
Martha Henry was daunting in Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts and William Shakespeare's Coriolanus at Stratford. Lucy Peacock astonished audiences and critics playing seven different roles in Robert Hewett's Australian mono-piece in The Blonde, The Brunette and The Vengeful Redhead - a Festival hit which returns next season. Shaw Festival's Jennifer Phipps almost stole the show with her inscrutable comedic flair in Lillian Groag's opulent childhood memory The Magic Fire.
Back in Bard country, Domini Blythe delivered a passionate, historical tour de force as a 19th century actress in Peter Hinton's Fanny Kemble, and Seana McKenna and Sara Topham made Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie glisten in a whole new light.
It’s no secret I’m a huge Williams fan and like many I've seen The Glass Menagerie several times.
There’s something about the combo of director Miles Potter, actress Seana McKenna and playwright Tennessee Williams. From Williams' venerable A Streetcar Named Desire to the rarely produced Orpheus Descending, this savvy husband and wife team always get Williams right and 2006’s The Glass Menagerie was no exception.
Seana McKenna brought out another dimension of the iconic over-doting Southern Belle, Amanda Wingfield, with her daring blend of wisecrack delivery and tender poignant moments.
But it was Sara Topham that really moved me as Laura Wingfield. Topham had never seen a live theatre version, or a film version of this Tennessee Williams’ classic.
She simply went to Williams' text to find her inspiration making Laura Wingfield, a young woman to be reckoned with when she genteely rebels against her mother, while being a loving and loyal sister to brother Tom (Steven Sutcliffe) ; yet as breakable as the precious unicorn in her glass collection when she encounters her school-girl crush, in Gentleman Caller,Jim O’ Connor (Matthew MacFadzean).
Sara Topham is my 2006 Best Actress pick for making me see another colour in the prism of Laura Wingfield’s complex psyche.
Topham returns to Stratford for the 2007 season playing Cordelia in King Lear opposite Brian Bedford and Mabel Chiltern in The Ideal Husband, again with Bedford, and Tom McCamus, so meethinks another good season’s in store for this Victoria B.C talent.
**Watch for chats with Lucy Peacock and Domini Blythe, coming soon to The Playwright’s Suite. ***
