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Alex Pipes

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Speak Up

Wow.

Check out the local entertainment scene -- it's ON!

Over the next month in Metro Moncton, there are so many shows to see, that it will be a challenge to choose between them. So don't -- go to everything!

It seems that every time we turn around we're hearing that tickets are now available for some great entertainment, so there is certainly no excuse to say there's 'nothing to do' in our city. Whether it's a high school show, a play produced by a local theatre group or an international celebrity at the Capitol, there is a wealth of choice for supporters of our theatre community.

This week I'm going to tell you all about a play opening next week that should make you think, squirm a bit and remember the angst of falling in love; all at the same time!

You may recall that last summer Moncton's brand new theatre group, Ghostlight Productions, staged its maiden production of "RENT" on the Harrison Trimble stage. A great time was had by all, and fans of Ghostlight have been impatiently waiting for its next venture. Well, good news! Ghostlight has been rehearsing all fall and we are finally ready to dazzle Moncton audiences with this month's production of "The Shape of Things" by Neil Labute.

How far are you willing to go for love? For art? How much are you willing to change for the one you love? And what price would you be willing to pay?

These questions are the basis for Neil Labute's play, (and later, his movie version of) The Shape of Things. The plot centres on the lives of four college students -- Evelyn, Adam, Phillip and Jenny -- and their emotional and romantic entanglements.

After a chance meeting at a museum, Evelyn and Adam embark on an intense relationship that causes shy and principled Adam to go to extraordinary lengths, including cosmetic surgery and a betrayal of his best friend, in order to 'improve' his appearance and his character.

Evelyn's relentless, and often insidious, manipulation eventually transforms Adam into a completely different person. Only in the final and shocking conclusion does Evelyn reveal the true nature of her interest in Adam.

I can personally guarantee that this play will leave you heart-broken and maybe even mangled on the floor, but such is the power of the writing that you will love being made miserable.

The Shape of Things paints such an unflinching picture of love and life that you will find yourself in every scene and in every character. It is a brutal and refreshingly honest account of art as life and life as art, and you will leave the theatre with your eyes wide open. This play will make a profound impression on everyone in the audience. It represents everything that is powerful (and complicated) about the nature of love.

Directed by Bill MacGillivray and starring stage veterans Jenna Gaudet, Marc Basque, Anna Doucet and Peter Hammond, the acting is superb. Gaudet and Basque play off each other with unmistakable talent, delivering unforgettable and devastatingly realistic performances. Doucet and Hammond support brilliantly, and the entire cast make this show what it is: a work of art. This is an edgy, emotionally charged drama, not for the faint of heart!

Ghostlight will present The Shape of Things at Theatre L'Escaouette next week. The show plays on Nov. 26, 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at Theatre L'Escaouette (Botsford and Mountain Rd.), the Capitol Theatre, Frank's Music, or at the door (but seating is limited so it would be best to pick up your tickets ahead of time). Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors.

The Shape of Things is my first venture as a stage manager rather than an actor. Years on the stage have given me a pretty good idea of what a stage manager does -- or so I thought -- but I now know first-hand what it feels like to wear about seven hats. It's been challenging, but so worth it!

As a member of the Ghostlight Troupe, I would obviously recommend that you see this show, but as an 'arts' columnist I can guarantee that this is a play unlike anything presented by young actors on a Moncton stage in a very long time -- if ever.

I must caution the audience, however; the language and some scenes are not appropriate for all audiences. I would NOT recommend this show for those younger than 14 years old or for those sensitive to explicit sexuality or coarse language.

The Shape of Things is a wild and passionately real account of art and life, and is absolutely brilliant in its production, casting and storytelling. I hope to see you all there as I am confident you will really enjoy this play.

Stay tuned for further columns about upcoming theatre productions for all audiences. Lately there is drama everywhere, and those of us who have theatre running through our veins are definitely in our happy place.

Next week be sure to take in The Shape of Things...and I'll see you at the show!

* Alex Pipes graduated from Riverview High this spring. She is a veteran of the local arts scene.