ST. JACOBS – Love in the time of war is always bittersweet, and this is the takeaway from Drayton Entertainment’s Mary’s Wedding, currently playing at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse.
Mary’s Wedding is a dreamy tale about Mary and Charlie, who meet during a thunderstorm while sheltering in a barn. She’s a British immigrant and he’s a self-described “dirty farm boy on a horse.” But their budding romance faces the challenge of war, as it’s 1914 and Charlie decides to join the battle.
The play has a non-linear timeline and goes back and forth in dreamlike fashion from Charlie and Mary’s blossoming romance on the Alberta prairie to the battlefields of France. Ellen Denny and Dante Jemmott are Mary and Charlie, and they do a superb job embodying these star-crossed lovers. Denny also portrays Sergeant Flowers during Charlie’s war scenes, and even though there is no costume change and Denny is a delicate young woman, you completely believe that you are watching the gruff sergeant.
The story unfolds through letters while Charlie is away at war. Mary didn’t want him to go, but he is determined to utilize his equestrian skills in the cavalry. The actors and storytelling are captivating and you are caught up in their tale; like Mary, you are praying that Charlie survives.
This is a two-person show, written by Canadian playwright Stephen Massicote. It is a one-set, no intermission production, with the two characters on stage the entire time.
Special mention should go to set designer Douglas Paraschuk. The cloudy sky, gently-waving prairie grasses, and wooden horse did double duty as the fields of Alberta and the battlefields of France.
Drayton Entertainment seems to be stepping outside of its usual musical and comedy playlist more often, and this is a good thing. Seeing works by Canadian playwrights that tell smaller and more intense stories enhances the show-going experience for regular attendees, and might be just the thing for those who aren’t into musicals or British farces. Mary’s Wedding is a moving and thought-provoking show that is especially meaningful as Remembrance Day approaches.
Directed by David Rogers, Mary’s Wedding has various afternoon and evening shows at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse until Nov. 12. Call the box office at 519-747-7788 or toll-free at 1-855-drayton (372-9866) or online at draytonentertainment.com.
