I got a real treat last Wednesday night. I attended a dress rehearsal of New Theatre of Ottawa's production of Connor McPherson's St Nicholas at the Cube Gallery. Since it was still a rehearsal, I was only one of two people in attendance and so it felt like the entire tale was directed entirely towards us, which I guess it was... All I ever really want when I go to the theatre is a good story and this show definitely has that going for it. I love watching John Koensgen when he's passionate about the material he's working with. And the simple staging in the Cube Gallery brings with it just the right amount of intimacy to create the perfect creep factor.
Yes, this is a show about vampires. And theatre critics, which frankly can be just as scary.
As a quick aside, the monsters that haunted my dreams the most growing up were vampires. I quickly got over that when Buffy, who was the same age I was at the time, showed me how to kick ass with a roundhouse and a quip. These days, the sparkly vampires have lost their bite (bad pun totally intended), but the simple use of candlelight and Koensgen subtle storytelling had me riveted to my seat.
With Hallowe'en quickly coming up, do yourself a favour and check it out before it's too late!
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And if that's not enough for you, how about a ghost story in an honest to goodness haunted house?
Ok, I'm not one hundred percent certain that Laurier House is haunted, but as the former home of a Prime Minister who held seances a few metres away from where the Turn of the Screw will be taking place, how could it not be?
I haven't seen this show, but they have a pretty website (seriously, check it out!) and the production includes some of the best talent Ottawa has to offer. I am so confident in their abilities that I even helped "turn the screw" and you can too - click on that last link to see how you can make a donation.
Enjoy your Hallowe'en boys and girls! I'll be spending mine in the scary suburbs of Toronto - you know, the areas that got Rob Ford elected. Spooky!