The gift of laughter is one that keeps on giving, with the belated Christmas present of pantomime.
This across the pond holiday tradition, which is always performed after Christmas Day, is typically based on a nursery rhyme or a fairy tale and features topical songs, tableaux, and dances, along with a lot of laughs. It's a hilarious and heartfelt holiday tradition that the Shawingan Players has been putting on at least every other year since 2005. This year they are putting their best paw forward with their production of Puss in Boots directed by Laura Faulkner, which promises to be the cat's pajamas at it graces the Duncan United Church stage from Dec. 26 to 31.
Faulkner, who is originally from Northwestern Ontario, has been living in the Cowichan Valley since she was 10. She attended Cowichan Secondary and then spent half of her Grade 12 year at Frances Kelsey Secondary, where she was part of the first graduating class. Her journey with the Shawnigan Players began in 2013 when she attended their production of Albertine in Fives Times and noticed in the program they were holding auditions for their upcoming production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
"I was keen to get back into theatre, and I love Shakespeare, so I auditioned," said Faulkner. "I played Olivia that summer, and I’ve been involved with the players ever since."
Faulkner, who was last seen playing the role of Valentine in Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona this past summer, has directed four plays to date including Tom Stoppard’s The Real Thing, Shakespeare's Hamlet inside the intimate walls at the Duncan Showroom as well as the two past pantomimes Cinderella and Rumpelstiltskin, which was the the first play she helmed in 2014, as she celebrates a diverse and divine decade of directing.
"Directing is fun because you start with an idea or a picture in your head, and all these people agree to help you turn it into a show," said Faulkner. "It’s an incredible feeling to find you have a team of people working to help make your ideas come to life. It always ends up different from what you imagined, because other people add so much! It is scary, though – I’m more nervous holding auditions for a show I’m directing than when I’m auditioning for an acting role. Being in charge is not my comfort zone. I love acting because I get to let go of my own sense of self and let the character and the story take over, and the director guides the whole process. I prefer acting, really, but sometimes I really get taken with a play and want to share it with people, so then I direct. I especially like to direct pantomime because it’s so outrageously silly."
Faulkner is thrilled to be bringing all the charms of Puss in Boots as she directs her third pantomime.
The Puss n Boots pantomime is based on the original European fairy tale about an anthropomorphic cat who uses trickery and deceit to gain power, wealth, and the hand in marriage of a princess for his penniless and low-born master. This tale demonstrates several classic features of fairy tales such as the enterprising helper (Puss in Boots herself), the hero, and the beautiful princess, all wrapped up in a ‘rags to riches’ story in which Puss's master Tom goes from humble beginnings to becoming part of the nobility, with the plucky Puss being rewarded for her cleverness.
"Puss in Boots is one of my favourite fairy tales," said Faulkner. "I love a good rags-to-riches story and the charm and cleverness of Puss. I love how her tricks help her 'master', Tom, achieve the goals he didn’t know he had — plus I’ve always been a sucker for a talking cat."
Who hasn't?
Playing the titular talking fabulous feline is the talented Lara Brunschot who has an extensive background in theatre and dance, and was last seen playing the role of the lovely Lady Rosaline at Gem O' the Isle this past summer in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost.
"Lara’s background as a dancer and benevolent trickster allows her to have a lot of fun with this role, she can really cat it up," said Faulkner.
Playing the languorous daydreamer Tom, Puss’s human counterpart, is Bowie Farquharson who Faulkner says, in contrast to his character, is actually a very hardworking and active young actor who is also currently rehearsing Newsies with the Frances Kelsey drama department. Playing the princess is longtime Shawnigan Player and Chalkboard Theatre alumna Lily Wilson, who recently graduated from Victoria's Canadian College of Performing Arts.
"We’re very fortunate to have a few former Chalkboard Theatre members join us this year, including Aiden Adzich as Dick, Tom’s brother, and Kael Reintjes in a bunch of roles," said Faulkner.
Local theatre enthusiasts will recognize the faces of many of the town's skilled thespians from both Shawnigan Players and Mercury Theatre productions including Rob Foell, Sarah Chapeskie, Dan Leckey, Laura Sirmul, Roland Grahame, Aaron Livingstone as well as Alex Gallacher who plays the Widow Miller and Shawnigan Players president Bill Levity as the particularly obstinate donkey.
"They all can sing, they can dance, they can act and ham it up and they are all fearless," said Faulkner. "Cathy Schmidt, our wonderful choreographer and stage manager, has brought all kinds of goofy stuff to the rehearsal room — she blames me, but we all know better — and the cast has just jumped right in to take on every challenge. Everyone has been willing to lend a hand with production duties or to offer extra skills, and the teamwork and goodwill in this group has just been a delight to witness."
Levity who directed last year's Robin Hood pantomime said that since the theatre group's inception in 1977, pantomimes have been one of the things that they most enjoy putting on, and find great satisfaction in bringing joy to people of all ages. It especially works best and brings the magic alive when little children are in the front row and close to the action where they can boo the villains and cheer on the heroes.
So if you have kids be sure to make it a purr-fect outing for them and arrive early for this production that is sure to be both the talk of the town, and the cat's meow.
Puss in Boots will play at the Heritage Hall at Duncan United Church at 7 p.m., on Dec. 26, 27, 28, and 30 and will have two 2 p.m. matinees on Dec. 29 and 31. Tickets are $15 and will be available online at tickit.ca, as well as in person at Ten Old Books.
When asked what she hopes audience members will take away from this timeless class, Faulkner said: "Always carry a saucepan, never underestimate a girl who loves amphibians, and above all trust your cat — because really, when did a cat ever lie to you?"
