Take away someone’s livelihood and their seemingly-happy marriage, and there’s no telling what they will do.
And when that person already suffers with emotional scars from a difficult childhood, the resulting feeling of desperation could drive him or her to the brink of the unthinkable.
That’s exactly the premise of Elvis and Mavis, the latest production on stage at Theatre Orangeville.
Written by Jeff Pitcher and set in the 1990s, the play tells the story of Elvis, from the south coast of Newfoundland, who is down on his luck and desperate after losing his job with the departure of the local cod fishery.
Earning a living has become next to impossible and to make matters worse, Elvis is disappointed and disillusioned after his marriage begins to crumble and the politicians elected to look after Newfoundlanders do nothing, in his opinion, to remedy the dire financial state of his beloved province and its inhabitants.
Feeling he is left with no other choice, Elvis (played by Darren Keay) threatens to blow up the Churchill Hydro Dam in Labrador unless the contract between Newfoundland and Quebec is renegotiated.
Meanwhile, his wife Mavis (Jane Spence) sits at home mortified and angry. She is comforted – at first at least – by some tea and lively conversation provided by her close friend Rose (Maria Dinn).
The audience soon learns there may be more than originally thought motivating Elvis, who has additional plans after destroying the hydro dam.
Keay is remarkable as Elvis, in particular relaying the sense of helplessness that seems to be consuming the character during the play’s more dramatic scenes.
And his Newfoundland accent (not an easy one to master) is consistent and spot on, whereas those of Spence and especially Dinn, occasionally drift into something more reminiscent of Jamaican.
Yet otherwise, Spence and Dinn are marvelous in their respective roles. They seem to have great chemistry and are particularly adept at relaying their characters’ conflicting views about marriage, men, society, loyalty and “the Rock” itself.
Billed as “a Newfoundland story that resonates with honesty and humour,” Elvis and Mavis certainly fits the first half of that description. Themes of love and love lost, betrayal, loyalty, infidelity, unfulfilled potential, helplessness and hopelessness will indeed resonate with nearly everyone, Newfoundlander or otherwise.
But it is in the humour department that the play falters from time to time.
That’s not to say there aren’t some laughs, because there are – and it is not uncommon for most dramatic plays to offer up some humour. In fact, if properly timed and suited to the production, these moments can provide a welcome reprieve from the otherwise “heavy” subject matter.
Most often the humour in Elvis and Mavis does fit that bill, but a couple of times poor timing leads to the humour crossing the line between comic relief and inappropriate jokes (not the least of which are the play’s final five words).
But overall Elvis and Mavis is a fine production, featuring great performances.
The set, lighting and costume design by Sarah Scroggie, Steve Lucas and Vandy Simpson respectively are subtle and perfectly suited for the play. The cast seems to have received great direction from David Nairn.
It won’t change your life, but Elvis and Mavis is an interesting story with some very powerful and poignant scenes that deftly explore the human condition. That alone makes it worth seeing.
Elvis and Mavis plays six shows a week until April 13. For tickets call 519-942-3423 or 1-800-424-1295 or visit www.theatreorangeville.ca.
