Surrey Little Theatre will kick off its 2011-12 season with the kind of laughs only a bit of family dysfunction can provide.
The comedy At First Sight, a tale of two generations of siblings and a mysterious love interest who turns all their worlds upside down, hits the stage of the little playhouse on 184 Street, beginning Oct. 27.
Written by Anne Pié and directed by June Ainsworth, the play takes audiences through a fast-moving day in the life of a middle class California family.
At 48, Julia Goldman thought she had experienced it all. Although she had been widowed for three years, she was left financially well-fixed with two grown children who were busy with their successful careers.
Life was routine and uneventful for Julia in her Hollywood home. She thought she would just ease into the rest of her days without anything notable looming on the horizon. But an accidental encounter in the cocktail lounge of a posh hotel changes all that, when she meets a man who sweeps her off her feet and then disappears, leaving her with much more than just a fond memory.
The sibling rivalry of her children, plus her own rivalry with her flamboyant sister, Verna, add to the complexity, and to the resolution of her plight.
Surrey’s Michael Ringland takes the stage alongside Langley’s Kate Bergen, Diane Gendron, Philip Hale and Andy Wood , White Rock’s Robyn Bradley and Emily Wilson from Coquitlam.
Director Ainsworth has a long history of British theatre in her veins – acting in her first pantomime at six years old. She started her Canadian theatrical career 30 years ago in Fort St. John and since arriving here has been involved with productions at both Bard in the Valley and Surrey Little Theatre.
“I love the creative process in theatre, whether designing, directing or acting,” she said.
At First Sight runs from Oct. 27 to Nov. 26, Thursday to Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Surrey Little Theatre is located at 7027 184 St. Tickets are $15, with a two-for-one night Oct. 28, and a gala night Oct. 29. To reserve, call 604-576-8451 or email reservations@surreylittletheatre.com.
