The Ladysmith Little Theatre has kicked off its season with a performance that reminds us the greatest gifts of friendship and happiness are right in our own backyards.
Written by the popular playwright Norm Foster, The Gentleman Clothier tells the story of Norman, a lonely bachelor who decides to fulfill a dream of opening his own clothing store and in turn creates a new family within the store
“He’s unhappy with the present and believes his life would be better in the late 18th century so he gets his wish and then finds out that he loses a lot from it – the relationships he’s built up can’t be maintained in that era so he has to make a decision,” said Sherri Wade, who is making her directorial debut.
“It’s ultimately about the connection and everybody wants connection with somebody.”
Wade acted in a Foster play as part of Bard 2 Broadway Theatre in Qualicum Beach and said his writing is hilarious and characters relatable to the theatre masses.
“I had a sense of the language and the way he writes and the pace that’s required because he writes in short sentences,” she said. “I think that a lot of his stuff is based on relationships so I wanted a cast that would enjoy working together. If the cast enjoys working together then the audience enjoys watching them.”
Ladysmith Little Theatre’s production of The Gentleman Clothier stars Bruce Ormond as Norman, Jennifer Barton as Sophie, Lorna Mclellan as Alicia and Kelly Kijek as Patrick.
Norman hires Sophie to work in the store as a tailor. Alicia is a love interest and Patrick is seeking a job to support his young daughter.
“(Norman) ends up creating this family from within the tailor shop,” Wade adds.
She credited the cast in doing a really good job of bringing out the humour and realness of the script.
“Audiences like surprises but they also like to identify with people they’re watching,” she said.
“The themes are the same with each character and is something everybody goes through, loneliness, being down on your luck and wanting something else, wanting more from your life, that’s all really relatable stuff.”
Many of the theatre crew working behind the scenes also took on roles for the first time.
“It was a really good team of people who wanted to learn something new,”
The Gentleman Clothier is on at the theatre until Oct. 14. Tickets are $25, or $20 for members or groups of 10 or more.
For more information see www.ladysmiththeatre.com or call the box office for reservations at 250-924-0658.
