Shaw meets masks in Wakefield’s wild new comedy

Tashi Farmilo

Theatre Wakefield’s upcoming production of Androcles and the Lion opens November 21 at the Wakefield Community Centre, promising a comic and visually striking take on George Bernard Shaw’s classic. Based on the old fable about a man who pulls a thorn from a lion’s paw, only to meet the same lion later in the Roman Colosseum, Shaw’s version takes sharp aim at religious and political hypocrisy, all while keeping the laughs coming.

This isn’t your typical Shaw. Directed by Catherine Edwards, the show is performed in full commedia dell’arte style, with actors in handmade theatrical masks and big, exaggerated movements. “The characters are over-the-top, kind of like Monty Python meets ancient Rome,” said Edwards. “We’re using masks to really lean into the absurdity and satire Shaw was going for.”

It is the first time Theatre Wakefield has produced a masked play. Thanks to a grant from Canadian Heritage, the company brought in professional mask-maker Clelia Scala from Kingston to help the cast design and build their own masks. They also hired Attila Clemann, a graduate of the École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris, to coach the performers in mask and movement. Clemann currently teaches theatre at the University of Ottawa.

The prep began in the summer when Theatre Wakefield hosted mask workshops for both kids and adults. Participants were encouraged to try acting in mask, even if they didn’t want to commit to being in the play. That low-pressure invitation brought in lots of first-time performers. “Half the cast had never acted before,” said Edwards. “They came for the workshops and ended up loving it so much, they auditioned.”

Paola De Rose, who plays Spintho, a scoundrel who tries to secure a last-minute ticket to heaven, said the role appealed to her love of physical activity and creativity. “I’m sporty, and I like doing hands-on things. This brought it all together.” Ten-year-old Francis, who joined the kids’ workshop, noted one big difference from other plays. “You can’t show your face, so you have to use your body to show how you feel. It’s fun and kind of tricky.”

Performances run November 21, 22, 28 and 29 at 7 pm, with a matinee on November 30 at 2 pm at the Wakefield Community Centre, 38 Riverside Drive. Tickets are available at www.theatrewakefield.ca.

“This play might be 100 years old, but it hits home,” said Edwards. “Shaw asks tough questions about how we treat people who are different from us. It’s clever, it’s funny, and it makes you think. That’s what great theatre should do.”