The 1986 release of The Adventure of Faustus Bidgood marked the birth of Newfoundland cinema. Starring several well-known Newfoundland artists-including CODCO comedy troupe members Andy Jones, Mary Walsh and Cathy Jones (known for their popular CBC comedy series in the ’90s)-the movie is credited for kickstarting the film industry in that province. Yet despite its important place in Canadian cinema, the film never received a major release, and has been seen by relatively few Canadians. In their stage adaptation of the film, The Graduate Centre for the Study of Drama presents an admirable attempt to capture the essence of the original.
Through a series of vignettes, songs, and dances, Newfoundland civil servant Faustus Bidgood (played risibly by Gord Noel) fantasizes becoming the first president of the Republic of Newfoundland and Labrador.
In the spirit of CODCO’s collective approach to theatre, a chorus acts, sings and dances the story. Furthermore, the chorus performs stagehand duties, as they manipulate the set and props to match their storytelling. Their work presents some of the play’s most comedic moments-including a notable number from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in which they dance around the stage as carefree fish, only to be reeled in by a maniacal fisherman who carelessly throws their carcasses onto the floor of his boat.
Unfortunately, the play’s self-deprecating Newfoundlander humour is often lost on a mostly Ontarian chorus. Potentially comedic moments where half the chorus attempts bogus Newfie accents while the other half retains their Ontarian mannerisms are awkward. The exception is Newfoundland native Roxann Lee, who has a genuine accent and a clear understanding of the humour of her region. Lee is especially captivating as she re-enacts the Bidgood family lineage-she brilliantly transforms herself from a ranting Scottish preacher one minute to an old biddy the next.
Also of note are Cory Doran as Eddy Peddle and Josh Weale as Fred Bonia-Coombs. The pair demonstrates an appreciation for the East Coast style of comedy as they tell the story of a Newfoundlander masquerading as a Spaniard from Vancouver.
The main characters’ 1980s-style orange and brown costuming replicates elements from the film, but these outfits seem incongruous with the quite contemporary neon-green and hot-pink uniforms of the chorus and the geometric black and white set. Such inconsistencies are somewhat distracting, but fortunately do not undermine the comedic elements of the play.
Though the film of Faustus Bidgood might not be available for rental at a local video store, this stage adaptation presents an enjoyable alternative. The play is clearly torn between presenting the heart and soul of the original, and presenting a contemporary (dare we say Ontarian?) perspective of a Newfoundland classic. Luckily, in the interpretation from screen to stage, the humour has remained intact, and as such, the production is a sure crowd-pleaser.
