Upon entering the Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse, you’re greeted by an elaborately painted clown dressed in drag. You’re handed a sealed envelope containing hand-drawn postcards and photographs depicting exchanges between the playwright, Federico Garcia Lorca and the play’s main character, the Young Man. You sit down and the play begins.
It’s an appropriate beginning to what Lorca himself described as a “legend of time in three acts and five scenes.” As Five Years Pass, the latest production from the UC Drama Program, is surreal from start to finish.
Directed by Guillermo Verdecchia, the play opens on a conversation between the Young Man, played by En Lai Mah, and an old one, played by Christopher Ross-Ewart. The two discuss the Young Man’s love for a girl, but agree that he must wait five years before he marries her.
The rest of the play skips around those five years, dipping in and out of consciousness, as a dead bride mannequin comes to life, a boy dies and is buried constantly, and a sinister trio of card-players stab bleeding aces of hearts. These comprise only some of the series of bizarre events, which take place in erratic sequence. Considering the unconventional plotline of the play, though, this production is by and large a success.
The dialogue is at times weak, causing some of the beauty and insight of the words to be lost in their delivery. Specifically, Mah’s performance is lacking and despite his best efforts, detracts from the energy and dynamism of the show. The rest of the acting, however, is strong—Emily Derr and Clara Pasieka, who both play a number of roles, are consistently impressive in all their incarnations and demonstrate considerable range. Derr’s portrayal of a young boy is especially remarkable as she provides a gentle and nuanced reading of the character.
Lorca was close with surrealist painters such as Salvador Dalí, and their influence is evident in the play’s excellent set. This includes the play’s beautiful tableaux, which are themselves surrealist works of art. Lighting and sound are both employed effectively, creating an ethereal, disquieting environment using little material.
Credit must be given to Verdecchia, a well-decorated playwright, director, and actor with considerable experience in theatre. Certain scenes that are particularly well executed, such as a strange, life-or-death poker game, stand out as a testament to his good direction and vision.
The production stays true to Lorca’s strange, haunting tale, which is purposely confusing and anxious. So while this show may be difficult to watch, its quality is definitely quite remarkable.
Interestingly, though the play was written in the 1930s the UCDP’s staging feels very contemporary. There are distinctly postmodern aspects to the show as a function of both the text and the direction. For instance, the lighting can become self-aware, while the circus tricks are clearly out-of-place. The play also closes on an appropriate note by featuring a well-choreographed dance to reminiscent of “Single Ladies” and “Thriller.”
As Five Years Pass runs at the Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse through March 13. For more information, visit uc.utoronto.ca.
