REVIEW: THE FORTUNE TELLER
Age Suitability: Parental Guidance (ages 13+)
Genre: Theatre—Comedy
Run Time: 60 mins
Venue: The Westdale
A professional Fortune Teller is about to start a séance when her haughty teenage niece bursts in and tells her “my mother says I have to live with you now.” A client comes in, who wants to contact his late wife. The niece's dirtbag boyfriend turns up. No crystal ball could have seen this coming...or could it?
Playwright David Laing Dawson delivers a fairly predictable but nonetheless humorous play with a varied cast of characters who have plenty to say about life, love, age and the great beyond. The scenes are centered at the fortune teller’s table where the dialogue and ensemble members are the focus and director Ronald Weihs takes great care to ensure his actors are well-staged and the characters are fully realized and succeeds in doing so.
Each cast member has their moment to shine: Jen Frankel as the mystical aunt Anita almost floats across the stage as she moves and her interactions are equal parts nurturing and no nonsense. Luis Arrojo as Mr. Smith nails the awkward situation moments with his reactions and interjections as he's pulled in deeper to the family drama. He received loud, appreciative laughter throughout the show from Sunday’s audience. Graham Clarke excels as the neon clad, antagonizing boyfriend who challenges Anita at every opportunity. Clarke and Frankel have the best moments in the show when pitted against one another. I hope to see more from Clarke in the future who has shown great instincts as an actor in this production. Finally, newcomer Amy Ryan has a great debut portraying the sassy and uncertain Jordyn, the niece who tries to piece together her young teenage life, her family history and reveal things that may, or may not, be true.
A quirky comedy from Artword Theatre that has insightful and, at times, hilarious things to reveal. Be sure to check The Fortune Teller out. I predict audiences will enjoy what it has to offer.
