PREVIEW
My Darling Judith
St. Albert Dinner Theatre
Jan. 30 to 31 and Feb. 1, 6 to 8 and 13 to 15
Kinsmen Banquet Hall
47 Riel Dr.
Dinner theatre tickets: $55 to $60. Call 780-222-0102 or online at stalberttheatre.com
What does a rich married man having an affair do when his mistress pushes for a divorce? Most men would either break off the affair, or acquiesce and file the paperwork with a lawyer.
In playwright Norm Foster’s comedy, My Darling Judith, businessman David Stafford opts for a more creative solution. Not wanting to lose half his fortune, David targets one of his employees, Carl, to seduce his wife Judith. In return, if Carl succeeds, he receives a huge promotion.
This comedy is St. Albert Dinner Theatre’s second production of the season. It runs three consecutive weekends on Jan. 30 to 31 and Feb. 1; Feb. 6 to 8; and Feb. 13 to 15 at Kinsmen Banquet Hall.
Director Christina Estillore (Little Piece of Heaven and The Regifters) selected Foster's script because of its humour, fluid dialogue, topical subjects and keen insights into everyday situations.
“He’s really very witty. His comedy is not cheap and it’s not obvious. He leaves a lot of room for interpretation depending on how you sculpt it. He has a certain versatility and his plays have the ability to be bold and different,” said Estillore.
The four-actor cast is small and there’s a great deal of subtext to explore, she notes.
“This play is a challenge for the actors. They really have to step up their game. They can’t hide their mistakes in the same way you could in a big cast musical.”
And speaking of actors, the original actress selected to portray Anna, the mistress, bowed out of the production last week. Since Estillore knew all the lines for the part, she’s stepped into the role.
“We did a run through the other day and I did pretty good. It’s been quite a journey. There is a lot of learning going on,” she chuckled.
Since her husband, Arman, is slated to play David, there should be some interesting chemistry on stage.
“This is his second play and normally when we work together he does the choreography. He has an awareness of the entire scene and what’s going on.”
In her debut role for St. Albert Dinner Theatre, Kim Philpott nabbed the role of Judith, a guileless woman with a series of insecurities.
“It’s Judith’s innocence and naiveté that is David’s undoing.”
And finally, veteran actor Rob Beeston is Carl, David’s employee who makes a deal to seduce Judith even though he knows it can go sideways in any number of ways.
“Rob knows how to elevate comedy. Casting him was a no-brainer.”
There is a lot of seriousness in the world at the moment. However, My Darling Judith is geared to making people feel good when they leave the theatre.
“If you’re 25 and over, you’ll find the humour. There’s a nice choreographed dance in the middle and people will relate as women triumph at the end.”
