I was fortunate, on Valentine's Day, to have a husband who was interested in going to the theatre without having to drag him kicking and screaming. We attended a performance of the West Coast premiere of Charles Evered's "Celadine" at the Colony Theatre in Burbank. First of all, I didn't even know there was a theatre next to the Burbank mall. Secondly, I was impressed at how charming and intimate the theatre was. Certainly a change from some of our past theatre experiences at larger venues such as the Ahmanson or Pantages.
Artistic Director Barbara Beckley welcomed the audience and spoke briefly before the show of the wonderful support the community has provided. The Colony Theatre celebrates is 35th anniversary season. Looking around the audience, I speculated that many of the long-time supporters were among the crowd. There was a feeling of pride that this theatre has been able to entertain audiences for so many years.
"Celadine" is a story that takes place in 17th century London. It tells of a woman playwright, Celadine, who may be considered ahead of her time and gets entangled in espionage and a case of treason. While the story itself begged for a little more tension and drama, it had its moments of comedy (warning: mature content that might make you blush and giggle) and emotion. The cast members offer strong and entertaining performances. So much so that when it was over, I hardly noticed that two hours had passed by.
Evered's desire to create a role that allowed a female actor to go beyond being an "ingenue" or a "matron," and Giselle Wolf's performance as Celadine, are both refreshing and appreciated.
Overall, we were pleased with our experience at the Colony Theatre, and we're looking forward to their next production of "Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living In Paris."
-Julie
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