Girl from the North Country, Comedy Theatre, Wednesday May 25th 2022
We saw “Girl from the North Country” at the Comedy Theatre on Wednesday May 25th 2022 at the 7.30pm performance.
For those new to my blog I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre. I buy my own tickets. So if you want a re-telling of the story please refer to the links for further information or for further insights. Note, that I may provide different links for repeated main words or phrases. I write for my memories of what I have seen, and is more of a stream of consciousness.
I write my reviews for my own memories as dementia is hereditary on both sides of my family.
I have not seen many shows this year as I was diagnosed very suddenly with advanced prostate cancer surgery on November 30th 2021 and was operated on successfully on January 4th 2022. Thankfully I am now cleared of cancer.
POTENTIAL SPOILER ALERTS: Please do not read until you have seen the show.
I missed theatre with COVID restrictions for two years (2020-2021) and I had tickets to so many shows during this period. Sadly, the timing was awful, due to my surgery I missed the Australian productions of both “Fun Home” and “Jagged Little Pill”, so I was looking forward to seeing something uplifting. I hesitated wanting to see “Girl from the North Country” due to what I thought were going to be depressing themes, especially the confronting dementia of the Elizabeth Laine character played by Lisa McCune.
I can tell you the Australian production of “Girl from the North Country” is sheer brilliance and lifted my soul to the heavens with gratitude. It was like the snake salesman with a elixir that actually worked!
Conor McPherson wrote the book, and directed this production with compassion and a depth of understanding of the human condition. He has used Bob Dylan’s lyrics and music to not only carry a story but to emotionally transport us in time to fully empathise with the plight of all the characters.
This review is different to my other reviews and is my response to the event, without a critical analysis of the story or characters.
You can read the synopsis elsewhere with links to other articles.
I wrote the following on Facebook:
“Bob Dylan fans - go and see “Girl from the North Country” . You will appreciate the lyrics more than me. Wow - what performances!
I was shocked my partner gave it 8.5/10. It is very emotional and what an ending! My full review for my blog will appear in the next few days. 2022-06-26”
I gave the show a 7/10 as I wish I knew the lyrics better, and I can appreciate why my partner gave it an 8.5/10. If I knew these lyrics it would have added to the context and the emotional journey/arc for each character and sub plot.
The music and lyrics by Bob Dylan are gut wrenching at times and at other times are full of hope. The songs are used to assist in telling the stories of many of the characters and most importantly from an emotional connection to the audience.
The following is a recommendation:
The following is a recommendation from the New York Theatre Guide and they succinctly describe why to see the show.
https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/news-features/a-new-york-theatre-guide-to-girl-from-the-north-country
“Who would we recommend Girl From the North Country to?
Bob Dylan fans that have yet to experience these beautiful new takes on their idol’s greatest hits will surely not be disappointed, along with anyone who likes classic folk music. But for theatregoers who are unfamiliar with the icon’s back catalogue, we’d recommend Girl from the North Country to anyone who has enjoyed Broadway classics the likes of The Iceman Cometh and Long Day’s Journey into Night by Eugene O’Neill, Death of a Salesman and A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller, or A Streetcar Named Desire and The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. If you enjoy a drama, you'll love Girl From the North Country.”
I added the following to the above list: “Carnivale” the television series; and John Steinbeck’s “Of Men and Men” and “The Grapes of Wrath” - either the book, film and/or play versions.
The images and emotions are gut wrenching at times. The pace is usually slow, ponderous, and considered that is suddenly punctuated by high drama. The ebb and flows of the lives of the residents are visually represented in the water projection used occasionally.
MICROPHONE STANDS:
When singing at the microphone stands the performers seem to be angels from heaven. In fact, these microphone stands were the “trumpets from heaven”. This will make sense when you see it - especially take note of the narrator’s final tale. It made me think of the neuro-linguist programming device of placement and especially with the microphone stands as props Yes, it may be a big stretch in my assessment and I could easily see the show again to verify or question my judgement. Wow - judgement, or final judgement is such an appropriate word for the emotional response I had with these heavenly angelic moments.
These angel like moments were similar to a Greek Chorus. The ensemble were individual characters who also become scenery, atmospheres and silhouettes. One of the most obvious was the queue from stage left to right as if on the “susso” queue (sustenance/unemployment/dole”).
When the ensemble gathered in a circle, around a microphone stand upstage-right, they looked down curving their upper backs and created an image of a dome. My immediate thought was that it reminded me of the Sistine Chapel with the angels over-seeing the earthlings. What a short but powerful image: of protectors. I do not know if it was intentional - but WOW - it stirred my soul and warmed my heart.
These gatherings around the microphones also reminded me of the angels of the airwaves - giving hope to their listeners during the depression. The more I reflect on the show the more I think these microphones were the angels’ trumpets.
The other significance of the use of the microphone stand was the intentional raspy/husky voice by the narrator/Dr Walker (Terence Crawford). He only used this voice when narrating while using his natural voice during scenes as the doctor.
The show brought up memories of my mother, born in 1926, who lived throughout The Great Depression in Daylesford. Her mother, my grandmother died in childbirth, both not surviving in November 1933 - the same era as this show. I was reminded of the many images of my mother's stories and how she must have felt as a child during these times. These emotions were captured, with rawness and honoured those who suffered, and those who rallied together for support during 1934 by this BRILLIANT cast. Thank you for honouring Bob Dylan’s lyrics and music, and honouring the battlers from The Great Depression.
MOVEMENT:
Lucy Hind, the Movement Director, has designed and choreographed the movement and dance sequences. It is not your splashy or usual Broadway dance musical. The closest recent equivalent would be “Come From Away” with movement sequences and staging.
The movements rely on folk and country dance styles with an added dimension of a sophisticated vocabulary of gestured choreography. Gestural dance reminded me of choreography by Pina Bausch, Twyla Tharp and Ted Shawn. Ted Shawn was a pioneer in this area of dance.
The movement is gesture based, which is appropriate and pays homage to Ted Shawn who had been a dance pioneer in the 1933 to 1940 period with his wife Ruth St Dennis. He had a male dance troupe in the 1930’s. Ted Shawn’s book “Every Little Movement” is based on the work of Francois Delsarte and gestures.
Mrs Nielsen played brilliantly by Christina O’Neill had a hiccough with the use of the walking stick in one of the final scenes: she relied on the walking stick, then she wasn’t, then she was. I am forgiving her as some people, for example Multiple Sclerosis sufferers have good and bad days with their mobility. I am thinking and hoping Mrs Neilson was having a good mobility day!
Elias wearing a white suit sings “Duquesne Whistle” as if a spiritual homecoming. This showstopper was full of so much sadness counterpointed with so much joy. The gestural “dance” had so much depth of meaning with movements referencing respect, ceremony, religions, memories, remembrance, love, compassion and “touch” (both physical and metaphysical). Wow - I wish I could see it again just to take notes of every gesture from this showstopper, as not one movement was wasted as they had significance that really stirred my inner being.
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/bob-dylan-musical-duquesne-whistle-performance-1176624/
SOUND:
Sound Design by Simon Baker was natural and I did not feel bombarded by any sound levels. He captured the “fly-on-wall” voyeurism requisite as we watched and had to carefully listen to the dialogue. I was so grateful for not having any sound issues with screeching microphones or other annoying sounds.
SCENIC AND COSTUME DESIGN:
Scenic and Costume Designs by Rae Smith were appropriate. I like the physical set pieces of tables, chairs etc being carried on and off by the cast as it highlighted the era whereby everyone chipped in to help their family, friends and neighbours with chores, crops, food, and sharing resources.
The use of the projections and the black curtain allowed for silhouettes to be created by the ensemble. At times the ensemble, a Greek Chorus would become part of the set as if trees or bodies in the background.
The see-through large screens also highlighted our sense of voyeurism - peering into the privacy of this motley crew of residents.
Historically, I found some of the shoes and stockings were too new. Yes, these people had pride but the shoes in particular needed to have been more weather-beaten and used. Some people could not afford shoes, wore hand-me-downs, or no shoes at all.
The same with some of the women’s costumes. Plus any stockings would have been a luxury. Many women used to use different approaches to tan their legs. In WW11 they used to draw a line up the back of their legs as if wearing stockings.
LIGHTING:
Lighting Design by Mark Henderson had the same appropriate quality as per the sound design. Here, the lighting design captured that consistent “fly-on-wall” voyeurism requisite as we watched and had to carefully listen to the dialogue. The lighting gently steered us where to focus rather than creating sharp, jarring lighting changes. Any sudden changes of lighting had a different purpose that reflected the appropriate mood shift.
The final slow fade-out allowed us, the audience, to relish in our gratitude that we do not live in their circumstances. It gave us time to remember this moment. This final fade made my heart swell as tears filled my eyes for these characters. The final minute paid homage to and reminded me of Brian Friel’s play “Dancing At Lughnasa” where the Northern Ireland characters swayed gently. I had the same inner glow with the finale of “Girl from the North Country”.
Andrew Ross led the five piece band who central to the show as they are characters witnessing the events and provide both the soundscape and the background music. Some of the actors also play the drums, or piano (if ever so briefly) within the show. In particular Helen Dallimore and Greg Stone play the drums. Again “that” microphone came out at the drum kit which again, on reflection highlights the angels and voyeuristic nature of the show.
Again the director used the image of the angel with a trumpet (or microphone) representing Judgement Day or Resurrection. Oh how appropriate with at least one scene that I will not spoil.
Below are links to angels with trumpet images:
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/652575
https://www.cityofgroveok.gov/building/page/angel-blowing-trumpet
The following link is of a statue on a national tour and reminded me of the movement sequence of the “susso” of soup kitchen lines.
https://thecentralminnesotacatholic.org/angels-unawares-sculpture-comes-to-minneapolis-in-august/
CAST:
The cast is a true ensemble with each actor having significance to the story either as a named character with a journey, or as an a support to a story line, or as an atmospheric foundation to support the other performers. This is one of the finest pieces of Michael Chekhov “atmosphere” works I have seen. Every ensemble member and the band worked together to create the various atmospheres for each scene.
The singing was heartfelt and deep in emotional connection to the material. The harmonies were gentle that resonated the simplicity of 1934. The crackly wireless sounds added to the image of the microphone stands - as if we were guests in a radio station watching the performers sing live for their radio audience.
I cannot fault any of the singing because any crack (and they were rare) in a voice emphasised the emotion behind each and every song. The singing was not forced and with a sincerity that I have rarely seen in my 57 years of going to the theatre (since 1965).
There are too many stand out performances to list. By doing so would spoil some of the action.
I have been lucky to have seen Lisa McCune in at least six musicals and other television shows. This is easily her finest work as Elizabeth Laine. Do not get in the way of her character as she is on a mission. Lisa McCune pays respect and homage to every dementia patient and their families with her realistic performance. Then she slips comfortably and unobtrusively into becoming an ensemble member.
I have also been lucky to see many plays with Greg Stone, Peter Carroll, Helen Dallimore and Peter Kowitz. Again, what a joy to see such talent all together. By not mentioning every actor does not in any way diminish their contribution. Without each and every member of the cast, band, and backstage and front-of-house crews this show would not work. It is one of the most significant ensemble pieces since “Come From Away" and is up there with the ensemble works that I have seen by the master Peter Brook.
See: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Peter-Brook
What an ensemble of fine talent and an experience to remember!
SCRIPT/BOOK:
I cringed at the use of the words “gay” and “fuck”. Yes, historically “gay” changed meaning over time, but it felt wrong in the context. It was said with the right scornful intent but another disparaging word from 1934 would have had more impact. For example, faggot, nance, Nancy, nancy-boy or others. Plus, from what I have heard many older people talk about with expletives - the use of “fuck” would have had your mouth not only washed out with soap but used the washboard to de-scale your tongue! I understand about updating the language for modern audiences but again each time this expletive was used jarred.
Also refer to the “The Big Book of Filth” by Johnathon Green pages 242.
https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/slang/1930s-slang.html
http://www.unhingedhistorian.com/2013/01/top-ten-awesome-victorian-swear-words.html
The following article states that ‘gay” was used in the USA from 1955. “The Big Book of Filth” says the 1950s.
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/02/how-gay-came-to-mean-homosexual/
Refer washing out your mouth with soap:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washing_out_the_mouth_with_soap
The programme at $25 was a bit expensive for 28 pages that includes some good background information and cast/creative biographies. Thankfully, there were only two full paged advertisements. I would have liked to have the list of understudies or swings. I enjoyed guessing which actor was the cover/understudy or swing for the lead characters as the list was missing from the programme.
I repeat I wish I could see the show again.
Conor McPherson has written a wonderful story and directed a masterful production and deserves all of its Tony Award nominations.
I gave the show a 7/10 as I wish I knew the lyrics better, and I can appreciate why my partner gave it an 8.5/10. If I knew these lyrics it would have added to the context and the emotional journey/arc for each character and sub plot - the show may have received a 9/10 or higher.
My score is irrelevant for it is truly a wonderful show.
