A Wrinkle In Time - Garrick Theatre
Reviewed by Louis Trembath
The Garrick Theatre Club Inc and Teens at Garrick present A Wrinkle in Time, directed by Gail Lusted and Eden Flynn-Ratcliffe, based on a novel by Madeleine L’Engle, which was later adapted for the stage by Morgan Gould.
The stage and set for the production were decorated with fake trees and stars on the flats, and an incredible design on the rotating stage. The use of dark clothing and aesthetic throughout the production while having the main characters in colourful clothing was a perfect choice, as it showed the audience who the main characters were and that they were ‘different’ from the rest.
The ensemble took on different roles, some of which included the mean school kids and the whispering in the woods. The ease with which they took on their roles should be celebrated, as the ability to shift and change characters, regardless of the reasons, is very important and helpful in developing characterisation.
The main youth actors of the evening include Freda McColgan as Meg, Olivia Keary as Charles Wallace, and Kaiden Breen as Calvin. All three performers took on their roles with enthusiasm and were a delight to watch. An important note to make, however, would be that some areas of the production did lose energy when performers did not project and appeared stoic during important scenes within the production. Kudos to the performers for taking on the roles, regardless.
The supporting actors who helped give the production some extra energy were Piper Gibson as Mrs Whatsit, Kristine Lockwood as Mrs Who, and Fiona Forster as Mrs Which, all of whom played the maiden, mother, crone energies perfectly, embodying their characters with whimsy and charm, despite the hasty exit at the end of the production.
The production was not without its issues, with lighting and sound cues happening too fast or in the wrong places, with actors looking confused and pausing to allow the sounds to pass or end. The first half of the production - which was setting up the story and introducing the audience to the characters and their backstories - occurred both too fast and not fast enough, leaving some audience members confused as to what was happening on stage. As the production continued, however, the performers took on their roles and played them to the best of their abilities, and I cannot wait to see what each performer brings to the table in their next productions.
An overall interesting performance, and if you love productions based on book adaptations or love to support local theatre, this production might be the right fit for you.
Reviewer Note: Tickets for this review were provided by the theatre company.
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