Kanata Theatre is performing The Girl on the Train from Feb. 5-15, and it’s a story that’s sure to captivate audiences.
“I’ve directed about nine plays over the years for Kanata Theatre — this is the most complicated play I’ve ever done,” says director Susan Monaghan. “But it’s also the most interesting psychologically. It’s quite the drama.”
Michael Clarke and Shirley Manh in The Girl on the Train. Photo by Chris Ingley.
“The main theme is the psychology of a young woman, Rachel, struggling with her past demons in order to solve the mysterious disappearance of Megan, who is the girl that Rachel fantasized about,” says Monaghan.
Rachel, struggling to cope with the loss of her job and the separation from her husband, rides the train every day, pretending that she’s going to work. She usually sees Megan, a random girl she sees on the train everyday, and projects a fairytale life onto her — the life Rachel wishes she has.
But when Megan suddenly goes missing, Rachel’s caught up in a mysterious and shocking turn of events.
While The Girl on the Train was a blockbuster film, as well as a successful novel, Kanata Theatre’s performance is somewhat different from these other versions. Monaghan says that especially as a director, there’s a freshness that comes with the on-stage interactions.
Shirley Manh in The Girl on the Train. Photo by Chris Ingley.
Monaghan says that each of the chapters in the novel is written through the perspective of one of three women about the men in their lives. In the play, however, there are three women and four men, each taking up a specific role with certain perspectives on stage.
“It’s such a different perspective because you have to see the play from everyone’s point of view,” she says. “I direct a lot of the interaction between the characters, and try to get the audience to understand what the dynamics are.”
This isn’t Monaghan’s first time directing a show for Kanata Theatre, as she has prolific experience with other local companies as well. She says one of her favourite things about interacting with a local cast is bringing interesting characters to the stage.
“We also had some fun,” she says. “We brought in some extras between the scenes to do passengers waiting for the train, and one of our members said she had a little girl who wanted to do it. So, I thought, ‘mothers and daughters wait for trains as well.’ That was kind of fun.”
Shirley Manh and Chrisholm Pothier in The Girl on the Train. Photo by Chris Ingley.
Monaghan also says that they hired a combat specialist since there are some scenes which depict physical violence.
“That was pretty amazing,” she says. “The one thing [the combat specialist] told us was the one who’s being hurt is the one in charge, they’re the ones controlling the action, although when you’re sitting there in the audience looking at it, it’s pretty scary.”
Monaghan hopes that audiences are able to suspend their disbelief while taking in this thrilling performance.
“I’m just hoping they’ll be mesmerised, and if they have read the book, that they’re satisfied with this depiction of it ” she says. “And if you haven’t read the book, I think you won’t know what hit you.”
Make sure to catch Kanata Theatre’s performance of The Girl on the Train from Feb. 5-15 at the Ron Maslin Playhouse. Get your tickets online, or at the Box Office by phone at (613)-831-4435, or by email at boxoffice@kanatatheatre.ca. For more information about the show, visit Kanata Theatre’s website.
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