The Perils of Persephone pits a crafty rural farm family against the bureaucratic devious machinations of government spin doctors in the latest amateur theatre offering from Ottawa’s Little Theatre.
Playing in a government town this amusing comedy had resonance with its audience on opening night. Still ironing out some first-night jitters the production clearly appealed to fans of the folksy and whimsical.
The story opens with a heat wave sweeping the township of Persephone where resides the Currie family farm of Eldon (Ian Stauffer), his wife Marg (Nancy Thompson), daughter Wendy (Chantal Despatie) and Eldon’s brother Orval (John Balsevicius). The small-town political ambitions of Eldon see farm duties neglected much to the chagrin of his brother Orval.
Set entirely in the Currie family kitchen – and an impressively authentic and detailed set design by David Maglardy it is – the action is thrown in to high gear when a transport tanker crashes leaking seemingly toxic waste in to the air and the region’s water supply.
Local MPP Henry Burford (Harold Swaffield) soon arrives to “take control” of the situation with his “people” only for the Curries to be sidelined in their own home and a complete charade of communications and double-crosses to unfold. Is the contamination authentic, can the situation be leveraged for political gain, will the Curries be disadvantaged by the political city-slickers? Fans of down-home theatre can find these answers and more as Dan Needles’ Perils of Persephone unfolds.
Note: Apt613 has TWO pairs of tickets to see this production on any remaining night between now and October 4 (subject to availability). The first two people to send an email to: apartment613 [at ]gmail [dot]com will win. Please use “Perils of Persephone” in your subject line.
Perils of Persephone runs until October 4 at Ottawa Little Theatre (400 King Edward Ave). Click here to buy tickets.
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