arts // no. 6

theotherpress.ca

Play takes audience on an emotional,

reflective, and relatable journey

> ‘Heritage’ play review

Naomi Ambrose
Staff Writer

wee K KY
Huse is a sombre yet lighthearted

reminder about the complexities
that emerge when immigration, female
empowerment, gender, and identity
are intertwined with social class, family
turmoil, love, hopes, and dreams.

The Canadian premiere of Nicola
McCartney's Heritage was held at the
Laura C. Muir Performing Arts Theatre at
Douglas College from November g to 16,
with a cast comprised of Douglas Theatre
students and alumni.

With hopes and dreams as wide as
the Saskatchewan plains, Sarah McCrea—
the protagonist of the play—is a feisty
young Irish woman who immigrated
to Saskatchewan with her family in
1914. Sarah’s hopes and dreams are also
evident in her personality. Her character
is an unusual mix of childlike innocence
sprinkled with a bold, tough girl attitude.

While Sarah recounts her experiences,
her memories, and her interactions with
Michael Donaghue (her male neighbour
who becomes a lot more than just that), she
mostly smiles and speaks with enthusiasm.
However, her girlish innocence is quickly
replaced with boldness as her relationship

 

with Michael deepens. Sarah's character
and personality is a refreshing and
revolutionary representation of a strong
woman in that time period, challenging
narratives from the early twentieth century
that often portray women with subservient
characteristics.

The reimagined stereotypical female
is also evident with Ruth McCrea, Sarah’s
mother. Even though Ruth is generally
soft-spoken with a quiet presence, Mrs.
McCrea isn’t afraid to express her opinions
to her husband. She's especially vocal
in moments where she feels that her
husband Hugh McCrea is weak, stubborn,
and unreasonably determined to stay in
Saskatchewan—despite the economic
hardships they encounter, their son
fighting in the war, and the loss of their
three-year-old daughter.

Then there is Emer Donaghue,
Michael's frail yet outspoken grandmother.
Emer is not afraid to chastise her son Peter
Donaghue about his libertarian parenting
skills with Michael. Emer is also bold
enough to walk to the McCrea’s house
to interrupt dinner when Michael and
his father are dining with Sarah's family.
Grandma Donaghue is willing to speak
loudly and to set new rules to establish
peace between Sarah’s family and her own.

Even though the characters of Sarah,
Mrs. McCrea, and Emer Donaghue

challenge the conventional literary
and media representations of
subservient women in history,
other stereotypical representations
are present throughout the play.
One of these stereotypes is evident
with Hugh, Sarah's father and

Mrs. McCrea’s husband. Christian
Krushnel, Douglas College Theatre
Program alumnus, portrays Hugh as
a stereotypical burly, gruff, tough,
loud, drunk, blunt, and abusive
man to theatrical perfection.

Heritage is also a moving
reminder that moments of levity
can be good coping mechanisms
to deal with economic hardships,
personal trauma, or family turmoil.
The lighthearted moments are
evident in the playful father and
daughter scene when Hugh climbs
up a ladder in his barnyard and :
Sarah quickly climbs up the ladder
to meet her father. They both wave
their hands—presumably at all the
people in the world whom they see from
the top of the ladder.

In another fun scene, Michael
teaches Sarah how to dance a traditional
Irish dance. Sarah and Michael’s dance
eventually becomes a key moment in the
play when the white, bright stage light
shines on them among the darkness of

  

Event poster via Douglas College

 

the rest of the stage—until the bright light
fades.

Over time many of us change. As
time passes, we experience the joys and
sorrows of life, the effects and implications
of change and immigration. Heritage
gives a reflective, dramatic, and impactful
representation of the dynamics of change
in our lives.

You're a less mean one, Mr. Grinch

> ‘The Grinch’ movie review

  

 

'The Grinch’ promotional image

Sonam Kaloti
Arts Editor

kkekKe YY

his Grinch has something very different
to offer from the original—he is not so
much a “mean one’ as before.

The new adaption of The Grinch has
quite a few major twists in the plotline.
This was a pro and a con for many. It was a
pro because we get to watch a brand-new
movie instead of the recycled yearly 1966
classic, which we love but can't say it hasn’t
gotten old. The biggest con was that it
lacks a lot of the essence from the original
animated movie. The joy in Whoville is
there, but it seems somewhat remote and
small. The characters just aren’t as bustling
with energy. The bouncing-off-the-wall
aspect of Whoville is a disappointing
loss. Still, this remake had enough of the
properties of the old movie that watching
this in all its Christmas movie magic made
me feel like I was watching the original as a
child once again.

I watched The Grinch in 3D, which
I deem to be a good feature of the film.
Watching without the 3D would have
removed a whole layer to the movie, since
there are many scenes within the film
where action is popping out of the screen.

The animation is cute and still
has a childhood animated feel to it.

The characters all look cute, fluffy, and

 

huggable. Cindy Lou's hair is a flowing field
of golden wheat, while the Grinch looks
like an HD, freshly-mowed grass lawn.

Narration is done by Pharrell Williams
in such a way that the story sounds hip and
the rhymes are spoken as if they are being
rapped. Benedict Cumberbatch voices a
wonderful Grinch—he doesn't sound like
the original voice actor, but this Grinch
voice is easily able to share the label.

The soundtrack features several tracks
performed by Tyler, the Creator.

Disappointingly, there are some very
slow parts in the movie. After the rush
of the beginning in all its fresh glory, the
middle of the film relies heavily on the
original, and thus on the book by Dr. Seuss,
for the plot. The ending of The Grinch is
the same in theory but different in practice.
The beginning of the movie tells us a lot
about the Grinch’s adorable and loyal
puppy, Max. It also tells us of Cindy Lou
Who's wish for Santa, which is to help her
single mom who is extremely overworked.
Anew backstory tells us the Grinch was
an orphan who never got to have a family,
therefore resulting in him feeling the most
alone at Christmastime. Asa result, he
harbours resentment for the holiday.

By the end of the movie the Grinch
does, of course, have his heart grow back
to normal after years of his heart being two
sizes too small. While not entirely fresh
and yet not entirely faithful to the source,
The Grinch serves as a decently nostalgic
kick-off to the holiday season.