HOOKED by Carolyn Smart. Passe Muraille Backspace. August 12 at 4:30 pm, August 14 at 11:30 am. See listing Rating: NNNN
Nicky Guadagni portrays four women drawn from Carolyn Smart’s book of poetic monologues: three writers (Elizabeth Smart, Jane Bowles and Carson McCullers) and, the wild card, Unity Valkyrie Mitford, an upper-class Brit who adored Hitler.
The arresting actor makes fine use of the imagistically sharp and often humorous text. A read of the short program notes will give viewers useful background on the quartet. But Guadagni defines each character both vocally and physically, changing from rubber boots and bathrobe for one woman to pearls and white gloves for another.
Under Layne Coleman’s direction, this is a production to savour for its language and performance Guagadni invites us to lean in and listen closely to what each woman has to say.
