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Culture Stage

Review: Heart Of Steel

HEART OF STEEL: A STEEL PLANT MUSICAL COMEDY by Wesley J. Colford (Aim for the Tangent/Next Stage). At Factory Mainspace. Jan 13 at 8:45 pm, Jan 156 at 9:45 pm, Jan 16 at 6:15 pm, Jan 17 at 6:45 pm. See listing. Rating: NN


Despite an intriguing setting, rich themes and a lively score, Wesley J. Colford’s Heart Of Steel doesn’t quite hold up as a show.

It focuses on the women who worked at the Sydney Steel Plant during the time when most of the town’s men were away during WW2. These women include Amelia (Nicole Power), whose plans to leave Cape Breton Island for Toronto are put on hold to work to support her family, even though her stern mother (Elizabeth Jane Scott) thinks the plant is an unsuitable place for a woman. Also, Amelia’s father died at the plant.

Colford, who wrote the show’s book, music and lyrics, struggles to establish all the different characters: a crusty boss, threatening male employees who think women don’t belong at the plant, and a group of other women who are hired on. Most of these are vaguely sketched only Rose Napoli’s Georgie comes through with any clarity or personality.

Amelia herself is also vague, and Power’s low-wattage, weak-voiced performance doesn’t help things. For a character who’s supposed to be so bright and ambitious, it’s odd that Amelia shows up late twice for appointments.

There’s also a weird logic at play. In a small town, surely news of Amelia working in a dangerous job at the plant would travel around after a few months?

The show, directed by Luke Brown with a lack of consistency, is best in its ensemble numbers, where the East Coast flavor of the songs, complete with Amanda Nuttall’s energetic choreography, help pass the time.

But the production lurches uneasily from earnest family scenes to rowdy humour to downright sentimental moments.

Only Napoli, Scott, Jan Smith (as Amelia’s aunt) and Mercedes Morris (as Amelia’s spunky sister) deliver watchable performances in a show that has potential to deliver the heart and steel in the title.

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