THE SMALL ROOM AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS by Carole Frechette (Tarragon, 30 Bridgman). To April 8. $21-$51, some discounts. 416-531-1827. See listing. Rating: NNNN
It’s worth the trek to the top of the Annex to see The Small Room At The Top of The Stairs, Carole Frechette’s gripping take on the famous Bluebeard tale.
Grace (Nicole Underhay), a pretty and perky blond named after a princess, has swiftly married her Prince Charming, Henry (Rick Roberts), and moved into his 28-room home. This pleases her put-upon mother (Sarah Dodd) but worries her sister Anne (Claire Calnan), who questions how well she knows the man.
Turns out Grace has some doubts, too, especially concerning the room Henry has asked her never to enter. What’s behind the door?
Frechette and the focused actors set up the situation efficiently, and director Weyni Mengesha stages it superbly on Astrid Janson’s spare design. Thanks to Bonnie Beecher’s moody lighting and Thomas Ryder Payne’s surprising sound, the set evokes the long hallways and staircases of the mysterious mansion.
The playwright’s language – translated by John Murrell – is richly suggestive, especially in capturing the violence lurking beneath Henry’s words. She’s less successful in reaching for a broader social context for Grace’s suffering. A storyline about global strife – contrasted to Grace’s pampered First World white-girl problems – feels tacked on for significance.
That doesn’t take away from the eerily atmospheric production and the fine performances that turn this fairy tale into a very contemporary living nightmare.
