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Culture Theatre

Review: Dalton And Company

DALTON AND COMPANY by Paul Dunn (Cart/Horse). At the Theatre Centre (1115 Queen West). Runs to February 28, Tuesday-Saturday 7 pm, matinee Sunday 3 pm. $25, Tuesday pwyc. 416-538-0988, theatrecentre.org. Rating: NNN

Favouritism in the backbiting world of academic politics anchors Paul Dunns Dalton And Company, a dramedy with a kick but one that needs further fleshing out.

At its centre is celebrated author and creative writing teacher Daniel Dalton all we get to see of him is his office door in an unnamed ivory tower institution. Surrounding him, paying court, are Karen (Catherine Fitch), his long-term personal assistant Linda (Julia Course), his researcher and thesis advisee and Randy (Andy Trithardt), his teaching assistant.

Things heat up with the arrival of Charlie (Marcel Stewart), whos studying technical writing but thinks he might be better at original compositions. Through a mixture of charm and cockiness, he inserts himself into the academic Dalton club, changing its very nature.

Director Matthew Gormans production captures the strengths and weaknesses of each of the four characters, and each has a chance to take the spotlight. Stewart nicely leaves us unsure, at least initially, whether Charlie is consciously scheming or simply naive, though the figure would be richer if Stewart were later to show the occasional colder touch. Courses Linda, who condescends to Charlie and idolizes her mentor, has a powerful scene of shock and anger when her fantasy dissolves.

Fitch, a talented actor Id like to see onstage more often, demonstrates both tenderness and firmness as the besotted woman behind no, insists Karen, beside the great writer. Trithardt has the plays best speech, in which Randy answers the shaken Charlies request for help with a snide response thats part wind-up and part put-down.

Whats lacking, though, is more depth for all four characters. We see them in specific moments of their lives but theres not much sense of what brought them to those points or how sharp the competition is between them.

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