With their production of Love Letters over the past weekend, the West Elgin Dramatic Society brought to the stage a Pulitzer nominated play and two of the actors who were founding members of WEDS, Barry and Monica Snow.
Love Letters by A.R. Gurney is, perhaps, not truly a play – the two characters, Andy and Melissa, are seated for the entire performance at their separated desks, and read the letters, cards and notes that have made up their correspondence to each other starting from grade two and continuing on for the next fifty years. Though the action is completely static, the letters reveal two lifetimes – the joys, disappointments, sorrows, triumphs and failings – connected over the years almost entirely through the written word.
Love Letters by A.R. Gurney is, perhaps, not truly a play – the two characters, Andy and Melissa, are seated for the entire performance at their separated desks, and read the letters, cards and notes that have made up their correspondence to each other starting from grade two and continuing on for the next fifty years. Though the action is completely static, the letters reveal two lifetimes – the joys, disappointments, sorrows, triumphs and failings – connected over the years almost entirely through the written word.
Andy and Melissa are a study in contrasts. From the beginning, Andy takes more naturally to writing and indeed it’s a lifelong love, while Melissa takes more easily to drawing. He is more the conformist and she chides him about that. She is more flamboyant and troubled – he tries to bring her back to art and its grounding effect over the years. He has a life that probably seems quite perfect to the outside world, and when he writes a stuffy Christmas letter she calls him on it and he admits they are likely both just “holding their heads above water in this tricky world”. What shines through the ups and downs, humor and sadness is their appreciation of each other.
Monica Snow, Tracy Gordon, Barry Snow
First performed in 1988, this play has been acted frequently by well-known people including Elizabeth Taylor and James Earl Jones, Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross, Robert Wagner and Jill St. John, to name a few. Without lines to be memorized, it has often fit the bill as a presentation by ‘names’ as a fund-raiser.
Those in attendance at WEDS seemed to appreciate the dedication of director Tracy Gordon and the heart-felt efforts of two actors who were well-known to many in the audience. They managed to convey nuances of character and emotion with impact. For the audience, the experience is a bit like enjoying an audio book in the company of others. The story that unfolds is intriguing and the Snows reading of it allowed the audience to become immersed in the lives of Andy and Melissa.
Those in attendance at WEDS seemed to appreciate the dedication of director Tracy Gordon and the heart-felt efforts of two actors who were well-known to many in the audience. They managed to convey nuances of character and emotion with impact. For the audience, the experience is a bit like enjoying an audio book in the company of others. The story that unfolds is intriguing and the Snows reading of it allowed the audience to become immersed in the lives of Andy and Melissa.
The Friday evening performance was offered in combination with dinner at the Arts & Cookery Bank in West Lorne. The scene for the evening was set perfectly by a flavourful dinner, with the “Love Letters” theme charmingly incorporated into the service of the meal. This is the second cooperative venture of Dinner at the Bank and Theatre at WEDS – it seems to be an inspired idea and one which will hopefully be repeated in future.
Find out more about WEDS, located in Dutton at weds.villagecrierdutton.ca and The Arts & Cookery Bank in West Lorne at www.theartsandcookerybank.com.
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