Sidekick Players continues its season of all-Canadian productions with The Best Brothers set to hit the stage next week.
When a free-spirited woman dies unexpectedly, her two middle-aged sons bicker over her funeral arrangements, her personal effects and her feisty Italian Greyhound. Unearthing decades’ worth of buried rivalry, they ponder meaningful questions like: Who did she like best and who gets the dog?
An eccentric modern comedy by Daniel MacIvor, one of Canada's most celebrated playwrights, it deals with life, death, aging parents and brothers who simply refuse to grow up... or don't know how to stay young.
“It’s very funny, but it’s a black comedy,” said director Carroll Lefebvre.“There are times you really want to laugh, but aren’t sure you should.”
The brothers are Hamilton, played by Jeff Pannell, and Kyle, played by Todd-Elliot Gates.
“It’s been a real journey for all of us during rehearsals, with lots of discussion and soul searching at times,” said Lefebvre, who is being assisted by Bernice Fehr. “At first I was worried with the thoughts of just two characters on stage, but it’s been a lot of fun. They both get along really well together. I laugh all the time.”
Gates came aboard in Sidekick’s second season, while Pannell has been with the company for six years, so both are well established with the community theatre group.
The Best Brothers is the first MacIvor play Sidekick has produced.
“The Best Brothers has been done a lot and when I was reading up on him, many of his plays are based on his real life experiences, so I’m quite enjoying this. We’re looking at more of his work in the future,” said Lefebvre.
In addition to his film and theatrical credits, MacIvor wrote the libretto to the opera Hadrian. His plays include Never Swim Alone, This is a Play, Monster, Marion Bridge, You are Here, Cul-de-sac and A Beautiful View.
MacIvor has won a coveted Governor General's Award for drama.
“MacIvor’s plays are a challenge – a challenge for me and for the actors,” said Lefebvre. “Why I like doing Canadian plays is when you look at the script you don’t have a million directions like you do with American or British plays. It’s here is the script and the director has almost free will as far as staging goes to do what she or he wants, so that’s what I love about the Canadian plays is that it gives me some creativity as well.”
The Best Brothers opens a two-week run at the Tsawwassen Arts Centre on Wednesday, April 17. There will be 8 p.m. performances from Wednesday to Saturday both weeks with the play closing on Saturday, April 27. There is a matinee on Saturday, April 20 at 2 p.m.
Reservations are highly recommended as performances sell out quickly.
Tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for seniors (60+) and students (12 to 18). Reserve by calling 604-288-2415.
