THE GOLDEN GIRLS. Written and directed by Wayne Ronné. Producer: Faeron Wheeler. Sets: Anika Prins. Costumes: Nicky Enticott. Technical Head: Gary Fargher/Gail Duguid-Fargher. Sound: Mark Mwaba. Lighting: Gabriel Goldstien. Graphic Design: Kim R2. Masque Teatre.
SHEILA CHISHOLM reviews
If I was to sponsor a Golden Coronet for Best Comedienne, I’d offer it to Kerith Coulson for her role as Sophia in Wayne Ronné’s production The Golden Girls. It’s helpful, though not essential, to have followed The Golden Girls TV show to appreciate why Coulson deserves this award.
Well – not only is she a petite look-alike to the original Sophia (Estelle Getty). Her mini-step-shuffling-walk, twinkling eyes, handbag handling, and perfect timing of sharp, wicked, witty one-liners kept the play’s humourous pace swimming along. Hers were frequently the wittiest, sauciest, punchlines.
Reigning supreme on TV from 1985-1992, The Golden Girls popularity lay in Susan Harris’s unorthodox script writings unwrapping major political, sexual, social issues of the day. The series ended when Bea Arthur, as sarcastic, sometimes bitter Dorothy, decided the show had run its course. Her co-players, Betty White as kindly and charming Rose, Rue McClananhan, as Blanche with her unashamedly sexual desires and Getty all took new paths.
For Wayne Ronné to craft four episodes from The Golden Girls copy took courage and considerable skill. How fortunate he found a cast as well suited to the original team as he did.
Congratulations to the team!
Tall, gravel voiced Gwendolen Ward slotted easily into Dorothy’s craggy character, as did Tanya Smith fit into Blanche’s sexy role. Glamorous Katherine Fillmore did well as the charming, kindly Rose and Brendon Alexander tackled the dual roles of Lucas and David with suitable restraint. While playing these parts this female quartet modelled gorgeous wardrobes.
I have often complained how too many scene changes cause a loss of audience concentration. Ronné’s setting involved many location swops. However, he avoided ‘losing his viewers’ by introducing two narrators, Lisa Fontaine-Rainen as Narrator 1 and Bridget-ann Mullins as Narrator 2, acting as a foil to Narrator 1.
As efficient crews moved furniture in and around creating colourful new venues, these two jocularly related what to expect in the coming scene. Simultaneously they told tales about the original Golden Girls’ lives.
Ronné and producer Faeron Wheeler, their acting teams, technical crews, as well as their backstage helpers put together an amusing, well-constructed entertaining twinning of the long-time favoured Golden Girls. (However, I would like to suggest that for a future season, Ronné trim his script down to three episodes. Curtain down at 10.45pm is rather late.)
Otherwise …. congratulations to everyone. I laughed a great deal.
What: The Golden Girls
Where and when: Masque Theatre until 1 June 2024
Tickets: Quicket
WS
