The Drowsy Chaperone
at Ridley College

Reviewed on March 2, 2019

Keerthana Srikanth
Beamsville District Secondary School
Submitted for publication to The St. Catharines Standard

Everyone has that one recording that they've played for hours on end. It has gotten them through tough times and they know it word for word, so much so that as they listen, it appears to come to life. This was the case for the Man in Chair, as was seen through Ridley College's performance of "The Drowsy Chaperone."

This Canadian-written, Tony-award winning meta-musical is set in the 1920s on the wedding day of the talented actress, Janet Van De Graaf, and the charming oil businessman, Robert Martin. The musical follows this day through various wedding guests, including Mr. Feldzieg, a producer hoping to stop the wedding at all costs. As a conflicted Janet navigates her emotions towards forgoing her life of glamour, love blossoms for the wedding guests as well. This show, that is amusingly self-aware of the musical stereotypes it aims to depict, is narrated, and often interrupted by the witty commentary of the musical-fanatic Man in Chair.

Ridley College's portrayal of this hilarious production was nothing short of exhilarating. It moved through large choreographed numbers such as "Toledo Surprise," and powerful solo performances without a hiccup. The transitions between the musical playing out and the Man in Chair "pausing" it to intervene with his own stories were seamless, almost making you believe that he truly was in control.

The show also represented the time period it was set in, with jazzy music and breathtaking costume design, such as flapper dresses, by grade 12 student Anisa Estrada Karachi.

Perhaps the most memorable part of the school's performance was that of the narrator, Man in Chair, played by grade 9 student, Quinten Neudorf, who was able to exude the animated yet sorrowful character while flawlessly executing his countless monologues.

Another outstanding performance was that of Janet Van De Graaf, by Georgie Murphy, who proved to be a triple threat as she embodied the confident attitude of her character while also completing feats of gymnastics, dance and consistently strong vocals in numbers such as "Show Off."

A performance from the cast that couldn't go without mention was that of the European "king of romance," Aldolpho, played by Abigail Sullivan, who never failed to get a laugh out of the audience. Furthermore, the tap dance sequence between the groom, Robert Martin, played by Jacob Lytle, and the best man, George, played by Jason Li, during "Cold Feets" was completely electrifying.

The talented ensemble and cast that this production held could give any crowd goosebumps, especially in songs such as "Fancy Dress" and "As We Stumble Along (Reprise)".

The extravagant energy of this musical couldn't have been as accurately depicted as it was without the elaborate set. It was able to adapt to outdoor scenes with projections and palm trees, or to the inside of host, Mrs. Tottendale's, home. The colourful lighting was able to emphasize the mood in a variety of scenes and the production carried on effortlessly drawing any attention away from sound malfunctions or stumbled-upon words.

The impact that this show left on the audience was well deserving of the standing ovation it received, and is best summarized in the words of the Man in Chair: "It does what a musical is supposed to do: it takes you to another world. And it gives you a little tune to carry in your head, you know? A little something to help you escape from the dreary horrors of the real world."

Roxana Moise
Governor Simcoe S.S.
Submitted for publication to The St. Catharines Standard

What makes for a good show? Musical theatre has been analyzed and critiqued according to shifting standards for as long as it has existed, but Ridley College's performance of the Drowsy Chaperone proves that at the end of the night, sometimes all a musical needs to be able to do is deliver enough sweetness and jazz to make its audience, however big or small, feel good.

The Drowsy Chaperone, first performed at Toronto's Fringe Festival before opening on Broadway in 2006, is a meta-musical that centres around Man in Chair, a man sitting alone in his apartment with an unspecified sadness. He puts on the cast recording of his favourite old musical, The Drowsy Chaperone, and, through his frequent interjections of show trivia and self-deprecating jokes, guides the audience through the world of the roaring twenties that unfolds, revealing more of his own life in the process. A high-profile wedding, a bumbling villain, a soulful ballad performed to the audience - this well-intentioned parody of the golden age of musicals has it all.

The musical numbers scattered throughout the show varied in style, but all were delivered with the same taste of old-fashioned glamour. Dancing ranged from the impressive tap footwork displayed by best man George (Jason Li) in his attempts to cheer up nervous groom Robert (Jacob Lytle) to the acrobatics of Janet Van De Graaf (Georgie Murphy) as she insisted she was done with showing off, while musical performances included those of hostess Mrs. Tottendale (MaryGeena Prestia) as she showed off her pink dress. Most big dance numbers were performed with a high level of enthusiasm by the cast, and microphones stayed in place remarkably well through the majority of the transitions.

Quinten Neudorf played the Man in Chair with all the charming bumbling that the role entailed, interacting with the audience and giving glimpses into his personal life as the show went on. Laura Rosic brought magnetism to the titular role of the Drowsy Chaperone, the classic Broadway diva of the show who struggled to find love until the appearance of the European lover Aldolpho, played by Abigail Sullivan with dramatic flair and the perfectly-timed dropping of her cane. Raylon Chan and Minji Kang pulled off a tight duo of nefarious gangsters disguised as pastry chefs thanks to well-rehearsed synchronization, balancing their menacing roles with the comedy of the situation.

The balance between the Man in Chair's apartment and the glittering set behind him was tightly maintained until the final number, with the world of The Drowsy Chaperone clearly existing in his imagination despite his forays into the set to mop up a spit-take or unfold a bed from the wall. Ensemble members moved set pieces with purpose and each lighting cue was instant, preventing the energy from lagging during the frequent transitions.

By the time the show ended and the Man in Chair finally joined in the musical world he so admired, the dynamic movement and bouncing energy of the show had made Ridley's performance of the Drowsy Chaperone one to remember.

Leo Paraskevopoulos
Welland Centennial
Submitted for publication to The St. Catharines Standard

Not often do musicals open with the main character expressing their distaste of musicals, but The Drowsy Chaperone is not a typical musical. Written as a "meta-musical," the plot begins with the Man in the Chair (Quinten Neudorf) putting his favourite record on. That record happens to be "The Drowsy Chaperone," a musical set in the 1920s, revolving around a famous actress Janet Van De Graaf (Georgie Murphy) and her wedding day. She must deal with her boss desperately trying to cancel the wedding for her not to retire from Broadway, as well as a chaperone who does not let her see her husband to be before the wedding. As the Man in the Chair spoils, the ending is a happy one, with a wedding coupled with a song and dance number. The dynamic between the musical, the Man in the Chair (who breaks the fourth wall at every opportunity) and the audience creates a truly unique plot to which Ridley College adds their unique flair.

To maintain the spirit of the Roaring '20s, loud music and even louder dancing must always occur, which was true for Ridley College. With 17 dedicated dancers, as well as main cast members, every scene was full of fast-paced choreography. Even outside of dance numbers, the choreography of characters was excellent, with physical actions such as dropping of a cane being perfectly synchronized with the audio of the production. The excellent physical timing also translated to the timing of spoken lines being consistently on cue and projected very well, even with microphones not being used on most characters. The lack of microphones did not reduce the quality of any musical number, with cast members such as Jacob Lytle (as Robert Martin) delivering fantastic vocal performances that projected across the theatre.

To match the grandeur of the subject matter, Ridley College produced equally large sets. Transitions between ballrooms to beaches with palm trees were seamless, with various set props such as pull out beds and airplanes being used to help advance the plot. Of course, the 1920s were famous for their extravagant outfits, and the costumes reflected that. Cast members had multiple costume changes, from bathing suits all the way to wedding dresses. A final underappreciated aspect about The Drowsy Chaperone was the use of physical comedy. Even without jokes being told, the audience was brought to tears by the dramatic expressions of characters, especially with Abigail Sullivan, who plays dramatic, Spaniard lover Aldolpho.

Ridley College expertly explored what it means to be a musical in a combination of comedy, fun and great acting. Every musical number and dance scene were memorable, and the set designs and costumes made it truly feel like the roaring twenties. As the Man in the Chair says, "It does what a musical is supposed to do: it takes you to another world".