Cause delivers hilarity

Chance encounters. Are they destiny, coincidence or kismet? Are they really accidental?

Most of us know people whose life changed forever in one startling moment when they collided with an unexpected source.

Playing on this small nugget of possibilities, Edmonton playwright Stewart Lemoine’s world premiere of Cause and Effect is a madcap, frothy comedy packed with mystery and intrigue.

Running at the Varscona Theatre until Saturday, June 15, this two-act production kicks off when Preston Tate (Jeff Haslam) stops by his dry cleaners to pick up a coat, only to find the store closed. Across the street at the men’s store, the clerk, Tim (Eric Wigston), tells him The White Eagle has shut down due to high debts.

Short one coat, Preston tries a couple of new ones on for size. However, he cuts his shopping short for a tryst with his secretive European mistress (Beth Graham). Thrown into the mix is Gwen Tate (Davina Stewart), Preston’s wife, a woman filled with barely suppressed rage.

With the exception of Tim, the other three characters have secrets and from the get-go, there is a conspiratorial air to the adventure. Woven throughout the play’s numerous twisting strands and red herrings is a cloak and dagger aura – a quirky nod to James Bond and Sam Spade.

Jeff Haslam, as the aspen-loving geographer in a bad marriage, literally charms the pants off himself. He is one of those character actors who completely gives of himself whether in a seduction scene or curled in a fetal position screaming his lungs out.

And as a long-time practised thespian, he reveals an uncanny ability to deliver an explosion of emotions – confusion, anger, and dejection – using only the barest of facial expressions.

Beth Graham as the shadowy Giuliana Hirsch takes caginess to a new level. Speaking in a mashup of European accents that is at times annoying, Graham is the consummate manipulator effortlessly weaving her prey in a tight spider web. Even though Giuliana is completely odious, Graham has a knack for turning the ugliness into hilarity.

As Gwen Tate, the elegant Davina Stewart has the smallest role. A small part poses challenges in fully fleshing out a character, however Stewart engages with a delightful balance of frustration, spiteful malevolence, fear and ultimate humanity.

Lastly, Eric Wigston as Tim, the most normal of all the characters, is a grounded lynchpin for the wacky characters. Wigston’s non-judgmental character creates a captivating deadpan earnestness and brings a degree of sanity to the otherwise bizarre groundswell of events. Watching him morph from an underdog to debonair man about town is a warm, pleasing moment.

If you’re looking to spend a couple of fun-filled hours, check out this hilarious mind mangler. Just bring your magnifying glass and deerstalker hat.