St. Albert Theatre Troupe showcases How The Other Half Loves

St. Albert Theatre Troupe launches the winter season with a bedroom farce written by one of Britain’s most formidable playwrights.

Tomorrow night, Alan Ayckbourn’s How The Other Half Loves opens at the Kinsmen Banquet Hall for a three-weekend run.

“At the first read-through, I was in stitches. Structurally it’s hilarious. There are a lot of interrupts in the dialogue. A lot of Alan’s humour is because there is so much miscommunication. You can’t help but laugh,” says director Sheldan Ishaq.

Remembered for his character work in The Nun’s Trail and Rumors two years ago, Ishaq returns to the troupe after graduating from the University of Alberta’s drama department. This is his first directing role with SATT.

How The Other Half Loves is played out in a single set, which represents two independent but over-lapping living rooms. Set in 1971, the action takes place in both apartments at the same time.

“Alan loves to play in the round. He writes and develops plays that have a lot of spatial awareness. He loves the dynamic of having many things on the go.”

Ayckbourn was inspired to write this play at a time when he was living in a council flat in Leeds. The identical flats, differentiated only by furnishings, played a major role in his exploration of time and space.

How The Other Half Loves focuses on three couples. Bob and Teresa Phillips are a young couple with a baby living in the shabbier half. The marriage has hit a few bumps and they bicker when Teresa becomes suspicious Bob is having an affair.

Bob is, in fact, having an affair with Fiona Foster, his boss’ wife. Fiona and her husband Frank’s relationship differs vastly from the Phillips. The Fosters are the oldest couple, one that has developed a well-manned, distant and at times cagey relationship.

When Teresa and Frank ask their respective spouses about certain absences, both Bob and Fiona lie. To cover their indiscretions they suggest a third couple, William and Mary Detweiler, are having affairs with others.

But the secrets are ripped apart when both the Phillips and the Fosters entertain the Detweilers on successive nights.

“Alan Ayckbourn really delves into finding character. He wants to show every single angle of adultery. In many plays there is a protagonist and an antagonist. Ayckbourn wants to show there is no right or wrong. There are a lot of complications and the play shows every one.”

One of the biggest challenges for the six actors is the speed of dialogue.

“It’s fast. It’s meaty. There’s never a silence until everyone is off the stage. The lines go ‘bam-bam-bam.’ The actors need to stay focused and be on top of their game.”

Interestingly enough, the actors are all making their debut with St. Albert Theatre Troupe.

“I wanted to create something new. It provides a change of pace and gives everybody who does every show a break,” explained Ishaq for his casting choices.

Chance Heck, as Bob, is a MacEwan University graduate with strong theatre experience and essential stage combat know-how, an essential aspect of the role.

“After I cast Chance, I cast Tara Burgen as Teresa. Physically, she’s very small. Teresa is an amazing contrast to Bob who is big and aggressive.”

Jolleen Undershultz plays Mary Williams with an eccentric, outgoing humour, noted Ishaq.

“She has a little bit of clowning performance background. It’s important for her to use her body’s physicality in this role.”

Her husband William is Chase Comaniuk, a film actor that has studied abroad.

At the auditions, Lori Chenger quickly became the obvious candidate to play Fiona.

“When casting she was a no-brainer. She blew us out of the water. During her monologue, she pretty much looked at us and there was sadness in her eyes and voice. Every move had a purpose. She’s a very intelligent actress.”

And finally Donald Dutlin as Frank is the actor with the least experience and that’s to the play’s benefit.

“He’s the most interesting to work with. Everything he puts on the stage is very real to me. It feels he’s always in the moment and it’s captivating.”

While the period piece is set nearly 50 years ago, infidelity continues to “skyrocket.”

“Ayckbourn shows you the absurd situations and the painful moments. While it’s about cheating and that can be funny, it’s also about something deeper and Ayckbourn does a great job of putting a light spin on it.”