REVIEW: The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine simmers just below the surface
iPhoto caption: The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine production still by Curtis Perry.
Ottawa’s Great Canadian Theatre Company (GCTC) is providing the perfect reason to celebrate in a hot, cramped basement.
The theatre has opened their 50th anniversary season with a Canadian comedy called The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine (which, to be clear, is staged in the lovely Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre). Created by Robert Morgan, Martha Ross, and Leah Cherniak, the play is fun, physical, and filled with talent. But while it certainly induces laughter, some of its strong design elements paint the actors into a corner, at times making the comedy feel more manufactured than natural.
Ernest and Ernestine are hopeless romantics, trying to turn a dark subterranean apartment into their first home as a couple. Soon after moving in, they start discovering little annoyances, and unchecked anger slowly boils to the surface. Ernestine’s messiness gets under Ernest’s skin; Ernest’s tardiness throws Ernestine into a frenzy. Through a series of vignettes, we witness the relationship transform under the pressure of cohabitation.
Toronto’s Theatre Columbus (now Common Boots Theatre) used improvisational techniques to create the play. When producing the text, a lot depends on the actors’ skills in physical comedy and clown, and Drew Moore and Maryse Fernandes (Ernest and Ernestine, respectively) bring plenty of expertise. Moore dazzles with authentic charm and engaging physicality. Fernandes artfully plays ridiculous without going over the top.
That said, a few acting choices make some scenes drag on a bit long. Near the beginning of the play, Ernestine’s last-minute rush to work frequently interrupts Ernest’s carefully calculated morning routine. We see multiple mornings play out in a row, each with a minor variation. This bit could benefit from Moore taking a more gradual shift in tone. He leaps quickly from slightly thrown to disgusted, making the rest of the sequence feel unnecessary. I “got it” too quickly, and for the rest of the bit was left chuckling along rather than laughing from the gut.
Rarely was I less than riveted, but when those moments happened they were usually caused by design or directorial decisions. The visual style at times feels layered onto the text rather than organically integrated. GCTC’s Sarah Kitz shared with the opening night audience that the show’s director, Geoff McBride, wanted to “direct a cartoon.” That’s immediately apparent from Sarah Waghorn’s set and props design and Vanessa Imeson’s costumes. The apartment is covered in primary colours, and the characters sport super frilly clothing. These aesthetics keep us at slightly too far a distance from the emotional heart of the story to fully engage with it.
In clown shows, the audiences often play along as co-conspirators: The performers use tools like mischievous glances and asides to make us feel as though we’re in on the game. No matter how ridiculously they behave, we empathize with the characters on some level, mainly because we’ve been granted proximity to some deeper emotion. In The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine, we definitely feel part of the action sometimes, like when Fernandes performs a magic trick, or when Moore dances with a broom-turned-guitar. But those instances appear in flashes, when they could be more consistently sprinkled throughout the production.
In a preview article for Intermission, McBride was quoted saying, “This play has tapped into a lot of memories for me about how you think you know what love is, or you think you know what your relationship is, only to discover that […] it just doesn’t work out.” While Moore and Fernandes do all they can to lead us to that core understanding, they’re climbing uphill inside of a dizzying design world. Sometimes we’re laughing at a bit because it’s cartoon-y, and not necessarily because it surprises or delights us in some way.
That’s not to say there isn’t great talent at work here. The aforementioned furnace consumes the space and makes the apartment come alive, with steam billowing out of its pipes as if from Ernest and Ernestine’s ears. There’s a dress reveal deserving of a runway moment: Imeson has a knack for eye-catching material and smart silhouettes.
Another highlight is a scene when the couple writes an angry letter to local politicians. Something clicks for Moore and Fernandes, and they make that more authentic connection I’d been waiting for. As they write, we feel like we’re penning each sentence along with them, and we see the curse-filled vitriol play across their faces before they speak it out loud. The actors’ talents are on full display, adding that necessary layer of relatability.
The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine is a promising start to GCTC’s new season, and I look forward to checking out the rest of the lineup. This play is a great reason to gather and celebrate GCTC’s long-standing presence in Ottawa. It’s wonderful to see a theatre company continue to make an impact on the community and its artists, and as an Ottawan I’m grateful to see them play on.
Here’s to another 50 years!
The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine plays at GCTC until October 6. Tickets are available here.
Intermission reviews are independent and unrelated to Intermission’s partnered content. Learn more about Intermission’s partnership model here.
Luke Brown
Luke (he/him) is a theatre artist and arts administrator based in Ottawa. After completing a master’s thesis exploring the intersection of theatre and queer theory, Luke has turned his academic curiosity into a vibrant career in arts philanthropy, championing the performing arts at the National Arts Centre Foundation as a philanthropy specialist. His creative work in Ottawa includes writing and directing Honey Dew Me at the undercurrents festival (2020) and Fresh Meat (2017), as well as directing the first production of Even Gilchrist’s Re:Construct at Ottawa Fringe (2018). Luke serves on the board of directors for the Canadian Improv Games.
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