What will your legacy be? For some it’s their children, for some their philanthropy and volunteering, and for others it’s their body of work. Margaret wants nothing more than to be remembered for her illustrious career, however some nasty rumours surrounding her attitude at rehearsal threaten that legacy. Nick Green’s stunning and passionate play Dinner with the Duchess delves deep into the heart and psyche of an artist. Directed by Kelli Fox, this engaging and nuanced production will leave you breathless in the best way possible.

Margaret has played the violin since she was a child, and over the years has become one of the most well-known virtuosos of her age. Now that she’s at the end of her career she has granted one journalist, Helen, the permission to do her farewell interview. While her husband’s charm keeps Helen on her toes for a little while, the moment dinner’s over the hard-hitting questions start, and Margaret must peel back the facade she’s created to persuade Helen into writing her truth rather than play into the vicious, though truthful, rumours Helen has researched. Dinner with the Duchess is intensely beautiful, bringing to light the insecurities and expectations we all feel on some level.

Jan Alexandra Smith gives a fiery and mesmerizing performance as Margaret. Smith holds herself with grace and elegance perfectly befitting her character. However, it’s the monologues which she has in the latter part of the play which had me on the edge of my seat, longing to hear more; truthfully, I could have listened to Smith wax poetical about art and music all night. David Keeley returns to the Here for Now Stage as David, the golden retriever to Margaret’s black cat. Keeley’s charisma shines through again in this role, and I definitely won’t be able to read that a dish requires lemon zest without giggling from now on. Rosie Simon gives a formidable performance as Helen. She matches Smith’s energy entirely, as you can feel her passion for her profession surging through her just as much as Margaret. Simon is calm and collected (for the most part), and brings an interesting third-party perspective to the lives of her subjects. These three actors are dynamic and intriguing; it came as no surprise to me that we jumped to our feet for curtain call.

Throughout the season, Here For Now Theatre has featured the artwork of Mark Uhre (who you can see starring in Something Rotten at the Stratford Festival) in their season guide and on the website. It’s such a joy to see the portrait created for this production as part of Darren Burkett’s set design. It so wholly captures the feeling of the play, and of Margaret herself, that it creates the perfect focal point of colour amongst the monochromatic set. Otherwise, the swanky apartment which has been created on stage is pure elegance, with white marble and silver accents giving the immediate feel of wealth and good taste. I love that they even make reference to only being able to drink white wine because you wouldn’t want to get any red on the carpets! Monique Lund’s costumes are likewise opulent with a tad of eccentricity to them; Margaret’s head to toe black dress forces her to stand out amongst the white furniture. Meanwhile, David has a neutral, cotton outfit on, very much looking the part of an artist. Helen’s simple yet professional attire is perfect, but once she takes her sweater/jacket off, you know she means business!

“Your theme is love, passion” Margaret says to Helen amidst one of her entrancing monologues, and this is certainly true. The things which are the heart beat of our lives, which we return to time and time again, that don’t feel like they’re complicating things, that is where our true passions lie. The final moments of the play hit home for me very hard; as Margaret stands there saying “THIS is me. This is ME” I could feel her trying to convince herself of that truth. As artists, we often become tangled in what we do becoming a part of who we are, and Green’s text expertly interrogates this notion, but with a resolution we each have to figure out for ourselves.

For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.herefornowtheatre.com/duchess

---

Cover Photo: Jan Alexandra Smith. Photo by Ann Baggley

---

Thank you to my Patrons:

N. Bushnik, B. Kinnon, D. Moyes

And to my supporters who’ve bought me a coffee:

Angelica and Paul, Anonymous, Adrianna, and Caitlin

Would you like to become a Patron? Check out my Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/AViewfromtheBox

Or, you can buy me a coffee at: buymeacoffee.com/aviewfromthebox