By Shane McNeil
James Joyce is not usually a name synonymous with joy and sentimental feelings.
The Tara Players, Ottawa’s Irish culture theatre company, would beg to differ.
Their production of the musical adaptation of Joyce’s short story The Dead is coming to the Bronson Centre on Nov. 24, and they are hoping it will be just the kind of pick-up most people will look for in the holiday season.
Ted Mann plays Gabriel, a man whose life is changed at a Christmas party by secrets from his past, and those of his wife, Gretta. Few would expect this premise, and a play titled The Dead, to mirror your usual festive fare.
“Even though it’s called The Dead, the musical is filled with touching and sweet family and romantic moments,” Mann says. “It also deals with real life and death and tragedy. But it’s all done as aspects of life and the whole package that comes along with it.”
Even though the Tara Players have existed in Ottawa since 1976, this is the first musical they’ve ever attempted. Richard Nelson and Shaun Davey’s adaptation of the Joyce story first hit Broadway in 2000 and earned a Tony award.
Tara Players president Kay O’Hegarty thought it was the right time to try a musical and the right way to celebrate Joyce’s contributions to Irish literature.
“It’s a great musical and something we really wanted to try,” says O’Hegarty. “Plus, it’s the Joyce centennial, so we decided to give the old guy a bit of a party.”
“He can be a very difficult man to follow at the best of times, but this play is so joyous and heartfelt that it really takes the best parts of his wonderful writing and gives them straight to the audience without a lot of that confusion,” she adds.
Part of the decision to mount this musical came with the company’s move from St. Patrick’s Hall to the Bronson Centre last year. The former home of the company was bulldozed.
“The St. Patrick’s centre was kind of like a home for a lot of our patrons,” says O’Hegarty. “It was a lovely venue that was intimate and welcoming and had it’s own bar, so people could even have a glass of wine after the show if they wanted. So we’re hoping to draw a lot of people back to our shows by putting on a musical that will be familiar to them, but also touch them.”
Geoff White, director of The Dead, believes the show will appeal to Ottawa’s Irish community and explains how the show tries to echo Irish history.
“It takes place during a Christmas party in Dublin around 1900 and the musical tries to recreate that atmosphere,” he says.
“There isn’t some dialogue and then someone just bursting into song, the music is part of the party, with every guest presenting their party pieces,” he continues.
O’Hegarty thinks it’s important to represent Irish culture in Ottawa.
“The Irish community especially is a very close one, and there are a lot of Irish descendants in the Ottawa Valley,” she says. “I think it’s important that we bring part of the heritage to the people of Ottawa, so that we can celebrate a lot of the great works that are around and we can bring them out to the people in Ottawa, whether they’re Irish or not.”
O’Hegarty says this show in particular will give audiences’ heartstrings a good tug.
“It’s kind of like a harvest for the soul, in that it touches on a lot of sentimental feelings and goes really deep with its emotional appeal. But it’s also celebratory and leaves you with a wonderfully warm feeling.”
Mann thinks it is the music that leaves the most lasting impression.
“I think everyone walks away with some beautiful melodies, wonderful harmonies and characters that will stay with them for quite some time.”
The Dead runs at the Bronson Centre Nov. 24 to 28 and resumes Nov. 30 to Dec. 4.