Capt. Mondo's World o' Mondo-ness

We Go to See "Wingfield on Ice"
As a valentine's treat, I offered to take Erika out to see a theatre show a couple of weeks ago. I know she wanted to go and see "Mama Mia", but I just couldn't get tickets for today's show. Figuring that a light comedy always goes down well, I opted for taking her to the Winter Garden Theatre instead to see the latest Wingfield installment, "Wingfield on Ice".

It was to be surprise as to exactly where we were going and what we were going to see. We had a special Valentine's Day gourmet supper delivered to us, cracked open a bottle of champagne to celebrate our dozen years together, and shortly after the babysitter had arrived we then grabbed a cab to the Eaton Centre, which is across the street from the theatre.

Erika was dressed to the nines tonight. She wore the leather pants I bought for her at Silkeborg a few weeks ago, and with her fancy white blouse, art deco diamond earrings and matching leather jacket, looked like a very refined motorcycle mama. Yum! ;-) In comparison, I simply wore a decent silk shirt, and my new dress watch I had picked especially for the occasion a few days earlier.

We had some time to kill so we looked around the various stores. Erika picked out a new bathing suit for Vanessa at the Jamboree store, and picked up some kid castanets at the local Pier One. Just prior to going to the theatre we stopped by the Godiva chocolate store: Erika grabbed four caramel and chocolate treats for herself and I got a single espresso chocolate to help keep me awake.

When I first mentioned that title of the show to Erika as we were crossing the street, I think she had the horrible thought that we might be seeing an "Ice Capades"-sort of show. Nothing could be further from the truth – as with all of the other Wingfield plays, this was a one-man show, starring Rod Beattie. This is the first time I had actually gone to see a Wingfield show, though I was familiar with them as a whole. I don't know exactly how long the Beattie brothers (writer and actor) have been doing their shows, but I seem to remember hearing long stretches played on the CBC ages ago, perhaps when I was visiting my parent's place during summer vacation.

Another part of the attraction for me was to go and see the Winter Garden Theatre again. I was last there for a performance shortly after it had been re-opened, when I worked for the Department of Communications, which had given a sizable sum towards its reconstruction. I remember once, briefly holding in my hand a cheque for a sizable amount that was to go towards the restoration work. Then, about a year or so later, visiting the theatre and seeing where the money had gone. Marvellous. The theatre is laid out like some sort of enchanted garden, with (fake) leaves covering the ceiling, and small coloured lights hung to make it appear as if you are outside, al fresco. There's even a large dull light set into the top-left of the stage area painted to look like the moon, helping to complete the effect. I believe it was all originally done to resemble the magical forest in Shakespeare's "Midsummer's Night Dream". I may be mis-remembering this piece of trivia, but it is hard not to imagine Puck peeking out at your from behind some painted leafy tendril, or to imagine Oberon and Titania reveling somewhere in some nook of the theatre. In any event the theatre, which is really not that small, somehow puts across a very comfortable and intimate setting, which was perfect for a play like "Wingfield on Ice".

The play itself was enjoyable. The basic premise is that the editor of some small newspaper regularly prints the letters of a friend who was once a Bay Street CEO who left the rat-race to become a farmer in Persephone Township, a fictitious place situated "about an hour north" of Toronto. The letters, describe life in the township, populated by a host of country characters, all played convincingly by a single actor. The "On Ice" part of the title describes the ice storm that hits the township, reminiscent of the Great Ice Storm that hit parts east of Toronto through to Montreal several years ago. The basic idea is that the town reveals to Wingfield a number of long-standing feuds between neighbours, many of which are resolved when people have to get together and help one another during the privations of the ice storm. But it's all really just a good excuse for some masterful storytelling. Arguably the best joke of the whole play is when somebody from the Canadian Armed Forces meets up with a querulous old lady and asks if she requires aide: "Need food?" "No." "Need water?" "No." "Well then, how about we chop up some of your firewood for you?" "Alright". Afterwards: "So tell me ma'am, how long have you been without electricity?" "72 years". ;-) Then there was the whole tale about a dead, frozen goat (called "Mrs. Pankhurst" ;-) and the new bible-thumping police officer. It also has very little to do with the actual plotline but is still extremely funny. All in all, a very enjoyable show.

Afterwards we grabbed another cab and headed to Sauvignon for a pleasant chat over a drink. Then home, and then to bed. Like I said earlier, yum! ;-)