Gallery 7 is an Abbotsford-based theatre company bringing plays, musicals, and more to the stage, and their on-going production of Anne (1998) is truly a delightful take on Paul Ledoux’s script — an adaptation of the Canadian classic Anne of Green Gables (1908) by L.M. Montgomery. To think I’ve been missing out all this time!
This two act show takes on the familiar story of Anne Shirley, with a few creative liberties, portraying the wondrous Avonlea in faithful and refreshing fashion. Anne’s fantastically imaginative outlook on life comes through spectacularly in Sarah Stewart’s performance, and the rest of the relatively small cast stunned as well. The stage was set by the supporting roles in such a way that the internal life of Anne transported me to Prince Edward Island itself, and for a few scant hours reminded me of a childhood of reading and watching Montgomery’s works with my mother by the fire. There’s something nostalgic and ephemeral that the creative team at Gallery 7 was able to capture — and that the actors were able to bring to life — that has helped to reignite my love for theatre, and the unique storytelling opportunities it affords.
What stood out to me most about the show were the performances delivered by Laura Kehler and John Dawson, as Mathew and Marilla Cuthbert respectively. The way they fell into the roles, and the emotion they brought to each scene breathed life into the setting of Green Gables. From Marilla’s typical sternness to Matthew’s subtle supportiveness, the characters felt true to their original form and Kehler and Dawson’s confident portrayal added depth to the production in a new way, feeling both personal and rich.
As far as community theatre goes, and despite Gallery 7 presenting itself as only “semi-professional,” I was truly impressed by this show. Even in comparison to some larger theatre companies I’ve had the pleasure of being audience to, Gallery 7 brought a heartfelt, enriching take on a piece of Canadian canon that I feel not everyone could do justice. From the stagecraft itself, to the other constraints of theatre, like time, manpower, space, and sound, Anne rose to the occasion and used the medium to its advantages — Ledoux’s script of course only sweetened the deal, even the best actors can only make so much of poor writing.
The transition between Anne’s moving in with the Cuthberts, to her school life and meeting of Gilbert, to her romanticization of the natural world with her friends, all managed to be convincing despite the limits of the medium. I’m not just commending them on performance and production, I’ve seen theatre both good and bad, but as someone who has erred toward musicals and comedies, the quality and smoothness of a play are not often what I spend my time focusing on. And what’s more, I’m not often planning on writing a review afterwards.
I do think the show would have benefitted from some changes. I don’t know how much Ledoux’s script changed from the source material, how much Gallery 7 changed from his script, or what other considerations they had to take into account of course. So, without any of that in mind, I would have liked to see a slightly larger supporting cast and perhaps a longer run time. Would that have actually been feasible? Who’s to say. But all in all, I was impressed, and can appreciate what they managed to put on regardless!
The show runs until Nov. 23, and tickets start at only $23, so if you’re looking to be swept away anytime soon, act while you still can.
