Real Estate by Allana Harkin is the first production in four years without David Savoy at the helm of the Sudbury Theatre Centre.
When the progression of Savoy’s multiple sclerosis meant he could no longer perform his artistic director duties to the level the job requires, he stepped away from the theatre that had been his home. David brought a wonderfully personal touch and a special warmth to the STC. He will be missed and remembered.
David chose Real Estate as an antidote to the blahs that take hold of us in mid-winter. I’d call it a “relationship comedy.”
Joel Hopper is a writer of murder mysteries who’s run into a spell of writers’ block. With his father in a long-term-care facility, Hopper’s family home must be sold within a week to pay back taxes.
Along comes quirky novice real estate agent Emma (played for the first time by playwright Allana Harkin), who sees that both Joel and the house need a lot of work.
The situation is worsened by the arrival of Hopper’s estranged wife Estelle — divorce papers in hand — and her wealthy, metrosexual boyfriend, Ted, in tow.
So the play deals with divorce, infidelity, death and the loss of the family home, handling the subjects with sensitivity and admirable insight.
But this is a comedy? Yes. Just don’t expect anything like a sex farce.
And unlike dark comedies, the laughter doesn’t come from the pain, but from regular helpings of comic relief, like Emma’s offbeat wisdom and vulnerability to wine, and Ted’s goofy self-empowerment mantras and obsession with the skin care products he sells.
Harkin is a veteran of sketch comedy and it shows. A tipsy ramble by Emma even resembles stand-up comedy.
It’s a tribute to Harkin that such things don’t throw the play off balance. The excellent casting and the subtle direction of Shari Hollett are a big help.
As an actress, Harkin gives Emma enough bubbly appeal to be a viable romantic choice in spite of her quirks. Karen Parker never lets Estelle descend into the stereotype of an ex-wife, showing us the pain of the choices she’s facing.
The role of Ted could easily be a two-dimensional cartoon, but Rick Hughes delivers just the right amount of earnestness. And although I don’t really understand why hapless novelist Joel would be attractive to these two women, Patrick Howarth does justice to the role’s challenging range of emotions.
It says a lot that the opening night audience braved last Friday’s wicked weather to get to the theatre, but they had a really good time. You will, too.
Real Estate plays at the Sudbury Theatre Centre through March 9. The box office number is 705-674-8381 x21 or go online to sudburytheatre.ca.
Scott Overton co-hosts the morning show on Rewind 103.9 and is the author of the thriller Dead Air. He writes theatre reviews for Northern Life.
