Suburban Motel a series of 6 short plays presented by Table d'hôte.

TABLEAU D’HÔTE THEATRE, presents all 6 one-act plays of the George F. Walker suite, Suburban Motel, over 3-weeks Nov. 10 – 29. With two plays per week opening every Tuesday, at 7pm and 9pm Tuesdays through Sundays. 5 different directors, 6 designers, 5 stage managers, and 19 actors participate in this production. “We wanted to do something really special to mark our 5th anniversary, something edgy, something untried, with a definite Canadian flavor.”

For those who missed some of Tableau D'Hôte Theatre's 6-play series Suburban Motel, there will be an encore presentation of each episode: Tue. Dec. 1, Problem Child 7pm; Adult Entertainment 9pm. Wed. Dec. 2, Featuring Loretta 7pm; The End of Civilization 9pm. Thr. Dec. 3, Criminal Genius 7pm, Risk Everything 9pm. Then the 'Motel' permanently closes for business!

Though violence is a constant presence and an aura of hopelessness permeates each play in the suite, there promises to have deeply poignant moments that both surprise the viewer and soften the madness and brutality. The set is adequate and utilized well in both productions. The lighting was less than helpful, while at times ranging from a bit to dull to see the actors well, to a bit too bright to build an contribute to the mood. The second week, not sure if they read my note, but the lighting had improved considerably; no problem seeing any of the action and recaction.

PROBLEM CHILD – Nov. 10 – 15 7pm; Nov. 14 & 15 2pm. Directed by Liz Valdez. With: Joanne Sarazen, Mike Hughes, Catherine Lemieux and George Bekiaris. An ex-prostitute, drug-addict and her significant other, a reality TV-addicted ex-con, try to deal with a by-the-book social worker in order to get back their child from the system. The play's very funny inspite of itself given its' heavy subject matter. The well paced direction captivates our interest throughout; we become more invested in each of the characters as they become more interconnected to each others' plight. The well cast ensemble delivers consistent strong performances under the seamless direction of Valdez. The strong chemistry between Mike Hughes (R.J.) and Joanne Sarazen (Denise) "He is one of us, the scum of the earth, it is so easy to screw us." is palpable and they're both very powerful in their roles. George Bekiaris (Phillie) and Catherine Lemieux (Helen) have a tragic tale yet both have very good comedic timing making their characters both endearing and entertaining. GO C IT!

ADULT ENTERTAINMENT – Nov.10 – 15 9pm; Nov. 14 & 15 4pm. Directed by Rebecca Harper. With: Eric Davis, Liz Valdez, Patrick Charron and Annie Lalonde. A married policeman is making a business deal with a female lawyer using sex as the language of choice. His drunk partner is waiting in the motel's parking lot. The two cops have a somewhat dangerous relationship and it seems unlikely that either will escape without a bloody encounter. A repeating theme from the previous play, of dealing with the 'scum of the earth', is further developed here in the connections between people and their individual sets of circumstances and what motivates them. Written in a dark style reminiscent of Sam Sheppard with the added quick wit and gore of Quentin Tarantino. Liz Valdez (Jayne) does double duty here, returning this time on the stage, showing off her acting chops and giving a captivating command performance. Also notable is the humorous yet subtle take of the performance delivered by Patrick Charron (Donny). However, one downfall is there is smoking in this piece that, as I always state, could do without. Warning: it is hard to avoid at this venue but try by sitting near the entrance upper level if you are sensitive to this. GO C IT!

FEATURING LORETTA – Nov. 17 - 22 7pm; Nov. 21 & 22. Directed by Mathieu Perron. With: Warona Setshwaelo (Loretta), Liz Burns, Joel Fishbane and Tommy Furino. A pregnant waitress is caught between two men, one in love with her and a pornographer who wants to exploit her. However she’s striking up a peculiar friendship with the maid who is not only a physics student but also the daughter of a KGB kingpin. This segment of the series is absolutely hysterically funny! The comedic timing and the quick banter between the characters is fresh and a lot of fun. The casting is spot on, even casting against type works well here, and all the performances are well played out by the ensemble, -completely enjoyable. I have to highlight the performances of both Liz Burns (Sophie) and Joel Fishbane (Michael). Their portrayal of their respective roles is pitch perfect; Liz is an absolute delight with the added plus of a well crafted accent as the Russian maid. Joel Fishbane never misses a beat as the totally charming yet smarmy self-serving pimp. With a distasteful manner he is still convincingly 'sensible' as he ingratiates himself into the life of Loretta. This part of the six part series works well on it's own, independent of the previous two plays; If you are in need of and seeking out some comic relief then... GO C IT!

THE END OF CIVILIZATION – Nov. 17 - 22 9pm; Nov. 21 & 22 4pm. Directed by Olivier Perras. With Eric Hausknost, Denise DePass, Eric Davis, Patrick Charron and Caitie Parsons. This is the darkest of the series, about a man, his wife and a policeman who is investigating the husband for a particularly gruesome crime, a desperate response to unemployment and the financial stresses it puts on him. In complete contrast to the previous segment, this play is pure mind blowing drama and it takes the audience in reverse order (à la Momento) on a journey that hits more close to reality than one might want and or be able to admit. A very current subject matter in these rough economic times that many average folks are being faced with. A true test of values and what is really important to us when we are about to loose it all. This segment features the return of two characters from the 2nd play in the series, Patrick Charron as Donny and Eric Davis as Max. There is some action that has been carried forward from 'Adult Entertainment' and their characters are developed further here as we discover some dark truths that are uncovered about each one as well as in their relationship as partners. Eric Hausknost (Henry) is brilliant as the 'every man' who is at the end of his tightly wound rope and who questionably has nothing left to loose. As he strives to be recognized for what he once was he transmits his internalized pain in a subtle and earnest manner that is very natural and heart-wrenchingly all too real. GO C IT!

CRIMINAL GENIUS – Nov. 24 - 29 7pm; Nov. 28 & 29 2pm Directed by Mathieu Perron. With Dom Pompeo, Mike Payette, George Bekiaris, Tamara Brown and Shiong-En Chan

This tells the story of the strange relationship between a professional criminal father and his son. Both are non-violent yet involved in a complex crime, masterminded by women who have no fear of violence. Dom Pompeo (Rolly) delivers an amazing performance here as the father. He manages to sustain his manic state throughout the entire play never missing a beat and puses the rest of the cast to achieve an almost manic level of interpretation in all of their roles.
George Bekiaris returns as the motel manager Phillie where he achieves some masterful comedic moments, particularly in the finalé. The audience was roaring with laughter from start to finish and definitely were appreciative of the performances of the whole cast. This episode is reminiscent of a Woody Allan scheme gone amiss with a big dose of the wit and gore in the style of Quentin Tarantino. GO C IT!

RISK EVERYTHING - November 24 - 29 at 9pm; Nov. 28 & 29 4pm Directed by Eric Hausknost. With Johanna Nutter, Joanne Sarazen, Mike Hughes and Joel Fishbane.

This last play ties up the series by bringing back the parents of Problem Child as well as the pornographer from Featuring Loretta. In this scenario, the audience meets the young woman's mother, an Olympian drama queen Carol portrayed by Johanna Nutter, who’s been beaten because of gambling debts and who manipulates everyone around her, roping them into her chaotic world. Both Mike Hughes (R.J.) and Joanne Sarazen (Denise) have some great moments here where they both get to shine. Arguably the most 'dramatic' of the six in the series, it was for me the least interesting as well. -Maybe due to 'Sub Motel' overdose, given it is the 6th episode, or just me not being that into it, I had trouble connecting with and feeling any interest or compassion for the central character and her dilemma. Still worth it though for fans of the genre. GO C IT!

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