On Friday, May 24th, Lindsay Little Theatre opens its production of Neil Simon’s romantic comedy Barefoot in the Park. Directed by Sophie Kourtsidis and Will Teatro, the play features a charming cast in a fun romantic romp that is surprisingly fresh after more than 50 years.

Written in 1963 by celebrated American playwright and humourist Neil Simon, Barefoot in the Park made its debut on Broadway’s Biltmore Theatre in October 1963 with a powerhouse cast comprised of Robert Redford, Elizabeth Ashley, Mildred Natwick, and Kurt Kazner. It was nominated for three Tony Awards in 1964, with director Mike Nichols winning for best director of a drama.

An instant hit with audiences, the show would run for 1,530 performances, closing in June 1967 — it still holds the record for the 10th longest running non-musical show in Broadway history. The year it closed, the play made its move to the big screen with a new adaptation written by Simon, with Robert Redford and Mildred Natwick reprising their roles and with the notable addition of Jane Fonda to the cast.

The film would be one of the biggest hits of the summer of ’67, and earned Natwick an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress. Still considered to be one of Neil Simon’s most important plays, the show has been revived on Broadway twice and is one of the greatest romantic comedies in 20th century American theatre.

Barefoot in the Park focuses on newlyweds Corie and Paul Bratter (Meaghan Duncan and Nathan Copeland) who, after only six days of knowing one another, tie the knot after a whirlwind romance.

As they begin their life together by moving into the fifth floor of a New York City brownstone, the couple have barely gotten time to spend time with one another when they are visited by Corie’s upper-class conservative mother Ethel Banks (Lisa Guthro) who, residing all the way in New Jersey, expresses her loneliness now that Corie has moved into the city.

But when the couple meets their flamboyant and eccentric upstairs neighbour Victor Velasco (Anthony Jackson), Corie unleashes a devilish plan to hook up her uptight mother with the adventurous stranger.

Of course the scheme doesn’t go as planned and, when the blind date begins to misfire, the romantic misfortunes bounce back on Paul and Corie whose differences begin to show.

As quickly as their romance begins, so it soon threatens to fall apart. Corie is the kind of woman who would walk barefoot in the park in February, while Paul is not. Can two people so different really find love in only six days? Anything is possible in this high-spirited romance.

There is no denying that, as a play, Barefoot in the Park is an instant audience favourite. Filled with endearing characters and zany situations, what is remarkable about the show is that it is still fresh and relevant after more than 50 years of being presented on stages across the world.

Perhaps it’s because Neil Simon has been able to tap into the special element that makes love so eternal, proving that the emotions, passions, and battles between those who dare to give away their hearts don’t change that much over the generations.

What makes the Lindsay Little Theatre production of Barefoot in the Park so special is how brilliantly casted the show is. The players in this show are just so endearing and charming that the audience will fall in love with all of them.

In the key role of Corie Bratter is Meaghan Duncan, who is a familiar figure behind the scenes at Lindsay Little Theatre, but makes her local stage debut as an actress in this show. Meg is completely delightful in the role and is enchanting to watch. With a built-in playful charm, she exudes warmth and energy and brings a whimsical quality to the show.

Meg gives a command performance that should secure her position as a leading lady on the stage. Just as Paul fell in love with her over six days, the audience will fall in love with her before the end of the first act.

Nathan Copeland is inspired casting as Paul Bratter who, instead of emulating the boyish charm of Robert Redford, gives the character a moody Raymond Burr quality. Personally, I find this much more enjoyable to watch, creating a much broader juxtaposition of his nature with that of the leading lady.

Meg and Nate are remarkable together, playing off their opposite natures beautifully. While Meg’s Corie seems to freely drift upwards towards the broken skylight, Nate’s emotionally stoic performance as Paul carries her back down to the safety of the ground. It’s a perfect balance and charming chemistry, but also creates the dramatic tensions and explosions that move the show forward.

Lisa Guthro also gives an endearing performance as Corie’s mother Ethel. What is refreshing about Ethel is that, despite her conservative outlook on life, she remains endearing and likeable to the audience, resulting in much of the humour of the show.

She never falls into the stereotype of the hated mother-in-law. Instead, her dramatic connection with Paul provides some of the best moments in the play, as they become an unlikely team of their own. Ethel and Paul’s post-date discussion is one of the play’s highlights. Lisa is wonderful in the role, playing a character who is incredibly sympathetic and surprisingly funny.

Finally, Anthony Jackson is charming and fun as the larger-than-life Victor. With his obviously died hair and outlandish eccentricities, Victor also remains likeable despite his obvious character flaws. He adds an odd life to the drama that gives it extra flair. A great role for a great character actor, Anthony is perfectly cast as Victor.

A shout out goes to Colin Dusome in the small role of a telephone repairman. Only appearing briefly in two scenes, Colin makes every minute he spends on the stage work for him, delivering some funny lines and also becoming an audience favourite. Although he is in a small role, Colin gives a big performance and proves himself to be a wonderful comedic actor.

Set as a period piece in the 1960s, the show has a certain authenticity through the fantastic costumes created and assembled by Meaghan Duncan (who has made her name at Lindsay Little Theatre as a costumer), with assistance by Collette Marshall. The cast is beautifully dressed in classy vintage fashions, with the highlights being Corie’s dresses and skirts throughout the play, and Victor’s date-night leisure suit. They are visually stunning costumes that gives the show a vintage but classic look.

If I had to sum up the Lindsay Little Theatre’s production of Barefoot in the Park in three adjectives, I’d call it delightful, adorable, and endearing. The cast is just delicious, and all give wonderful performances.

Barefoot in the Park has been a consistent hit since it debuted more than 50 years ago, but Lindsay Little Theatre’s wonderful cast gives it that extra special something to make it a show worth seeing. Directors Sophie Kourtsidis and Will Teatro deserve applause for pulling this show together so beautifully.

You don’t want to miss this cast in this fantastic production. It’s a good, light drama to set the mood for the summer theatre season to come.

Barefoot in the Park will be performed at Lindsay Little Theatre (55 George St., Lindsay) at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 24th and Saturday, May 26th and again on Friday, May 31st and Saturday, June 1st, with an additional matinee performance at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 26th.

Tickets are available in person or by phone at the Academy Theatre box office (2 Lindsay St. S., Lindsay, 705-324-911), online at ticketmaster.ca, or at the door before each performance.

Every Thursday, we publish live music and performance events at pubs and clubs in Peterborough and The Kawarthas based on information that venues provide to us directly or post on their website or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, May 23 to Wednesday, May 29.

If you’re a pub or club owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, please email our Nightlife Editor at nightlife@kawarthanow.com.

The students of Lakefield College School transform the Bryan Jones Theatre into England’s Sherwood Forest in their performance of David Farr’s The Heart of Robin Hood, running from Thursday, May 23rd to Saturday, May 25th.

Presented by the directorial team of Iain Beaumont, Tina St. John and Dayna Taylor, The Heart of Robin Hood is an imaginative take on the legend of Robin of Loxley that actually pushes Robin Hood and his band of merry men into the background and, instead, thrusts his beloved Maid Marion into the spotlight as the show’s primary heroine.

Written by British playwright David Farr, The Heart of Robin Hood was first presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford-upon-Avon in 2011. Since then it has been restaged multiple times in many forms, including being transformed into a musical and even a Cirque du Soleil inspired performance piece.

In 2014, Toronto’s Mirvish Theatre staged a successful run of the play at the Royal Alexander Theatre in Toronto, popularizing the show with Canadian audiences.

The show has become a favourite among both audiences and Robin Hood enthusiasts for its playful take on the familiar characters, as well as for featuring Maid Marion in a new and heroic fashion.

Although the plot and natures of the characters change greatly in The Heart of Robin Hood, the setting is very much that of all Robin Hood tales. Set in medieval England, the evil Prince John (Liam Cole) rules over England while his brother King Richard is away fighting in the crusades.

When Prince John arrives in Nottingham to court the beautiful Marion (Faith Dickinson), the horrified lady flees into the nearby Sherwood Forest with her faithful servant Pierre (Liam Davidson) to join the band of rebels led by the legendary Robin Hood (Santiago Paz).

However, upon meeting Robin Hood, Marion finds that he is not all that she believed him to be. Instead of a heroic band of rouges, she finds him and his gang to be a band of merciless thugs. Marion decides to take matters into her own hand and, disguising herself in men’s clothing, becomes “Martin of Sherwood”, who robs from the rich and gives to the poor and becomes a champion of the people.

Quickly coming into conflict with both Prince John’s men and the territorial Robin Hood, Robin and Marion become united when they seek to save two orphaned girls Jethro (Dayna Gonnella) and Sarah (Laura Pede) who fall into Prince John’s path of murder and tyranny. Along the way Robin, Marion, and their team discover the meaning of heroism, loyalty, and humanity — while finding unexpected romance.

The true strength of The Heart of Robin Hood lies in this well-plotted alternative take on the familiar legend, and in fleshing out the character of Maid Marion. While many of the other characters in the legend — including Robin Hood, Little John, and the rest of the Merry Men — are deeply established in the legend, Maid Marion is a character we seem to know by name only who acts as little more than a love interest for Robin Hood.

It is interesting to see how David Farr transforms her into a strong and independent character, and brings her forth as the most interesting figure in the legend.

Taking centre stage in the role of Marion is Faith Dickinson. Although this is her first time as a leading lady in a dramatic role, Faith is no stranger to the spotlight as the founder of the award-winning local non-profit organization Cuddles for Cancer, as well as being a recipient of the esteemed Diana Awards, created by Prince William and Prince Harry in the memory of their late mother (Faith was also invited to attend the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle).

An impressive young lady with natural poise and charisma, Faith is also an engaging young actress, proving there could be nothing that she can’t do. Passionate, strong, and endearing, Faith has a natural presence on stage that connects with the audience, putting her in command of her performance while still supporting the actors around her.

This is a strong starring debut for Faith, who is a delight to watch, making Marion an instant audience favourite.

Opposite of Faith is Santiago Paz as Robin Hood who, in a complete reversal of the traditional tale, is downsized from leading character to romantic interest.

His performance of Robin Hood is an interesting one because, instead of the devil-may-care version characterized by Errol Flynn or the romantic hero popularized by Kevin Costner, Santiago’s Robin Hood is more brutal, dour, and darker.

A brooding anti-hero, Santiago’s Robin Hood has given into the harshness of his environment and, having never given anyone his heart, he is a man without compassion. In his interactions with Marion (both as herself and as her alter ego Martin), Robin learns the lessons that make him the great hero of yore.

Also taking centre stage throughout the show is the important contribution of Liam Davidson as Marion’s savant Pierre. An experienced young actor on stage and screen, this is a rare comedic role for Liam, who primarily has been a dramatic actor since his early days acting at 4th Line Theatre. As Pierre, Liam has a big presence and plays the character much as one would play a Dame in a traditional Christmas pantomime.

Somehow it works, and Liam creates some nice moments that often give much-needed relief from the intensity of the drama.

I also want to give a nod to Mikayla Stoodley who plays the part of Marion’s vain and devious sister Alice. I’ve seen Mikayla in a number of productions over the years, starting with children productions at the Peterborough Theatre Guild and continuing through productions at Lakefield College School. I notice great growth in Mikayla in each new show I see her in, and her performance of Alice is her finest yet. Dedicated to her art, she is a fine character actress who will hopefully find great success as an actress.

The Heart of Robin Hood also has a great supporting cast of characters, including a deliciously vile performance by Liam Cole as the demented Prince John, Nick Latimer as Will Scarlett, Pedro Zapata Milla as Much Miller, Aidan Segura as Little John, Dayna Gonnella and Laura Pede as sisters Jethro and Sarah Summers, Jayden Julian as the tragic Augusta Makepeace, and Syerra Richards as the mysterious Green Man.

A big shout out also goes to Lexie Shearer in the role of Plug the dog which, albeit bizarre within this narrative, oddly works (I like the pig tails that create the illusion of dog ears … it’s a neat touch).

While the drama of the show is well told, the comic element of the play seems to get lost in this production of The Heart of Robin Hood. Comedic lines are downplayed while the drama is accentuated. That said, the company is very good at heightening the horror and brutality of the era, which continued to shock me throughout the show.

The Heart of Robin Hood has a surprisingly high body count — perhaps not a Game of Thrones type body count, but much higher and more brutal than one would expect from a student production. Personally I found this to be an interesting element to the show, and applaud the company for not shying away from some of the more brutal moments of the narrative.

VIDEO: “The Heart of Robin Hood” – Lakefield College School

As always, Lakefield College School delivers in regards to set design and costumes. The Heart of Robin Hood has an impressive multi-level set masterly created by Harold Davies, and beautiful costumes designed by Mary Parulski, Annie Da, Minjung Son and Dorothy Li.

Another important feature of the production is the extra effort put into stage fighting and sword handling, which creates another dimension to the show. The students were trained by Jamie Treschak and Brianna Love from Violence in Motion, creating some exciting battle sequences and realistic duels.

An engaging story that will entertain audiences, The Heart of Robin Hood is presented at the Bryan Jones Theatre at Lakefield College School on Thursday, May 23rd and Friday, May 24th at 7:30 p.m., and on Saturday, May 25th at 4 p.m. Admission to the show is free, but seats must be reserved in advance at bit.ly/heartofrobinhood.