THEATRE REVIEW:
THE PRESIDENT
12 JUL/11

JOHN COULBOURN - QMI Agency
Rating: 5 out of 5


NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE -  If roller coasters weren’t almost as much fun the second time around as they are the first, there would be a lot of amusement parks turned into parking lots or condos. And the Shaw Festival almost certainly would not have revived its brief but hugely memorable production of Ferenc Molnar’s The President, adroitly adapted to the Shaw stage by Morwyn Brebner and masterfully directed by Blair Williams for another lunchtime run.

But they have — and anyone worried it won’t be nearly as much fun the second time around should put their misgivings aside, climb aboard and strap themselves in at Royal George Theatre where the work re-opened this weekend.

There have, of course, been changes in the production, not the least of which is the more or less seamless recasting of Julie Martell in the pivotal role of Lydia, the amorous sexpot originally created by Chilina Kennedy. But ultimately, one suspects they could recast every single role here, as long as they maintained Lorne Kennedy in the title role of Norrison, the high-powered corporate exec who discovers his world is falling apart and he has only one brief hour to save it.

Played out in real time in Norrison’s penthouse office overlooking the Manhattan skyline (Cameron Porteous’ set still impresses), Kennedy uses that hour to maximum comedic effect, creating a self-absorbed executive in complete control of the situation.

He is ably assisted by an extensive cast that includes the aforementioned Martell as his wayward ward, Jeff Meadows as the affable doofus she marries and Peter Millard as his long-suffering assistant, as well as by talents like Laurie Paton, William Vickers, Andrew Bunker and Michael Ball, all determined to prove there really is no such thing as a small part. And they succeed so admirably that The President shouldn’t be missed the second time around.