Just The Two Of Us
Reviewed by Debbie McClure
Glen and Sandy Golden have been married for 50 years and celebrate their anniversary at a small cottage by the lake each year. Marriage is never easy, and as Glen and Sandy reveal, after fifty years, a lot has transpired. Glen is determined to entice Sandy into a romantic evening with wine and persuasion, but Sandy’s having none of it. In a night filled with memories, banter, laughter, and tears, the Goldens remind us of the importance of love and acceptance.
The world premier of the The Golden Anniversaries is on the Memorial Hall stage at the Blyth Festival in repertory until August 4.
Playwright Mark Crawford, originally from Glencoe, Ontario, shines a light on love in the later stages of a marriage. It’s not all hearts and roses, as life gets in the way of romance. Crawford is a favourite at the Blyth Festival, best known for his comedies that might also cause you to wipe a tear, such as Bed and Breakfast, Stag and Doe, The Birds and The Bees, Chase the Ace, and The New Canadian Curling Club, some of which also premiered at the Blyth Festival.
In this two-person cast, Janet-Laine Green as Sandy and Jim Mezon as Glen, not only entertain through wit and one-liners but delve into the hard parts of life beautifully. Carrying a full play with only two cast members is difficult, but in this case, Green and Mezon make it look easy and natural. Green might be familiar from her many appearances in TV shows, as well as her work in theatres across Canada. Mezon is best known for his 33 seasons at the Shaw Festival.
Audience members can easily relate to the characters and the situations Sandy and Glen face. The quick dialogue and facial expressions result in chuckles and laughter, and thoughtful silence when the characters reveal the frailties of age and what it means for the future.
The Golden Anniversaries is an entertaining, delightful look at life, love, and what it means to remain in love long after the sparkle of youth has passed.
The Golden Anniversaries continues at the Blyth Festival Memorial Hall until August 4th Tickets are available at 519-523-9300 / 1-877-862-5984 or go to https://blythfestival.com/.
Photo: Left: Janet-Laine Green as Sandy and Jim Mezon as Glen. Photography by James Smith
The Golden Anniversaries
By Mark Crawford
Directed by Miles Potter
Performed by Janet-Laine Green and Jim Mezon
Blyth Festival, 423 Queen Street, Blyth, Ontario
July 4 to August 4, 2024
Reviewed by Debbie McClure