Mary's Wedding

October 26 - November 13, 2005

Written By Stephen Massicotte
Directed by David Nairn

A Love Story for the Ages

Set in the tumultuous years of World War I, this wonderfully tender and poignant story of innocent first love takes us back in time as Mary recalls her arrival in Canada, her chance meeting with Charles in a barn during a rain storm and the strength and beauty of young love.

Articles and Reviews

Mary's Wedding a Simple Masterpiece

ASHLEY GOODFELLOW, Banner Staff Writer

Sometimes, keeping it simple is the most powerful approach a writer can take. This is wholly true for Stephen Massicotte's play, Mary's Wedding, a two-character, one-act dynamo of a production playing at Theatre Orangeville.

It's a raw, stripped-down exploration of human emotion served through a beautifully crafted script.

Charlie (Darren Keay) greets the audience and tells us that "Tonight is just a dream that begins at the end and ends at the beginng." immediately pulling us in with his lyrical foreword.

Next, we meet Mary (Marla McLean). It is the night before her wedding and she's the narrator of the dreamscape.

The story itself is really nothing more that a glimpse into the lives of two young people who fall in love during the First World War; as I said, it's simple.

But it's how the story is told, how the play is executed, that makes it a masterpiece. Massicotte writes the play with style, grace and a pinch of humour, leading the audience through a whimsical and entracing journey. As the relationship between Mary and Charlie evolves, so does our heartache and our understanding of what a young generation was up against during that stormy era.

His ability to maneuver the audience through a sequence where dream meshes with reality, where time and geography overlap, is refreshingly unique and frequently brilliant. Details, words, movements and fantastic imagery pull us in and hold us there for the entire 90 minutes. Massicotte's decision to deliver the story to us in one-act is certainly well-founded.

It's clear why McLean and Keay were selected for the roles of Mary and Charlie.

Their performances, which near perfection, deserve the highest praise. McLean as Mary was outstanding…phenomenal…sincere… the list goes on. She expertly embodies the spirit of a young woman in the early 1900's trapped between love and war, fantasy and truth. Through the story, Mary's voice is tempered with excitement and innocence, which is played out perfectly by McLean. Through this, and an ability to capture our imaginations, she sucessfully conveys Mary's passionate and fanciful take on the world.

Keay, as Charlie, invites us into the play and gives an authentic and gripping portrayal of a young man at war. He is earnest in his descriptions of battle and sparks a highly emotive response from the audience. We see Charlie as a lovely and gentle young man, bravely trying to live up to his own expectations, both in his relationship with Mary and his duties to his country. This inner conflict heightens our own anxiety, and keeps us mesmerized throughout. Keay delivers with a new level of intrigue and sophistication.

At times, silence is a potent tool and we can feel the couple's heartbreak, fear, love, devastation, hang heavy in the air. It's effective and deliberate, and it works.

David Nairn's direciton should also be applauded.

I'm not sure I can pinpoint the exact moment I fell in love with Mary's Wedding -- but I suppose, much like a dream -- I knew it happened as soon as it was over: