Smarty Pants: a quality end to Magnus Theatre's season

THUNDER BAY - Magnus Theatre is closing its season with the world premiere of Smarty Pants a comedy centering on Linda a divorcee who, along with her friends, attempts to steal back a statue from her ex-husband who made a fortune after their divorce on his invention: Smarty Pants.

“I think it went really well, sometimes when you pick a play that has been done 100 years or 10 years or even a couple of productions, you always know where the good parts are going to be and how it’s going to go over with an audience regardless of how you envision the play,” said Thom Currie, director.

“Because as theatre artists, we’re always interpreting someone else's words. To be working on a script for the first time like this is a real treat.”

The set was truly an amazing accomplishment and the attention to detail was immaculate. Kara Pankiw, the set designer, deserves all the praise she receives and more for her stunning work.

Linda, the lead character, was not the most likeable of characters but she was very relatable to many in the audience. Linda was played by Amy Sellors who gave a brilliant performance with a flawless execution. Even if there were any missteps in her performance, she did a great job of keeping it in character.

Nicola Dawn Brook played Trudy (don’t call her Gertrude) and her moments were the highest points of the first act. The character's blend of physical and mature comedy immediately endeared Trudy to the audience, and Brook's highly physical and energetic performance kept everyone in the audience engaged and interested in what the character would do next.

Like Brook's shining performance in the first act, Melanie Janzen’s portrayal of Gail completely stole the second act and lodged the sweet Gail in the audience’s hearts..

“She is kind of a lovable character, so I had that advantage I suppose. She’s very positive and she’s naive in a way and she’s really interested in making everything work smoothly so she’s easy to love,” said Janzen.

“I feel very blessed to be playing her and I hope I served her up well.”

Playwright Stephen Sparks broke his two-year fast from theatre to step on stage as Rob, Linda’s millionaire (billionaire?) ex-husband. His performance in the first act was a little stilted and a bit cheesy but that can be chocked up to nerves because he brought it back in the second act where he really hit his stride.

The play had a solid first act with intriguing ideas that the audience craved more of but fell a little short in the second act which became an almost cliché ending that left the audience wanting for more of the fresh ideas found in the first act.

This was not the strongest note to end Magnus’ season on but it was a quality play with some pretty interesting ideas and some truly great performances.

Overall, the play was a 7/10, and those interested should consider attending during its run from May 5 to May 21.

For more information on Smarty Pants, visit the Magnus Theatre website!