“Doubtful House” by Ian Ross at Conklin Theatre @umanitoba is a great play,well written,enticingly performed.#wpgtheatre #winnipeg

The world premiere of this play was March 15, 2016 at the official opening of the John J. Conklin Theatre in the Tache Arts Centre at the University of Manitoba.  It was presented by The Black Hole Theatre Company.  What a pleasure it was for them to be in this new theatre space with proper ceiling height, lighting, seating, sight lines – in short proper everything!

 

I loved the writing in this play.  It was an intricately woven story with excellent use of the present day spirit appearing throughout.  She was a most believable character!  I loved the witty text that was embedded in the dialogue.  As usual one had to be attentive to catch, but it was well worth it.

 

I liked how The Black Hole Theatre Company used various theatrical techniques to enhance their presentation.  For example, the freezing of other actors on stage while the spirit spoke under a bright spotlight was very effective.  The video used to depict the burning of the church was perfect.

 

I really liked the portable kitchen that was brought on for the scene for the visit with the family.  The cramped space of this construction allowed for some comic delivery.  But for The Black Hole Theatre Company to now have a shop where that can be done and easily brought into the performance space is a real treat, and I expect most appreciated – I know from the point of view of an audience member it certainly was.

Thnx for this great experience.