Responses about Persephone Thank you and your outstanding cast for an evening of excellent theatre. Frayne McCarthy justly prefers 'productions lovingly crafted by dedicated artists working with simple means.' (Far from the Madding Crowd, 2011) We really enjoyed the play and were very impressed with how they were able to handle the logistics of moving the actors onto the stage. We had both read the story before hand which certainly added to the enjoyment as we wondered how they would pull off the various events that took place. Congratulations to all. (Far from the Madding Crowd, 2011) I enjoyed working with everyone and couldn't have asked for a better cast and crew. I loved working with Persephone and will try encouraging the company as much and as well as I can in the future. (Far from the Madding Crowd, 2011) I thoroughly enjoyed the play - so well executed by your sizeable group of talented actors. Your presentation (Sunday afternoon) was excellent and so relevant. A very lovely performance indeed. (Far from the Madding Crowd, 2011) I was just so impressed with the quality of the show -- the actors, the set, the costume, the music, everything. As I watched, the novel slowly came back to me (I read it so long ago for my comprehensive exams and had nearly forgotten it), but that did not in least diminish my experience of the play. I felt like I knew the characters personally and had to try my hardest not to weep when they brought in that coffin with poor Fanny's body. Heartbreaking! And I must say that the young woman playing Bathsheba did an outstanding job. She made me really admire that independent and headstrong New Woman (yes, I think she fits the bill) -- gave her a heart and brain to admire! (Far from the Madding Crowd, 2011) Il n’y avait pas de temps mort, un très bon rythme et enchaînement, une excellente direction d’acteurs. (Far from the Madding Crowd, 2011) I have to say that the play was incredible, awesome and wonderful. Congratulations to all actors! You made me feel special for a few hours. Continue your great work. (Far from the Madding Crowd, 2011) It was really well done...loved the way the seating was arranged around the play. They were just great! There were seven of us and we were all raving about it on our way home. The Rialto is really beautiful theatre. (Far from the Madding Crowd, 2011) I wanted to let you know how very much I enjoyed your production of Far From the Madding Crowd. The story itself continues to illustrate important contemporary issues and the fluid, professional and dramatically fine execution of the script drew me in in all ways, as we always hope theatre will: visually, aurally, intellectually and emotionally. The creative use of the space at the Rialto, that clearly presented challenges, seemed to add to the broader experience. I always enjoy the offerings of Persephone Productions, but I think with this play, you and your colleagues have achieved a particular success. I think that the Montreal community is greatly enriched by your efforts and contributions to cultural life. (Far from the Madding Crowd, 2011) My husband and I attended the Friday performance and were swept away into the world of Thomas Hardy, by the superb cast and the play's two directors! Never have we seen such brilliant direction, such that the cast was able to create a very believable, tactile rural environment by tweaking the audience's imagination. The blocking and choreography, the acting by each and every performer and the and the engrossing story brought to life, made for a perfect theatre experience.(Far from the Madding Crowd, 2011) We left right after the performance on Thursday. To tell you the truth we were both in tears and didn't really want to small talk with people. I'm not quite sure how you did it but that was an incredible interpretation of the play. When I read it I was curious about how you would stage it, but I just couldn't see it...now I have.(Mary's Wedding, 2011) We thought you did a magnificent job directing Mary's Wedding. It was such a touching, well written and interesting play which was brought to life by the wonderful acting, scenery, costumes, sound effects and lighting. All these elements came together to create a superb piece of theatre. Your two young actors were completely believable. Their relationship was very touching - no false notes. I hope they both have stellar careers! I loved the simplicity of the staging. The wooden horses worked beautifully. The sound effects were effective in creating atmosphere. I have to admit I had tears in my eyes at the end. Well done, the whole crew.(Mary's Wedding, 2011) Thank you for the invite to opening and for the charming production. I love unabashedly romantic plays and I thought you handled the particular structural / narrative challenges very well. Actors did a fine job, as always. Enjoy the run!(Mary's Wedding, 2011) We enjoyed your excellent production of Mary's Wedding last night. We found the play charming - with the poignancy reminiscent of such plays as Our Town and Salt Water Moon. We heartily disagree with the Gazette critic who found no "chemistry" between the actors. This was 1914 and that is how young people interacted in those days. My parents had an eight-year courtship largely by correspondence from 1912 to 1920 (described in my book Tell Me Why Nights are Lonesome) and they did not address each other by first names until they were engaged. He also failed to praise the smooth transitions from one scene to the next (as a director I really appreciate creative transitions). We credit you as well for the sincere performances you succeeded in eliciting from your young performers. So for what it is worth……….BRAVO !(Mary's Wedding, 2011) We were very brief in passing on the last night of the production. I can tell you that I was very tired when I arrived in the theatre. By the time I left I felt great and totally energized - that was a creatively energized production and thought provoking to match. Thank you. (Henry V, 2010) I was lucky enough to be in the audience of your closing performance of Henry V last night. Wanted to send a little note offering my congratulations to the cast and crew. Excellent work. The direction, acting and use of space were wonderful. Bravo. (Henry V, 2010) What a powerful play it was! What excellent acting!. We were very impressed with the presentation, the sound and background music, the simple but powerful stage. What a challenge to make this play up to date, what successful and professional efforts have gone into this. Congratulations Gabrielle, you are an amazing director; what an opportunity for young actors to work with you. (Henry V, 2010) Congratulations to you on having created such a powerful, relevant, and enjoyable production. I've tried to make sure that everyone in the cast and crew knows how much I've enjoyed working with them, and how proud I am to have been a part of this team. Thank you for continuing to bring Shakespeare to this city, and for doing such a wonderful job of it. (Henry V, 2010) I really enjoyed Henry V. Aaron was wonderful as Henry and the whole company was excellent. I thought the way you used the space was very engaging and I liked that the chorus was by all....very effective! The costumes were very interesting, as well. It was a terrific show and all should be very proud. (Henry V, 2010) I would just like to thank you very much for the wonderful opportunity and amazing experience of working for Persephone Productions. It has been an honour and a privilege to work alongside such a talented cast of actors, and a joy to have been directed by a pair of passionate theatre lovers. (Henry V, 2010) It was a great production. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Congratulations. (Henry V, 2010) Kudos! So beautifully costumed and staged, acted and directed. It was all school kids in the audience and they seemed to love that they could relate to it. It was directed in a way that made it "today" for them and I felt that they were really involved in the story and very moved. They were all talking about war issues at intermission. Wonderful. (Henry V, 2010) Beautiful show! I just wanted to let you know how refreshing it was to see a show that really focused on the text of the play. I didn't feel distracted by unneccesary design or technical elements - it was just the text. It was absolutely beautiful. (Henry V, 2010) I enjoyed the play so much. My congratulations to Gabrielle and to the wonderful actors who are so very impressive. What a wonderful opportunity for young artists to showcase their exceptional talents and live their dream. I am looking forward to the next production. (Henry V, 2010) We really enjoyed Be My Baby: we found the performers dynamic and highly skilled and the play interesting and well paced. Great job! (Be my Baby, 2009) There was a lot to discuss; the lack of choice for women, the double standard, comparisons between parenting then and now; the lack of knowledge and understanding of sexuality, the contrast between the romantic idealism of the music and the reality of the girls' situation, the different character types, the different class viewpoints, etc. Very rich ground! (Be my Baby, 2009) Congrats to you and your whole team. Persephone has provided excellent theatre yet again! (Be my Baby, 2009) I am so glad I got to see Be My Baby. It was wonderful and I enjoyed every minute. The girls were all so good. It is hard to believe that some of them are just beginning their careers, they were so professional!! I enjoyed the question period too. (Be my Baby, 2009) Thank you for the care you take to mount high quality productions. (Be my Baby, 2009) We thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a great play. Congratulations to Gabrielle and her team. (Be my Baby, 2009) I think you do a marvellous job for English theatre against tough odds. (Cherry Docs, 2009) I feel that you have great passion for your work as a director, and this shows in Cherry Docs. (Cherry Docs, 2009) Thank you so much for continuing to bring such performances to the Montreal community. Our students are richer for the experience. We spoke about the play today in English class, and the girls had many complementary things to say, both about its staging and content. One thing that stood out for many of them was the ability of both actors to draw the audience in. A number of students made comments about being on the edge of their seats. One girl said that she actually stopped breathing during the scene when Mike broke down crying. They also felt very strongly that the issue of hatred and violence is of central concern today for them, and that they felt that the play showed the complexity of this issue well. (Cherry Docs, 2009) We thought it was great, Gabrielle! You and your cast and crew are to be much congratulated for offering an amazing play to the theatre-goers of Montreal. It is a very well written play, I thought, and the acting was very, very good, particularly Dan. It is so poetic in parts...very beautiful! I was quite moved and would have liked to have seen it a second time. It's quite dense as well, and requires the audience to really pay attention. (Cherry Docs, 2009) Absolutely rivetting. Your best show yet. (Cherry Docs, 2009) Powerful. Excellent. (Cherry Docs, 2009) Extraordinarily moving. You are bringing us excellent theatre, Gabrielle. (Cherry Docs, 2009) You actually helped me a lot to do lighting design by being receptive and very respectful. Without your help I wouldn't be able to enjoy lighting design for the show.(Cherry Docs, 2009) It was EXCELLENT Gabrielle!! Thank you so much and Congratulations!! Exhausting and stimulating. Sean and Dan were brilliant. (Cherry Docs, 2009) Congratulations on the show. In spite of having read the play so many times, I was quite affected by some of the powerful moments you created.(Cherry Docs, 2009) "Cherry Docs" by David Gow was a very thought-provoking and powerful play. It was extremely well acted, direct and with a strong message. The two actors kept the audience captivated the whole time. For me the play had a special meaning. Since I spent a lot of time in high schools, particularly in disadvantaged areas, I see these angry, disillusioned, lost young men everywhere and every day, perhaps not as skinheads, but in comparable situations. The play taught me that as a society we urgently need to do something about the despair and anger of these young people. It is our collective responsibility. The play certainly made us all think and talk about this issue. Thank you Gabrielle for shaking us up! It's a powerful piece that was well handled. Performances were great.(Cherry Docs, 2009) What more could one want from a theatre piece than to leave with something to think and talk about. A quote by Michel Tremblay says it better than I can: When you leave a play, you should be either thinking about the subject or fighting among yourselves. The problem shouldn't be solved. Michel Tremblay. (Cherry Docs, 2009) It completely blew me away! (Cherry Docs, 2009) Congratulations on another terrific show! It was absolutely flawless. (Cherry Docs, 2009) Congrats on a thoughtful, moving production. (Cherry Docs, 2009) I feel so happy to have been a part of the production and already feel that it is one of the defining moments of my life.(Othello, 2008) I have been remiss in not contacting you earlier to tell you how remarkable Othello was. After hearing the first few lines of the play, I realized I would be in for a profound afternoon. This production did what it was supposed to do: illuminate the concerns of character that Shakespeare addresses. I have been thinking about it ever since. That Othello didn't know himself well enough made him prey to Iago, but that Rodgrigo (infatuation) and Cassio (passionate anger), who mirrored these two aspects of Othello's character, knew their possible outcomes but were still unable to withstand Iago, gives pause. Thank you for your integrity, for setting and meeting such high standards.(Othello, 2008) Quand la simplicité l'emporte. Avec sa mise en scène épurée et l'intimité de la salle qui ne doit pas contenir plus de 50 sièges, Othello nous offre un beau moment de théâtre. Je ne suis pas 100% bilingue mais j'ai quand même réussi à suivre l'histoire (heureusement, j'ai lu un résumé de l'histoire avant!). Les talentueux interprètes ont réussi sans misère à nous emporter dans l'univers Shakespearien. Particulièrement le jeune homme qui interprétait le rôle d'Iago, il était vraiment convainquant dans la peau de ce personnage malicieux.(Othello, 2008) Belle occasion de revoir un classique. Une interprétation intéressante... Une belle occasion de voir ou revoir un classique. (Othello, 2008) It was delightful. We enjoyed the play , the actors were amazing; great job well done (Othello, 2008) Congratulations to you, the actors, and everyone involved in your superb production of Othello. Never have I heard Shakespeare's words spoken so clearly, enunciated so perfectly, and delivered with such appropriate emotion. Bravo!(Othello, 2008) Once again, we loved the show - it was so energetic and engaging. It really moved the whole time. Iago was great and so was Othello (wonderful for Tristan! ). There was a lot of chemistry between Othello and Desdemona and she looked beautiful and it was a treat to read her face - it spoke volumes. I liked how the box on the set was manipulated and I found there were a lot of subtleties that worked so well - for example, the scene where Iago is polishing Othello's boots and Othello shows his displeasure with what Iago is saying by moving his feet. The smothering scene was very well done; many of the girls mentioned they found it very affecting and convincing. Many of the Grade 11's who had seen Stratford's Othello last year liked yours better and Jan and I both agree. The actors really conveyed Shakespeare's meaning very adeptly; you must have worked very hard with them, because that is not an easy thing to get from young actors. Wonderful work, all round! (Othello, 2008) I just came back from your wonderful production of Othello at Sunday’s matinée. The actors were superb. They spoke Shakespeare’s words intelligently and beautifully and moved me deeply. It was clear that they gave it their all. They opened up to their characters, to each other and to us and it was very moving to receive. Congratulations to the whole team (on and behind the scenes) for a special theatre experience.(Othello, 2008) Tristan’s portrayal of Othello...had so many beautiful moments & nuances, & I believe that for a 24 year old he showed a huge range of ability, fully capable of tackling such great roles as this, & others that I’ve seen him play (Oberon, Theseus, Caliban, Don Pedro, etc.). Rebecca Croll truly was magnificent indeed. what a presence! She’s also great in all things that I’ve seen her in... Cassio was quite charming, I found... All in all, I think that given the circumstances, these highly qualified actors did an incredible job bringing Shakespeare’s words to Life. (Othello, 2008) The performance of Othello this past Saturday evening was amazing. (Othello, 2008) I saw the show on Saturday evening & absolutely loved it. (Othello, 2008) It was better than the other two fine professional productions I've seen - one at Stratford and one several times in Melbourne. There was no important hair out of place in the whole performance. You wonder why people say Shakespeare was the best writer of all time in any language. He gets under the skin and then under that. (Othello, 2008) Despite the fact that I spent the night after it dreaming of conspiracies, I really enjoyed the play. The acting was very impressive. I love these plays where it all comes down to actors and costumes, but practically no props or sets. Shakespeare wins again! Now what can you find next? (Othello, 2008) We (the Centre Greene Theatre Club) loved the show! You are to be congratulated-wonderful work. Thanks so much. (Othello, 2008) Bravo Gabrielle, you did a magnificent job with the play. All of us thoroughly enjoyed it! Congratulations to you, the actors and all your team! (Othello, 2008) I thought the Tuesday performance even better than Fri. You've done a really marvellous job - and it's a marvellous play. (Othello, 2008) That is great. Wonderful show, excellent! It kept me on the edge of my seat, fabulous performances! . (Othello, 2008) Yes, my group enjoyed the play very much. We were impressed with the actors' handling of the language - I know you worked very hard to achieve that - and thought your young actors gave an excellent performance, particularly Iago who was outstanding and Emilia (Iago's wife - did I get the right name?) The scene between Desdemona and Emilia was touching and believable. We weren't so sure we believed that Desdemona and Othello were passionately in love. I'm not sure why - chemistry is such a subtle thing. However, Emma didn't agree. She thought the character of Othello was great and perfectly convincing and she was in tears at the end. Other people I've talked to have been unanimous that this was an excellent production. Oh, and the fights were great! I liked your minimalist staging - the boxes worked very well. Well done everybody and congratulations to you. I hope the run is going well. . (Othello, 2008) Congratulations to you all. What a superb production. I will be back again on the 28th.( Othello, 2008) Wow! How exciting. The MECCA and The Myron Galloway Awards. Congrats. On a personal note, I so wish that I could've been a part of The Greenfields production. But mix-ups happen. C'est la vie. I do enjoy working with you. You are truly a wonderful teacher and an inspiration to all young actors. Just a quick and belated note about your recent awards. What a pleasure it is to see you and Persephone so honored by our theatrical community. I have, of course—as you well know—been a Soskin fan for many years, full of admiration for your directorial talent and your persevering spirit, and I think it’s terrific what you have done since retiring from John Abbott. Under your guidance, Persephone has grown into one of Montreal’s most vital theatre companies. We thoroughly enjoyed the play and the acting was excellent!( Unity (1918), 2007) What a wonderful theatre evening it was last Friday! The script, the staging and the acting were all first rate. Bravo to you.( Unity (1918), 2007) Congrats! It was wonderful. So you can relax now, the birth was delivered successfully.( Unity (1918), 2007) I really enjoyed the show last night; it was quite a beautiful production. I realize the sparse set was due to budget restrictions, but it actually worked quite nicely and allowed the show's focus to be on the text. Strong performances all around, especially the young woman who played Beatrice. Anyway, you should be very proud of the show, it's a great production.( Unity (1918), 2007) I've just had a quick look at your website and it looks great. You have my admiration for having the nerve to dedicate yourself to such a company- which is such an essential resource for so many artists.(Playwright) Félicitations pour une très belle soirée. You were magnificent Gabrielle. Elisabeth and I thoroughly enjoyed our evening.(The Loves of Shakespeare's Women, re-mount 2008) You were fabulous last night - quite the 'tour de force'. Well done. I hope the rest of the performances are as good. It almost makes me want to read Shakespeare's plays again! And the costume was brilliant - so clever. I thought you used it very well, taking the time to change, and adapt the mood from one role to another. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Bravo! (The Loves of Shakespeare's Women, 2007) I loved all the speeches. I particularly enjoyed Viola, Emilia, Lady M and the barmaid's exchange. Really well done! Also one of the best costumes I've seen in a long time. Beautiful to say the least, but also very well used. (The Loves of Shakespeare's Women, 2007) We loved, loved, loved the show. (The Loves of Shakespeare's Women, 2007) We thoroughly enjoyed your "Love of Shakespeare's Women" last night. I was touched by the range of emotion in each of the acts and the intense and concise production. I was completely engaged. Thank you! (The Loves of Shakespeare's Women, 2007) I saw your show last night. Well Done. Loved the production. (The Loves of Shakespeare's Women, 2007) You gave a riveting performance to capture the sense of character, emotion and all placed in wonderful context. (The Loves of Shakespeare's Women, 2007) Thankyou for your patience and open-mind. Thank you for leading us on the journey. Thank you for understanding what it is to be an actor. Thank you for being you. (Prodigy 2006) "the public is like a piano. You have to know what keys to poke." Al Capp. Thank you for this very delicious opportunity! What a compelling story-with wonderful female characters. It has been a pleasure working with you again. Hopefully we can take it to Broadway! (Prodigy 2006) I've learned so much about myself-as an actor and as a human being. I felt confident, fearless, liberated. My experience with Persephone has inspired me to dream and convinced me that-with enough hard work-I can realise those dreams. (Prodigy 2006) feedback from the author Nick Whitby during the rehearsals of To the Green Fields Beyond (2006): On the youth of your cast, that's great - young is good, very good. The original crews might have had one or two in their mid-twenties or older but most would have been very young indeed. I hope you have a terrific week - Nick HOW interesting, the stylization business - I'll come to that, but first the 'ice' - it does just mean 'calm', the fact that he's able to sleep appears very cool to K, who doesn't know about the morphine - the tiny looks or ghosts of smiles of the others tell us the reality. ... it is the audience who must supply the drama/meaning/pain etc - the observer creates the reality and this reality must never be fed to them or the play contradicts its own heart. The fact that this moment is so painfully under-played is what makes it so painful - they're gone before we are quite ready for it (like in life, and death)... this is what emotionally then necessitates the concluding scene of the play. I love the fact that you are having them exit upstage - this is crucial and exactly as I always envisaged it. Please, please try it under-played - in a private circle is great, less is so much more here, it makes the audience like privileged watching spirits. That's wonderful because it entrusts them with meaning, makes it theirs. Nick Merci pour cette fabuleuse expérience. Merci de m'avoir fait confiance et la liberté d'explorer. (To the Green Fields Beyond, 2006) You have given us a great play. Thank you for bringing Green Fields to Montreal! (To the Green Fields Beyond, 2006) Thank you for your efforts to 'raise the bar' in Montreal's Theatre community. (To the Green Fields Beyond, 2006) The play itself is very thought-provoking and relevant and captured the horrible situation the soldiers were in, while highlighting the team work of the group. It was also very well acted and staged. I definitely want to be on the list for future productions.(To the Green Fields Beyond, 2006) I have learnt so much about acting and myself as an actor this month (Spring Awakening 2005) I’m always proud to be part of your team (Spring Awakening 2005) My favorite moments were those when you spoke about the grandness of the theatre (SubUrbia 2004) This was the best role I’ve ever played, and the best play I’ve ever played in. My gratitude is immeasurable (SubUrbia 2004) Thank you for helping me grow as an actor and a more confident woman (SubUrbia 2004) I really have the utmost respect for you and everything Persephone stands for. Many young artists have you to thank for getting their work out there (Jane Eyre 2004) I finally got the opportunity to work with you, and it was all I hoped it would be. Thank you (Jane Eyre 2004) I am deeply grateful to you for your generous and free direction (SubUrbia 2004) You are doing something wonderful with Persephone. I hope I have the pleasure of working with you again in the future (SubUrbia 2004) Thank you for believing in me. I have learnt so much over the past two months (SubUrbia 2004) back to top |