Review: Miss Caledonia

(photo credit: Nir Bareket)

Beyond Honey Boo-Boo
by Beat Rice

It’s not a new story but I always love to hear that a SummerWorks show has continued to have a life after the festival. Melody A. Johnson’s play Miss Caledonia was performed at the 2010 SummerWorks Theatre Festival and is being presented at the Tarragon Theatre in association with Lunkamud. Johnson’s play, where she is the sole actor accompanied by a fiddler, is based on the experiences and memories of her mother, Peggy Ann Douglas. Miss Caledonia is the portrait of a young girl in the 50s with big dreams of leaving farm chores in rural Ontario for stardom in Hollywood. To achieve her dream, Peggy sets her sights on winning as many pageants as possible, starting with the smaller ones and moving up along the way. Johnson plays many characters in Peggy’s life on a stage with nothing but a wood bench in the centre, all the while appropriately dressed in a plaid shirt and jeans. 

after 20 minutes of being at the same level it became harder to listen properly and stay in the story

Johnson has clearly spent a lot of time with the many characters in the play. She switches between them quickly and embodies the characters in movement and voice with impressive consistency and excellent comic timing. What was also consistent, but not as enjoyable in the small studio space, was the high energy and fast pace that did not waver. In a way, it is a very commendable feat, but the play started off at such a height that after 20 minutes of being at the same level it became harder to listen properly and stay in the story, especially when the violin comes in on top of Johnson’s voice. The latter half of the play picks up as Peggy describes her pageant experiences. There is one hilariously memorable moment where Peggy, and I suppose Johnson, perform for us their ‘talent’ that was prepared for a pageant.  

The play is very Canadian. It is geographically very specific, with many references to other Southern Ontario towns. It will be received very well on its tour across Canada, and even more in Ontario, but I wonder if would be outside of the nation. I am sure Peggy Ann’s story will resonate with many, but her home is such an essential part of her identity, and the root of her, not to mention the root of many jokes.  You can be sure that a Toronto audience will laugh at anything that involves poking fun at another Canadian city. 

In all, Johnson delivers a sweet and funny performance. It is not the most moving story in the world but one can tell that it is honest and very close to her heart. 

Miss Caledonia runs until November 22.