The Story: Robert Morgan on 25 years of his The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine

Anger Explored and the Oh-Oh moment
by Robert Morgan

I was thrilled when it became apparent that I was going to create a show with Leah Cherniak and Martha Ross. They were the co-founders of Theatre Columbus and in my books and many others’ they were the brightest bees-knees in the business of theatre-making in Toronto… or anywhere else in the country.

That was about 27 years ago. I was working the bottom rung of the ladder of the biz in schools and church basements touring a one-man show called ‘Morgan’s Journey.’ They saw the play and liked it, in part because of its elements of clown so fundamental to their own work. They also liked the theme we came up with for our proposed new co-creation.

We chose to explore anger and we were all drawn to do so with a particular emphasis on its manifestations in long-term love relationships. Where on earth such an idea came from remains a major mystery to us all.

In stages over the course of two and half years with Leah directing and Martha and I acting, we laughed, cried and improvised together a tough little nugget of a play that we named ‘The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine.’ We billed it as ‘A Raging Comedy’ and premiered just off Bloor at the Poor Alex Theatre. We had no expectations and absolutely no idea how our work, our hard, challenging, equally harrowing and hilarious work would be received.

Then

Well… the years passed. The play has been translated into several languages and studied, performed, and produced around the world. I can say the experience creating and performing it was a “highlight of my working life” and leave the understatement at that resting as assured as an overly critical theatre artist can be, that a lot of people really liked ‘The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine’.

Apparently some still do. A few months ago, 25 years after the play’s opening off Bloor, Jennifer De Lucia and Daniel Stolfi asked me to direct a production for Pivotal Arts Productions that will run just off King at Unit 102 Theatre studio & Actors Company. Please mark the dates in your calendar and tell your friends; Jennifer and Daniel are wonderful and they’re producing it themselves. Tuesday, November 6 to Saturday, November 24.

Now

Once again, I am thrilled. And as we approach the first day of rehearsal, along with the thrill there’s also a bit of an “Oh, oh”, which actually might be a fair-sized, “Oh, Oh!” You see, not only will Jennifer and Daniel play the title roles, and not only are they wonderful and talented, they are young. To make matters worse, they have just announced their engagement to be married. To the many who will understand the "Oh Oh" immediately, I encourage you to take heart. Have no fear. ‘The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine’ is a clown-based work after all, and “Oh, oh” works in clown; it works especially well in clown. Oh oh.

Venue: Unit 102 Theatre, 376 Dufferin Street
Shows: Opening November 6- 24, 8pm & Saturday 2pm Matinee
Tickets: $20 in advance or $25 at the Door. Visit www.theanger25.eventbrite.com to reserve your tickets!