Cupid takes the stage in Just Kiddin's latest play

Posted Feb 2, 2012 By Emma Jackson

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EMC News - Love is the main character in Just Kiddin' Theatre's latest comedy of errors, which takes the stage in Metcalfe just in time for Valentine's Day.

The youth theatre's teen group will stage When Cupid Comes Out To Play, a madcap farce set in Metcalfe's Osgoode Township High School.

Most of the play takes place at the school's Valentine's Day masquerade ball, where young love, miscommunication and mistaken identities can run rampant.

Writer and director Andrie Nel said love triangles are everywhere and are constantly shifting, and the fast-paced dialogue and physical humour keeps everyone on their toes.

"It's very farcical. It's basically just a comedy of errors that unfolds and hits a climax until finally everything gets explained," she said.

Cupid isn't a physical character in the play, but certainly has a presence. He's referred to several times in the play, and Nel said that since it's a group of 16 teenagers, Cupid has "made an early entrance" among the actors as well.

Thankfully Nel has three teenaged children, all of whom are in the play, so she's familiar with the ways of teens - although she had her children check her jargon.

"I would ask my kids to read it to make sure this is what they say. They didn't laugh at me, and I think I got it somewhat accurate or they would have told me," Nel laughed.

Nel said the biggest challenge for some of the actors has been overcoming the physical demands of their roles: kissing.

"To suddenly have to do that among your peers is very awkward. So we talked about how this is going to be difficult for the actors, and how important it is to be respectful," she said. The actors have the option of "staging" a kiss but so far the actors have persevered through the awkward moment.

The other challenge is timing. Because nearly every character is on stage at all times, it's a crowded stage where the focus flips from one group of characters to another very quickly.

"The challenge is when the conversation flips back and forth. It's dangerous to lose momentum. What we have to do is have a seamless transition between the two, and we're still working on that," Nel said.

Nel noted that she hopes the play will draw a younger audience from the area.

"I would love to see the high school kids come out and have a laugh, because it's them watching them," she said.

Although the play is set in Metcalfe's public high school (with fictional teachers, of course), the actors come from across the region, including Embrun, Manotick and Canterbury High School.

Just Kiddin' Theatre is a not-for-profit volunteer organization that delivers dramatic arts to children and teens in Ottawa's rural south.

The play runs from Friday, Feb. 10 to Sunday, Feb. 12 at the Metcalfe town hall on Victoria Street. Tickets are $10 at www.justkiddintheatre.com.




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