This four-character operetta bears immediate and constant reminders of Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim's work, with a few strains of Gilbert & Sullivan. The roles are right out of TV's "Friends." Unfortunately, most of the "arias" leave us singing the blues. More uptempi and additional humorous lyrics would have taken Dorothy Dittrich's labor of (and about) love to loftier heights. Buddies In Bad Times Theatre's new artistic director, David Oiye - making his first season directorial debut - lacks the experience and sophistication for blocking music theater, despite the dramatic nature of the theme and a small cast. Although there are no dance numbers, the staging would have been less stoic with a choreographer.
The action of When We Were Singing takes place over one weekend, mostly in four abodes, with one memorable switch to a restaurant for Sunday bunch. There are two hetero women Jenny, a blonde and glamorous actress, and the plainer but equally dramatic Abby - who at one point find solace in each other's arms in bed. Then there's the gay Richard who, since his lover died (of AIDS, of course), has lost his creativity and incentive for working in theater (doing what is not made clear). And there is Belinda, a fuuny "baby-dyke" type of lesbian. She's a successful TV commercial director stuck professionally and personally.
Much of the show's action is carried out over the phone. One relieving exception is the restaurant scene, where the proceedings become noticeably funny and alive.
Thankfully, the cast is talented, possessing super singing and strong emoting skills. (Their full impact was thwarted for two thirds of the audience located on two sides of a three-sided, 150-seat configuration of the spacious space. The protruding, multi-leveled set forced the cast to play to the middle block, so most of the audience had frustrating back and side views of the performers.)
The theme of lost and deprived love is old hat by now. This pastiche offers a twist, however, with its gay-lesbian factor, and it's produced another Canadian music theater writer-composer worth watching. This west coast-originated show also exposes the infinite fear of theater folk: what's hailed in one centre won't necessarily receive the same ecstatic reception in seen-it-all Toronto. Of course, this Toronto production is saddled with the aforementioned unsuitable director and unconventional venue!
