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Ottawa Citizen

St. Joseph presents an inspiring, entertaining production of Sense & Sensibility

Article content Zoe Whitlock, Lead Critic Colonel By Secondary School Article content There's no better friend than a sister and St. Joseph High School's performance of Sense & Sensibility told a heartwarming tale of gossip, scandal, romance, and most importantly, sisterly love. Article content Sense & Sensibility, based on the novel written by Jane Austen in 1811 and adapted for the stage by Kate Hamill, is a play that follows Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, two sisters who move to a cottage in the English countryside with their newly widowed mother. Elinor Dashwood, practical and reserved, falls for Edward Ferrars, an awkwardly charming gentleman who is engaged to someone else. Marianne Dashwood, romantic and free, falls headfirst for John Willoughby, an irresistible man with a mysterious past. Through heartbreak and happiness, scandal and sickness, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood navigate the societal pressures of Regency era England and are tested in ways they would have never imagined. Sense & Sensibility tells the story of the bond between two sisters brought closer together by love, life, and loss. Article content Article content In the spotlight was the dynamic duo Anna Mansfield and Talia Daigle, playing Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. Together they worked in harmony, beautifully portraying the strong relationship between the two sisters, while expertly bringing out their differences. Anna Mansfield as Elinor moved across the stage in a deliberate and cautious manner that matched the reserved nature of the character. When Elinor reveals to Marianne that she knew of Edward's engagement, Mansfield effectively portrayed emotional turmoil that had been building up after months of staying silent. Talia Daigle brought whimsy and life to the role of Marianne. Daigle was a ray of sunlight on the stage, from playing the character with an infectious energy that showed Marianne's unbreakable spirit to demonstrating impressive range by sobbing in panicked hysterics. Article content Article content Article content In the role of Edward Ferrars, Finley Henderson moved in an awkward yet endearing manner and spoke in stilted speech that showed how nervous the character was around Elinor. As Robert Ferrars, Henderson snorted and sniffled across the stage, repulsing everyone along the way. Sammy O'Connor played John Willoughby with exorbitant bravado, demonstrating the arrogance of the character through comedic body language such as exaggerated hand gestures, dramatically flipped coattails, and smoldering looks. The Gossips represented the ever increasing pressure of society with high pitched, overlapping voices, and birdlike laughter. Article content Four ornate windows looked out onto a beautifully painted backdrop of the rolling hills and cloudy skies of the English countryside. The windows were painted pink and white on the inside and draped with green vines on the outside, smoothly depicting the change in settings. Sense & Sensibility employed a wide variety of lighting techniques, including striking red lighting during scenes of romance, fading blue lights when Marianne is ill, and the flash of lightning across the thunder filled sky. Social status of the characters was reflected through colourful costumes, hair and makeup.