The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

w w w .i n si d eH A LT O N .c o m O A K V IL LE B EA V ER W ed ne sd ay , S ep te m be r 7, 2 01 1 2 2 Artscene The quirks of theatre revealed in comedic play By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF There is a certain mystique behind every theatre production. But that backstage world will be revealed at a new West End Studio Theatre production, titled A Life in the Theatre, which opens on Thursday, Sept 8 at The Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts. David Mamet isnt always funny, but this is a humourous look at the continuing evolution of theatre and of two actors trying to make their way, said Oakvilles Vince Carlin, who plays one-half of the shows cast. I think it is enjoy- able in that. The play, written by the American playwright Mamet is about the relationship between two actors, one, a young start-up, the other (played by Carlin), a stage veteran named Robert. The younger John is played by Oakville actor Jesse Kavander. As mishaps peculiar to theatre occur throughout the show, the relationship between the two characters evolves, showing the audience a glimpse behind the scenes. Despite writing the play in his younger days (in 1977), Carlin said Mamet exhibits great insight into the world of theatre. Its almost written from the perspective of the older actor . . . But for Mamet as a young man, to have the insight he did and to the psyche of the older actor, is very interesting, he said. Its one of the early plays of one of the great American play- wrights. For the long-time Oakville resi- dent, Robert is probably only relat- able to him in age. In other aspects they are quite different. Carlin only took up acting seri- ously since retiring as a CBC jour- nalist this past winter, most recent- ly leaving the journalistic ombuds- man position with the national broadcaster. He has acted here and there, both in community theatre and professional work, but he has only now found the time to pursue the theatre world on a regular basis. Robert on the other hand has always been an actor. Robert is somebody who has been around a long time. Hes a fairly good actor, but he has never been overly successful. He doesnt seem to have ever made it really big, Carlin said. Hes one of these days full- time, work-a-day actors and hes created, for himself, a myth. Hes created a mythos of theatre as an institution, as having rules and etiquette. He says several times during the play, there are rules to follow. Though a fictional character, Robert presents a very realistic look with great insight at the busi- ness, Carlin said. But he can also be a composite for not only the- atre, but other professions as well. In my experience, both in the high-level community side and professional as well, you come across these people who are tal- ented, but theyve never made it over the top. And theyve fallen back into this self-created myth of how you do things. Theatre is a special life. You come across it in journalism, too. Playing the stage veteran is a fun challenge for Carlin. The char- acter has a short attention span and has difficulty conveying his thoughts. As an actor, you have to find the authenticity of that, Carlin said. The challenge is finding the quick changes in mood and tone that (Mamet) has written into the script. Because the play is an onstage look at the backstage world, there are costume changes throughout the show, right on stage, and plays within plays. Also, Carlin said Mamet is one of a few playwrights whose lines have to be read line-for-line. Hes performed another of his plays in the past, Glengarry Glen Ross, so he has experience with it. Mamet writes very specifically. Hes one of those writers who you have to do it exactly as he writes it. Some playwrights, not as skilled or demanding, you can get away with paraphrasing, but you cant with Mamet, Carlin said. PREPARING FOR STAGE: Rehearsing for West End Theatre Studio's production of A Life in the Theatre, Vince Carlin (as Robert), left, and Jesse Kavander (as John) are pictured dueling. RIZIERO VERTOLLI / OAKVILLE BEAVER See Script page 24