{"id":23123,"date":"2022-10-03T10:17:57","date_gmt":"2022-10-03T17:17:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/?p=23123"},"modified":"2022-10-05T10:59:13","modified_gmt":"2022-10-05T17:59:13","slug":"the-belfry-starts-season-extremely-strong-with-intimate-apparel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/2022\/10\/03\/the-belfry-starts-season-extremely-strong-with-intimate-apparel\/","title":{"rendered":"The Belfry starts season extremely strong with Intimate Apparel<\/em>"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Belfry Theatre opened its doors to a new season this September with a tough act to follow. Featuring rich and poetic dialogue from Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, Intimate Apparel<\/em> made an impactful debut.<\/p>\n

Set in 1905, the play follows the unique journey of Esther, an illiterate Black seamstress played by Jenny Brizard. Working day and night, she sews beautiful lingerie for New York\u2019s high-society women. Esther\u2019s anxiety is palpable after her 35th birthday as she has no romantic prospects, leaving her feeling uncertain for the future in a male-dominated society.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lucinda Davis as Mrs. Dickson and Jenny Brizard as Esther in Intimate Apparel<\/em> (photo by David Cooper).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Holding expensive fabric up to her own body, a sense of yearning grows\u2014will she ever have the opportunity to wear something of this caliber? Her luck appears to shift when she begins correspondence with George (played by Matthew G. Brown), a mysterious, smooth-talking labourer working in the Panama Canal. She enlists the help from a rich client, Mrs. Van Buren (Melissa Taylor), to transcribe and write letters on Esther\u2019s behalf. A romantic relationship with George ensues, and Esther\u2019s life and friendships will never be the same.<\/p>\n

Intimate Apparel<\/em> has an intimidating run time of two hours and 25 minutes, although no audience members were found dozing off in their seats the night I went. With audible gasps and laughs filling the theatre, the dynamic relationships between characters and impressive acting allowed for time to melt away.
\nThe set wasn\u2019t overly flashy or complicated\u2014divided into five rooms, actors moved about followed by, at times, simplistic lighting.<\/p>\n

Director Nigel Shawn Williams saved special effects for a few, powerful moments. Set and costume designer Denyse Karn delivered accurate and intriguing costumes that complemented the characters.<\/p>\n

However, the acting and writing is what left a lasting impression. Oozing with sexual tension and restraint, actors created complicated yet beautiful relationships with one another, ensuring a believable and heart-wrenching period piece.<\/p>\n

Brizard delivered a captivating performance, breathing life into every sentence, gaining sympathy and devoted attention from the audience. The relationship portrayed by Brizard and Matthew Gorman, playing timid yet proper Mr. Marks, was unexpectedly powerful and moving.<\/p>\n

Another notable performance came from Lucinda Davis, who played the boisterous Mrs. Dickson\u2014Davis masterfully brought comedic relief to even the most serious of scenes.<\/p>\n

Intimate Apparel<\/em> is worth every penny and is not be missed. Head down to the Belfry to be transported back in time, where everything may seem a little foreign but the desire to be loved is relatable through the years.<\/p>\n

Intimate Apparel<\/em>
\nVarious dates and times, until Sunday, October 16 (due to illness, all performances from Tuesday, October 4 to Friday, October 7 are cancelled)
\nVarious prices, The Belfry
\nbelfry.bc.ca<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Belfry Theatre opened its doors to a new season this September with a tough act to follow. Featuring rich and poetic dialogue from Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, Intimate Apparel made an impactful debut. Set in 1905, the play follows the unique journey of Esther, an illiterate Black seamstress played by Jenny Brizard. Working […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":23127,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23123","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts","category-webexclusive"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t