Review: Ottawa Little Theatre's STAG AND DOE is a Huge Success

Ottawa Little Theatre’s production of Mark Crawford’s Stag and Doe opened this week to an enthusiastic audience. For those readers who, like me, did not grow up in Ottawa, let me begin by explaining the mostly Southern Ontarian/Manitoban concept of a "stag and doe" (or jack and jill, as it is also known). A stag and doe is a party organized by friends of a prospective bride and groom, not to be confused with a stag (or bachelor) and hen (or bachelorette) party. At a stag and doe, gifts are not expected, but there is an entry fee, as well as a cash bar, ticketed games, and raffle tickets for assorted prizes. The party is organized as a fundraiser for the couple to put towards their wedding expenses, honeymoon or just to give them a leg up in their new life together. In small towns, you are expected to attend your friends and neighbours stag and does, and this is reciprocated when you eventually hold your own.

The set (designed by David Magladry) opens onto a community centre’s kitchen, where the bride-to-be, Bonnie (Sarah McKay), and her maid of honour, Dee (Katie Torresan), are making Jell-O shots for the stag and doe that evening. Bonnie’s fiancé, Brad (Ian Gillies) becomes upset with Bonnie when he discovers the secret of just how much her wedding gown cost (hint: it was three times over their budget, and it may actually be worth more than Brad’s truck). Not to worry, Bonnie assures him – that’s what the stag and doe is for, after all.

Enter Mandy (Melissa Raftis) and Rob (Steven Dworkin). Today is their wedding day, but their wedding tent has literally disappeared after the particularly nasty storm last night. With a large, glamourous party planned and nowhere to host it, a desperate Mandy pleads with Bonnie to let her use the stag and doe venue for the wedding.

The entire cast has great chemistry, which makes their interactions feel so natural; the audience almost feels like a voyeur, silently watching the day’s events unfold in front of them. Dee and Jay's (Garret Lee) blossoming romance, set against the chaos of the day, is heartwarming to watch. And, as annoying and Mandy and Rob are, the script does have some character development that allows the audience to glimpse a different side of their characters. Not all fun and games, Stag and Doe also tackles some serious issues, like infidelity, loss, and self-esteem. Bonnie and Brad may appear like the stereotypical perfect girl- and boy-next-door, but they are struggling with issues that everyone can relate to.

A well deserved shout out goes to the show’s director, Greg Hancock, as the actors nailed perfectly timed punchlines, as well as the physical comedy (especially Raftis in Act Two), resulting in genuinely funny moments that did not feel at all forced. As the sets were changed, each cast member was also given an interesting opportunity to showcase their ability to use silent expression.

One thing that really impressed me was OLT’s genius sound design in this production (Michel Cormier). As the party takes place in the room adjacent to the kitchen, every time the kitchen door swings open, the audience hears the increased volume coming from music and merriment taking place outside. This makes the stage truly feel like part of a much bigger area and as if there really is a party happening in the wings.

Stag and Doe is a huge success thanks to its quick-pace, strong comedic writing, interesting and relatable characters, as well as a great set and sound that uses the entire stage to its advantage. Crawford’s script is so funny that you don’t even mind that it’s utterly predictable.

I heartily recommend Stag and Doe; personally, I think it’s OLT’s best show of the season so far. Stag and Doe is on stage through May 25th. Click here for more information or get tickets at the link below.

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