NAME: Ricardo Caballero Contreras

Live Theatre Reviews – Year I

6. Jake’s Gift (Play)
A. GENERAL NOTES
Name of Production: Jake’s Gift
Author and/or Composer: Julia Mackie
Theatre: Canadian College of Performing Arts’ Performance Hall
Production Company: Juno Productions
Director and/or Choreographer: Dirk Van Stralen
Notable Principal Performers: Julia Mackie
Brief Synopsis/Description: Jake’s Gift tells the story of a Canadian World War II veteran who returns to Normandy 60
years after the war to visit his brother’s grave for the very first time.
Number of Performers: 1
Number of Live Musicians: 0
Brief Description of Sets: It was very simplistic, as it consisted of only a bench, a table, a box and a chair.
Brief Description of Costumes: Clothes that helped adequately portray Isabelle, a little girl from modern times, and a
military uniform with badges used to portray Jake (later in the play).
Does the set help the play, or does it overwhelm the actors? It doesn’t overwhelm the actors, being a very simplistic set.
Is the lighting intrusive? No.
Can you see the actors easily? Yes.
Does the lighting support the actor’s work or get in the way? It supports the actress’ work.
If you have previous knowledge of the script, do you feel the production brought it to life? I didn’t have previous
knowledge of the script but I think the story and its characters were brought to life adequately.
Are the actors working as an ensemble, supporting each other, listening to each other or are there weaknesses in this
respect? The play is performed by only one actress, but when she plays more that one character, her quick physicality
and voice changes make it look like both “characters” are listening very carefully to each other.
Did the production always involve the audience? If not, when and why not? It always involved the audience, since it was
performed in a story-telling way, with Julia Mackie directly addressing the audience.
Did the production have a major impact on the audience? If so, what nature? The production had a noticeably large
impact on the audience, being described by most of my peers as a touching story.
B. Personal Perspective
Would I want to see this production again? No.
Would an audience generally want to return? Yes.
Would I want to be in this production? No.
What role(s) can I see myself performing? (Describe briefly)
1) Isabelle/Jake, Jake being the war veteran and Isabelle the little girl who asks him questions.
Other notes: None.
Relevant Contacts: None made.