The moon co-operated on Nov. 10, shining clear and full over the Heritage Playhouse for the one night only performance of The Moon and the Other Side of the Honeymoon.
The two performers, Gerardo Avila and Veronica Dahl, presented a quirky, gentle series of often comic sketches on the themes of love and love lost.
Avila, who lives on the Coast and is often seen conjuring magic for children, teaching Spanish to adults or providing comic relief in such shows as Karen Pitkethly's touring flamenco dancers, used all of these talents in this show. His face, reminiscent of comedy actor Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson), ran through a lively gamut of expressions, comic and serious. In one hilarious scene he was given a gift package that was supposed to reduce his stress, but he became increasingly more stressed by trying to undo the packaging. On a more serious note, Avila also recited poetry, including one poem from the renowned Spanish poet and dramatist Fredrico Garcia Lorca.
Dahl, a musician and composer in Canada and Argentina, played guitar on several well known numbers such as Fly Me to the Moon, and translated many lesser known songs from Spanish to English, singing in a soft, breathy voice throughout the show. Singing was not her strongest suit, but her guitar work was enjoyable with its South American flair and her movement and costumes were pretty. She presented a cool and lovely counterpoint to Avila's warm, funny character.
The show was produced by Moving Hearts and directed by a veteran of Seattle and Vancouver productions, Michael Fera.
Unfortunately the program was beset by technical glitches: the slide show that would have added atmospheric background could not be screened and some whining feedback from Avila's microphone in the early part of the show made listening difficult. With these problems solved, The Moon is an unusual and refreshing showcase for two talented performers.
Avila and Dahl will take this show on the road now, performing at the Carnegie Centre Theatre in Vancouver on Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m. (the next full moon) in a free performance. They plan to appear on Vancouver Island and return to perform in Sechelt sometime early in 2012.
