The Melville Boys

A small cabin on the lake, beers, a few bags of chips and a couple of fishing rods. The perfect recipe for a simple and relaxing getaway; what could possibly complicate matters?

The Northumberland Players bring Norm Foster’s 1984 dramatic comedy “The Melville Boys” to the stage in the latest instalment of dinner theatre at the Best Western in Cobourg.

Directed by Jack Boyagian and produced by Catherine Holland, “The Melville Boys” plays on the nostalgia and sometimes burdensome dynamics of brotherhood.

Foster is a Canadian playwright who has written more than 60 plays and is one of the most produced playwrights in the country. Foster’s plays are usually known for their comedic qualities, but “The Melville Boys” leans more to the serious side and uses his knack for comedic timing and sharp one-liners to take the edge off.

As Boyagian says in his director’s note, “Foster’s skill is to know just when to change gears and no scene ever becomes too heavy. Laughter, hope, and redemption are always just around the corner.”

The Melville brothers, Lee (Jim McLaughlin) and Owen (Josh Lambert) set out for a fishing trip at a family cabin on the lake.

Instantly, we are aware of their personality differences — Lee is the older, responsible caretaker of the family, dependable and holding it all together, which allows his youngest brother, Owen, to be a lighthearted “good-time Charlie” who is both aloof and carefree.

The dynamic quickly changes when Owen waves down two women in their boat, sisters Mary (Colleen Lewis) and Loretta (Emily Wilkinson).

A pair of brothers and a pair of sisters. Here we see a similar dynamic mirroring the Melvilles: A responsible older sibling and a gloriously selfish younger one. Needless to say, the two sisters change the agenda for the weekend.

This is a small cast, and each character genuinely weaves their way through both emotion and sharp wit. Lee and Owen have a familiar rapport you expect to see between two brothers, shown through both their anger and their charms.

The same could be said about Mary and Loretta. Mary, responsible and dealing with her own grief and heartache, and Loretta filled with delusions of grandeur. Each actor leaves their mark.

The countless work of the many volunteers that bring each Northumberland Players production to the stage always amazes me. From the detailed set to costumes, makeup, sound, and lighting — all are perfectly executed and bring the show together. Bravo to you all.

This play leaves you considering the “constant” a sibling brings to your life, for better or worse, and how much we may take their presence in our life for granted.

Kristen Andrews, Northumberland News