By Stephanie Stein
Repairing a car wreck: a hobby for some, a carer for others, but a mission for Gilbert the central figure in Normand Canac-Marquis’ The Cezanne Syndrome.
Through the rebuilding of an automobile in which his wife and child were killed, we follow Gilbert’s philisophical, intellectual and emotional route to recovery.
The play gets its name from the way a Cezanne painting is undecipherable if looked at from too close or too far away. Details can distract and blind truth—you have to look at the big picture.
The play evolves cinematically as a series of scenes between Gilbert and his wife Suzanne, who is resurrected in his mind, and the detective who investigated the accident.
Initially, the audience may feel unaffected by Gilbert and Suzanne’s exchanges. But the dialogue is powerful and demonstrates differences in the way men and women speak; the actors really live their parts.
Later, we can’t help but empathize with Gilbert’s struggle towards serenity—as his picture becomes clearer and details piece together, so does ours.
The dialogue is thought provoking and the acting is moving at times, swerving from humorous to bitter. Overall, The Cezanne Syndrome is exceptionally entertaining. The Cezanne Syndrome runs until February 19th at The Theatre Centre West, 1032 Queen Street West.
Leave a Reply