Festival Antigonish: Rope's End

I personally think that there should be some special recognition for actor Gordon Gammie. He dominates the stage (in a good way) at this year’s Festival Antigonish, playing huge roles in all three productions. In Rope’s End Gammie plays Tobias, an acerbic down-and-out movie critic who seeks to reconnect with his first (maybe only) love. Genevieve Steele is brilliant as Tobias’ love interest, portraying her in different ages and forms and making each character wonderfully distinct. Gammie does bumbling, charming and witty to a T. The play itself starts out in a way that seems suspiciously cloying and predictable but is redeemed by a nice twist. Rope’s End is not earth-shaking theatre, but it’s a charming romance filled with wit and pathos. Steele and Gammie’s performances elevate to my favourite show of this year’s Festival. —Kate Watson