REGRESSION : Cathexis Theatre

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By Samrta Sabharwal

AYTC Reviewer

“Embrace the new, let go of the old,” such a phrase is the complete opposite in the town of Prior. 

The citizens of Prior attempt to uphold the reputation of being “The Arts Capital of the World.” Living up to this standard is even harder when you’re an artist.

The story follows Faith and her two friends, Mariella and Unice. The three friends are commissioned to create pieces for the upcoming renaissance fair. To gain inspiration, the girls choose to consult spirits. Faith, being a playwright, consults the spirit of William Shakespeare. Unice, a composer, consults Mozart, and Mariella, a painter, consults Van Gogh. As they progress they begin to notice a regression in their society and their rights.

The three of them are torn on whether to recount the old or create something new. Throughout the show we see the girls dive deeper into their nostalgia and its effects in their lives.

An underrated part of the show was the behind the scenes work. The props and lighting helped to create a sense of atmosphere that made for a truly immersive experience. The choreography and costumes helped move the story along while displaying each character’s thoughts and feelings. Due to all of these aspects, every musical number felt well thought out and necessary to the plot.

Cathexis Theatre’s production of Regression brings to light the topics of tradition and change, and the extent to which these concepts should be followed. The show delves into these themes through the use of comedy, art, and ornate musical numbers. Cathexis Theatre makes sure to incorporate lighting, props, costume, and choreography to give the viewer an intricately immersive experience.

This show is a must-watch for art enthusiasts!

By Ethan Hammans

AYTC Reviewer

I had the pleasure of seeing Regression produced by Cathexis Theatre for the Edmonton Fringe Festival. This show exceeded my expectations. I was not expecting this show to be a musical.

The whole show was about a renaissance fair and the main characters trying to create perfect things in the categories of Art, Writing, and Music. They do their best but end up having to ask for help from spirits such as William Shakespeare (Colin Bluekens), Vincent Van Gogh (Tom Blazejewicz), and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Dave Froland). The fact that this was an original play is surprising.

This is a great show to go and see with friends and family who are thirteen and up. Five things that I enjoyed about Regression was the humor as it was enjoyable and has a bunch of comedic parts. Another thing I liked was how all of the songs sounded like classical music mainly because the songs only have a piano as its background music. Another thing I liked was how most of the songs with the saints have the words Guidance Guidance Guidance Advise Advise Advise basically symbolizing that outside of the song they're giving guidance and advice. Another thing I liked is how Mayor Former (Mera Martens) was so upbeat and loved the renaissance fair. 

One last thing I loved is how the set is simple with just three boxes and each side having different images. Like musical notes and wood boards simulating a stand, a curtain having paintings from early centuries like the Mona Lisa by Leonardo DiVinci, and Starry Night By Vincent Van Gogh and a few more. There was also a cart and stool that would show up every so often.

NEW!

By Marina Shenouda

AYTC Reviewer

Cathexis Theatre’s Regression tells a satiric cautionary tale about the consequences of slowing the rate of creative progress. The story follows a town that is obsessed with the artists of the past and the modern artists that are faced with the task of inventing something as great as they did. When faced with rejection at every hint of originality, the protagonists are forced to conform to the expectations of the past. With ideas blocked at every turn, will creativity and change still be able to bloom? 

The cast and crew of Regression answer this question in a production filled with quirky humor, thoughtful questions and an appreciation for the art worlds of the past and present. The musical numbers in the show were fun and well executed and, although only performing with a small cast of seven, the actors were able to fill the theatre with their strong voices. Another thing the cast excelled at was presenting the physicality of each character they portrayed. Each cast member was very clearly aware of exactly who their character was and this shone through in the way they carried themselves. When actors switched between roles, the switch in the way they moved was the first thing that caught the audience’s eye. No change of costume was needed to notice the drastic shift in disposition. 

The production had a clever use of props and sets. The main prop used were boxes that were painted on each side. They were used both to represent the set and occasionally as props. The backdrop was covered with famous paintings and portraits from the artists in the story. This fabricated a scene that bursted with the creativity the story worshiped.

Cathexis theatre tackled the themes of religion, feminism, art, and progress with grace and wit. The show bubbled with talent, humor, creativity, and heart. Well done!