Theatre troupe pays homage to Dickens

The new Theatre Erindale season kicks off Friday with a faithful homage to the Charles Dickens classic David Copperfield.
The troupe, celebrating 15 years of putting on shows, has revisited the 800-plus page novel and has condensed the beloved tale into an approximately two-hour performance. The show, featuring a cast of 20, is directed by Mimi Mekler.
In the Theatre Erindale version, Peggotty, Mr. Micawber, Uriah Heep, Betsy Trotwood and the rest of the crew put orphaned Davy through travels, trials and tribulations on the road to becoming the hero of his own life.
Heroes, it turns out, is the theme of the 2007-2008 Theatre Erindale season. This year, the troupe has built its series of shows around the idea of the "hero of my own life," which is billed as a string of would-be heroes and heroines in a mix of comedy, tragedy, romance, contemporary hits and period classics.
In fact, the theme is culled from the opening line of David Copperfield. The quote, in case you're wondering, is "whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show."
Troupe members said adapting the novel for the stage was difficult because of the sheer volume of the text. However, the actors will still cover many of the themes that dominate the book — including the rewards of discipline, the triumph of steadfastness over doubt, the quality of memory, infatuation versus mature love and the desire to comprehend life through the process of making art.
It continues until Nov. 3.
Show time is 8 p.m. Tickets cost $9-$14. To purchase, call 905-569-4369 or visit www.theatreerindale.com.
All shows are in the Erindale Studio Theatre at the University of Toronto Mississauga.
Up next for the troupe is the Theatre Erindale premiere of Frances Backhouse's Women of the Klondike. The show, directed by Marc Richard with music by Christopher Dawes, follows the many female teachers, doctors, nurses, journalists, entrepreneurs, and miners who crossed the Chilcoot Pass to pan for gold, but ended up helping to define the modern woman.
It runs November 15-17 and November 20-24.
Season membership costs $36-$56.

onlinenews@mississauga.net