Review: BLOOD RELATIONS at The Gladstone Theatre

Three Sisters Theatre Company presents Blood Relations, a character-driven murder mystery, from March 4 through 14th at the Gladstone Theatre. Canadian playwright, Sharon Pollock's script is a psychological drama that invites the audience to revisit the events leading up to the fateful day in August 1892 when Lizzie Borden’s father and stepmother were hacked to death in Fall River, Massachusetts in what remains, officially, an unsolved murder.

An actress (Robin Guy) visits Lizzie Borden (Michelle LeBlanc) many years after the events of 1892 and Lizzie’s subsequent acquittal. The actress seems to be both a friend and adversary, at one moment comforting Lizzie and the next taunting her, demanding to know what truly happened that day. Lizzie lets the actress take over the role of Lizzie, while she assumes the role of Bridget, the Borden’s live-in maid, as together they reenact the events leading up to the murders in an effort to discover the truth.

Rather than offering a simple explanation or making assumptions, Pollock’s script invites viewers to explore how truth can be shaped by perspective. In this version of the truth, Lizzie is painted as sympathetic and misunderstood, but also as ruthless and self-centred. Blood Relations is the type of play that requires strong performances with good pacing in order to be successful.

The secondary characters are also extremely well cast, including Tom Charlebois as Lizzie’s gullible, sometimes cruel, father, Andrew; Rachel Eugster as Lizzie’s stern, unloving, stepmother, Abigail; Sachi Lovatt as Lizzie’s distant sister, Emma; and Riley Stewart as the scheming Harry Wingate. These performances are complemented by that of William Beddoe, who plays the dual role of Patrick, the doctor who is enamoured with Lizzie, and her defence attorney at trial. The cast is able to navigate the play’s shifting timelines and layered identities with a clarity that is impressive, and their performances allow the tension to build steadily over the course of the play.

The set design, by Andrea Steinwand, is effective at establishing intimacy and unease simultaneously. The stage is arranged as the Borden’s sitting room and dining room, with period-appropriate furniture and props that both create atmosphere and support the narrative. The coziness of the space makes the knowledge of what is to come all the more unsettling, giving the sense that danger can exist within even the most ordinary of settings.

The lighting design, by David Magladry, takes on a crucial role in shaping the tone of the show, especially during the more grisly and emotionally charged scenes. Director Eleanor Crowder maximizes dramatic impact with deliberate pacing and effective blocking.

Blood Relations is especially well suited to history buffs, as well as audiences who appreciate character-driven drama and shows that prioritize psychological complexity over spectacle. This Three Sisters production, much like last year’s Silent Sky, is a confident and compelling piece of theatre that tells the story of a strong female historical figure. It is also reminder that theatre has the power to unsettle, provoke, and invite reflection.