Review: HELEN LAWRENCE - A New Approach to Noir Film

Helen Lawrence is a noir, neo-classic complete with blonde femme fatales, men on the run, corrupt cops, seedy murders, street-smart sex workers, witty jargon and a consistent flow of humor. Post WWII-era Vancouver is projected in grayscale on a screen that mildly obscures the onstage actors basking in the light of the moody blue screen behind them.

The fun in watching this film-theatre hybrid is watching the action being played out and filmed in real time, on a bare stage, only to be projected into the elaborate settings on the screen. Timing, placement and lines have to be precise in order for it to work and the actors in Helen Lawrence didn't miss a beat.

However, unlike in some other multimedia-infused works (in which boundaries between mediums may melt, blur and merge to create something new) the various artforms co-existed in a very straightforward way in Helen Lawrence, which did feel like a bit of a disconnect at times. At one point, I found myself wondering if a regular black-and-white movie version would have done just as well in a conventional theatre setting. Still, I couldn't help but appreciate the considerable hard work of the actors, videographers and other members of the technical team that brought the work to life.

The show is also the product of strong writing featuring a myriad of characters, each with his or her own captivating story. Each story is a thread combining into the overall tapestry in a way that doesn't feel confusing or messy. Though the ending did feel abrupt it was not unsatisfying. Poetic justice was delivered and not without one last laugh for the road.

Photo: David Cooper

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