Review: THE NOON WITCH Returns to Edmonton’s Varscona Theatre

Budapest, 1926. Postal worker Sandor is enjoying his lunch break when he is approached by a crying woman. Instantly smitten, he casts aside his newspaper and comforts her. Grateful, the woman gifts him the sausage link she is carrying in her purse and abruptly takes off. The next day, much to Sandor’s delight, the woman- Tinka- joins him at the same park bench, giving him a freshly baked cheese pastry. 

Later, Sandor excitedly tells his friends, Anatol and Joszef, all about the mysterious, well-dressed lady. Shortly after, an unsettled Joszef confides in Anatol: Joszef himself had an eerily similar encounter with a snack-offering woman. Soon, it dawns on Joszef and Anatol: Sandor’s new love interest seems uncannily similar to the infamous mythical siren, the Noon Witch. 

Inspired by Hungarian folklore, The Noon Witch is one of Canadian playwright Stewart Lemoine’s best-known comedies. Until March 9, audiences can experience this offbeat, magic-tinged tale live at Edmonton’s Varscona Theatre. Presented by Teatro Live!, the Lemoine-directed production features an exciting young cast of five. Ethan Lang portrays the lovestruck Sandor while Aiden Laudersmith and Eli Yaschuk play Sandor’s buddies, Anatol and Joszef. They are joined by Nida Vanderham as the enigmatic Tinka and Michelle Diaz as the brusque, bespectacled Dr. Katalin Vic. 

There is never a dull moment in this fast-paced adaptation. The performers’ impeccable comedic timing lights up the stage; Laudersmith and Yaschuk earn plenty of laughs when the outlandishly disguised Anatol and Joszef spy on Sandor and Tinka. In the second act, Chantel Fortin’s minimalist set design transitions from a manicured city park into the rocky, steam-wreathed hot springs of Transdanubia. Leona Brausen’s striking costume design evokes the late 1920s, as does the sweeping instrumental music played during intermission.

Unpredictable and entertaining, The Noon Witch will delight long-time Lemoine fans and newcomers alike. 

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