Review: NOW AND THEN at Ottawa Little Theatre

Ottawa Little Theatre’s presentation of Sean Grennan’s Now and Then may be a bit predictable, but it is well worth the ticket price for its escapism, which counts for a lot in times like these.

It’s 1981, and Jamie (Matt Walker) is about to close Mulligan’s bar for the night and lock up when a stranger (Corey Pelow) walks in and asks for a chat. Jamie had other plans for the night involving his girlfriend, Abby (Shae Jalava), but agrees to let the man stay for a while. The man mostly wants to know about Jamie’s goals and ambitions, and Jamie starts to wonder what is really going on. When Abby comes to meet him, things only get weirder with the stranger offering the young couple $2,000 just to stay and talk for another hour.

Ottawa Little Theatre’s design team (Libid Zyla Harder) has done a phenomenal job recreating Mulligan’s. A weary piano off to one side, a temperamental jukebox next to the bar, and signs advertising Guinness beer as well as a pennant supporting the local baseball team adorn the wall, Mulligan’s looks just like everyone’s favourite neighbourhood pub. It would have felt even more authentic with actual signs instead of the budget friendly projections (or the projections would be more effective were they not obstructed by the window cutouts coming from a background of the Chicago skyline). The lighting design (Jim Mantle) enhances the coziness of the after hours scene. Abby’s costume is a bit of a miss, as I initially thought she was a nurse instead of a waitress. In fact, Jamie and Abby's costumes feel like they would be more at home in the fifties than in the eighties.

The play is a slow burn, only really picking up the pace towards the end of the first act when a woman (Denise Shannon) joins the trio at the bar. The second half flies by and culminates with a satisfying finale.

The actors have fairly good chemistry together, particularly Walker and Jalava. Shannon’s character feels less developed and more like a caricature, but Shannon does the best she can with her limited stage time. Pelow stands out by making his character convincing and sympathetic; the quiet moments between Pelow and Walker are endearing, thanks to Brian Cano’s direction. There are also some really nice small touches, but I can’t say more for fear of giving away too much.

Now and Then is a cross between The Twilight Zone and Back to the Future and it is largely predictable. It does feature themes of love, loss, and regret, but it's mostly just a feel good story. The couple seated beside me laughed audibly throughout the entire play and, while normally I might have been slightly annoyed at that, in times of uncertainty, I think we can all use an excuse to laugh out loud. On that note, before leaving the theatre, be sure to take a look at the brightly coloured mixed media art by Pravee Rughoobur in the Spotlight Gallery to further lift your spirits.