Review: PRESSURE at Ottawa Little Theatre

Pressure is an unexpectedly dramatic offering from Ottawa Little Theatre this summer. OLT usually presents more lighthearted fare for its summer series but chose this presentation to align with the anniversary of D-Day. The play also coincides with the release of the feature film based on David Haig's play, currently in cinemas.

Pressure recounts the true story of the weather woes that plagued the mission's planning process. General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Bryan Morris) has selected June 5th for the invasion and has summoned two meteorologists, Dr. James Stagg (Guy Newsham), and Colonel Irving P. Krick (Christian Giansante) to Allied Headquarters to confirm that conditions are favourable enough to ensure a successful mission and limit losses. Stagg and Krick disagree on the D-Day forecast, and tensions mount as the consequences of a wrong decision weigh heavily on Stagg, especially amid ongoing personal issues. Lieutenant Kay Summersby (Carole Brown) is Eisenhower's personal secretary, driver, and possible lover. She befriends Stagg and urges him to trust his judgment while keeping Eisenhower's temper in check. The character development and evolving relationship between Summersby and Stagg is arguably the most interesting part of the show. The play is a slow burn; it might have been more effective shortened into one act, allowing the tension to build and resolve more quickly in a way that mirrors the tight timeline of the actual events.

The set design (Venetia Lawless and Lindsay Laviolette) does a wonderful job of recreating the busy atmosphere of the Allies' wartime headquarters. The wings are closed off with doors to offices, and a hallway runs up and down stage left to visually extend the space. A secretary is stationed at a small desk in the hall, and a telephone operator works diligently throughout the show. To maintain the illusion of frenetic activity, many of the props required to change the scene are piled upstage, readily available for use. This helps to keep interludes brief; however, this is somewhat offset by the cast traveling through the theatre to get to the office. One the one hand, it is a neat way to show the comings and goings of the many people required to run a war behind the scenes. But, on the other hand, doing it once or twice would have achieved the same result, while maintaining a quicker pace.

Stagg's emotional turmoil lacks some conviction and the tension in the war room doesn't feel as palpable as it should, given what is at stake. The background sound of a ticking clock felt overused, reducing its effectiveness, but the heartbeat immediately before Stagg's meeting with Eisenhower is successfully used to convey Stagg's anxiety hiding beneath his reserved demeanour.

It can be difficult to cast historical figures, but here each cast member bears more than just a passing resemblance to their real-life counterparts. Performances are mixed, with the strongest ones coming from Newsham, Brown, Giansante, as well as Grant Moore as Andrew. Giansante also gives Frick a villainous quality, which is entertaining. The sound quality was poor on the night I attended, making it extremely difficult to hear some of the dialogue. Two gentlemen in front of me also had difficulty with some of the dialogue, despite using OLT's devices for the hearing impaired.

Reader Reviews

To post a comment, you must register and login.

Need more Ottawa Theatre News in your life?
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...