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It’s 1965, two McGill students are stuck at the university over the holidays, and maybe with a little luck and music being snowbound can be turned around to having love found in the twelve days before Christmas.
But will Anton be able to fend off his rival Robert, and give the gift of music to the woman in the music practice room next door who inspires him?
Twelve Days is the newest Christmas production from prolific and much-loved Calgary musical theatre maestro Joe Slabe, which amps up the romance of the season.
The musical, which is being held as a co-production of Lunchbox Theatre and Forte Musical Theatre, is Slabe’s first Christmas show after the decade run of Naughty… But Nice! ended last year.
“Everyone plays instruments. Eric [Wigston] plays double bass, I play keys and accordion, and Devon Brayne, our other actor plays guitar, and Mara [Teare] plays the violin. So, we are the band, and we do a really charming, sweet, funny, romantic comedy, sort of in the style of a Hallmark holiday movie,” he said.
“For me, holidays are a way of marking time and they serve as a signpost for us in our lives. I think that’s why we want to create memories around these significant days. A lot of us can remember holidays from our childhood, and that was part of the inspiration for the show.”
Part of those memories should be heading home from a good Christmas musical with some earworm songs to hum and sing.
“It is earworm central. Literally, every song in the show is stuck in all of our heads all of the time,” said Eric Wigston, who is playing Robert.
He said that one of the really exciting things about Twelve Days was that it offered Calgarians an opportunity to come and see something beautiful and sweet, with some amazing live music on stage.
“I’m really excited that people are coming to see a show, especially at Lunchbox Theater, which is one of the smaller theatre companies here in the city,” he said.
“It’s ambitious to have music and microphones and everything else. I’m just really excited that people are going to take an hour out of their day to watch some theatre.”
Something special about live music on stage in Twelve Days
Samantha Currie, who has directed Twelve Days, said that the combination of having the actors both perform as characters and perform live music on stage has brought something to this production that isn’t always easy to find on a Calgary stage.
“Sometimes there’s things that we just can’t as actors provide, and having that soundscape that they create themselves is quite magical,” Currie said.
“We’re providing the full story with the actors and the instruments and the story. I think it’s easier to absorb that story, it’s easier to get lost in those moments and to go along for the ride. I think it just helps them get lost in the story a little bit more. There isn’t really a removal. We’re not waiting for other sounds to come in.”
Slabe said that there is a marvellous moment in the show, where—spoiler alert—the audience thinks Twelve Days starts off as a normal musical but then the actors pick up their instruments and just jam.
“It’s early in the show, and I think it’s a beautiful reveal,” he said.
That comes in the song Play My Part, said Slabe.
As for Wigston, he said getting to play music and perform on stage was a really unique thing for an actor.
“I’ve had the fortunate privilege of being able to play in a lot of Joe’s shows, and I find it really exciting. I do believe as actors who can play instruments, we embody characters and perform as well as we do with our music as we do our characters. So, it’s a fun, unique way of performing that we don’t always get the chance to do. So I’m loving it,” he said.
“I love playing music outside of theatre, so it’s just a great way to throw both of my favourite worlds together.”
Twelve Days is acted by Devon Brayne, Mara Teare, Eric Wigston, and Joe Slabe. The show is being directed by Samantha Currie, with Slabe acting as musical director, set design by Madeline Blondal, lighting design by Neil Fleming, costume design by Jolane Houle, stage management by Raynah Bourne, and apprentice stage management by Niamh McCallion.
The production runs from Dec. 3 until Dec. 21 at Lunchbox Theatre.
Tickets are available at www.lunchboxtheatre.com.
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