Stage West Calgary

“Tuesdays With Morrie”

Jamie Farr

The Monday Morning “Somebody-Asked-Me-To, So-Here-I-Go” Event Review:

Stage West Calgary’s production of “Tuesdays With Morrie”, staring Jamie Farr.

Here’s a production I walked into with a whole lot of expectation. The popular book by Mitch Albom was a runaway success back when it was first released, and ultimately caught the attention of Oprah Winfrey, who turned it into a TV movie featuring the late Jack Lemmon – which just may have happened to be the final film in his long and legendary career – a little spooky considering the subject matter.

For the uninitiated, or anyone that may have forgotten, “Tuesdays With Morrie” is a true story, based on Detroit sports columnist Mitch Albom’s relationship with his old Sociology professor (Morrie Schwartz), during the final stages of Schwartz’s crippling, fatal diagnosis of ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The play, like the book had done originally, traces the final months of their time together, sprinkling liberal life advice along the way.

Make no mistake – this is aimed directly at your heartstrings. While there is some humour to lighten proceedings along the way, the ultimate aim of his production is to instil urgency in the audience’s lives – ultimately, your entire life can change in a heartbeat – so live for today, ensure you’re happy, and if you’re like the title character, maybe you can even make a life-changing difference in someone’s life.

The two actors move this well-paced show along. Rejean Cournoyer portrays writer Albom with appropriate (and constant) wired edginess as he juggles the demands of the success he achieves in his career path, and marquee draw Jamie Farr is smooth as silk playing the professor – the veteran actor certainly commands a stage.

A strong production, but you’ll need to bring along some Kleenex – unless you want to wipe your eyes with the dinner napkins. They are awfully soft, after all…

I’ll post a link to the “official” review when it runs here in The Calgary Herald, and can’t wait to sit down later this week with Farr, for a new audio instalment of “Talkin’ Funny With” – stay tuned, and check back here later!!

Chow for now!