Rorey Brown’s directorial debut sells out at Academic Hall
From January 25- 28, the University of Ottawa Theatre Club (UOTC) ran a rendition of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, a heartwarming and touching stage adaptation that transformed the theatre in Academic Hall into the loving, humble, little house of the March family.
The UOTC and director Rorey Brown, a recent Carleton graduate and long-time theatre performer, worked together since November 2023 to prepare for their 2024 winter semester performance.
The play began by showing how Christmas is spent at the March household. We get a first glimpse into the financially precarious reality the sisters live in, as each daughter contemplates how they will spend the little Christmas money they received. We come to understand their collective generosity, a theme that persists throughout the play, as they mutually agree to buy practical things for their Marmee– gloves, a scarf, shoes, and more.
Throughout the play, the March sisterhood was perfectly demonstrated through lots of laughter, lively movements, and passionate expressions. Marmee March, played by Maddy Colton, holds the family together exceptionally with a delicate but firm mind on the family’s affairs, offering her daughters just amounts of liberty for their personalities to shine through.
Aunt March, played by Hannah Neely, also gave an exceptional performance. Neely portrayed the one character in the play who seemed to create tension, but also in many moments, comedic relief, with her over-the-top snobbish personality towards the March family.
We experience all the little moments of the four sisters’ lives such as Jo writing her novel; Amy going to Europe; the development of Laurie and Jo’s unique friendship; Beth falling sick; and Mr. Brooke and Meg falling in love. All these stages of the sisters’ lives merge alongside each other to show the importance of sisterhood during turning points in our lives.
Jo March, played by Anna Gray, had a captivating performance that perfectly encapsulated all the complex ambitions, compassion, and fervour that Jo embodies. Her unique relationships with each character were special. The playful but loving banter between Jo and Amy; the loving but conflictual relationship between Jo and Laurie; and the touching sisterly love displayed between Beth and Jo, were integral to how this play evoked heartfelt and happy emotions in the audience.
Both the set and the costume design further led the audience to feel like we were transported to Alcott’s world. The stage set was completely built in the dorm room of a UOTC club member and included a fireplace, couches, and tables that set the perfect visual scene for the March household living room. The cast wore handmade costumes, which included beautiful 19th-century style dresses and coats.
For Rorey Brown, working with the UOTC cast had been an exceptional experience, with the volunteer cast showing unwavering dedication in the months up to their performance. In an interview with The Fulcrum, Brown explains her narrative vision when directing Little Women.
“I wanted it to feel like home. Not only in the setting itself, but I wanted us to feel like we were a part of the March home, so a lot of the blocking…did have to be choreographed,” she said.
“For the most part, I wanted the actors to really do what felt natural to them, what they think they would do in their own home, and I wanted the audience to feel that as well– that they were truly stepping into this March household. The actors really took that note and went with it in the best way possible.”
Additionally being Brown’s favourite film and book, Little Women held a special place in her personal life and heart. “Jo and Amy are truly the two characters I see myself as. Jo’s spirit and energy, and dreams in this lifetime are things I’ve always had, and Amy’s more delicate nature, but strong approach to things is also something I tend to have myself,” explains Brown.
The curtains closed on Little Women, with a scene of Jo receiving the good news about her published novel. And so we leave Academic Hall reflecting on all the familial themes the actors induced in us, playing the roles of Alcott’s four distinct, but intricately connected little women.
