I will admit it’s hard for me to describe Grace Pervades. With that being said, I loved it. The story follows Ellen Terry and Henry Irving as her mentor and friend. The narration is told from the point of view of Terry’s two children. The best way I can describe it is as a love letter to theater. The story is based on real people, which I was unaware of until getting in the theater.
I was very excited to see this show based on the fact Ralph Fiennes was playing Henry Irving. I love the work that I seen Fiennes do in the past, so I was very excited to see his performance in Grace Pervades. I was not dissapointed. The acting across the board was very refreshing, as I didn’t feel myself watching actors but watching humans. Mirando Raison, who played Ellen Terry, also did a phenomenal job in my opinion. She was able to characterize light on stage and I found myself admiring her character throughout the show.
I can’t fully comment on plot or subject because I will admit the show was not very exciting. It was a slow moving piece that didn’t evoke many strong emotions in me. Instead, I found myself feeling calm and appreciating what was in front of me. For example, I really loved the set design. We didn’t have the best view as I was in the very back row of the theater for the second act, but I was able to appreciate the artistic choices even from there. The screen in the background that tended to show a continuation of the setting really helped draw me into the story and feel like I was watching something real.
It was a very simple show that was more a retelling of events rather than a plot line, but I believed it to be very effective. I found myself very emotion at the end of the show, due to a beautiful moment of silence between Ellen Terry and her daughter, Edith.
Speaking of Edith, I believe the discussion of female independence was very well addressed in this play. The story bounced back and forth between Ellen’s lifeline and the life line of her children, and we were able to see Edith’s independence with two other women by her side.
Overall, I believe the show was very well put together, the acting was wonderful, and it truly showed beauty and pain that comes with a career in theater.
Theatre in London U of A 