Mrs. Claus' Kitchen,
Presentation House
Theatre, Dec. 11 - 15, 19 - 21 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 15 at 2 p.m.
Taking audiences into mystical worlds full of iconic characters and memorable moments is nothing new for Jeff Hyslop.
Hyslop, based on Vancouver Island, is an award-winning triple threat, starring in some of the biggest musicals on stage, including Kiss of the Spider Woman and Phantom of the Opera, and directing and choreographing a variety of productions, including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and The Matchmaker. He is now taking Christmas by storm, directing and choreographing Mrs. Claus' Kitchen, a holiday musical at the Presentation House Theatre in North Vancouver.
Mrs. Claus' Kitchen, set in the 1960s, revolves around the iconic Mrs. Claus, played by Elizabeth Bowen, and her infamous cookies. "It's simple, it's smart, it's charming, it has a little bit of an edge and it's kind of unexpected," says Hyslop.
"We're pretty cheeky in that we set you up as if it's the typical setting - it's the North Pole, it's Mrs. Claus' kitchen, she's actually making cookies, the elves are running around working and doing their thing - and you kind of feel, I use this term, it's not the truth, but it's like Munchkinland. We set it up so it's very frothy and then within the first five minutes we kind of take you on a different journey and it becomes very real in their lives."
Mrs. Claus finds a different cookie wrapper in Santa's pocket and starts doubting a lot of things, says Hyslop.
"It's almost the idea of seeing someone else outside the marriage, not cherishing one's commitment," he says. "So it's her journey of discovering and becoming more of an independent woman."
Adventure ensues when Mrs. Claus decides to put her cookie-baking days behind her and take her best elves on a shopping spree in New York City.
"I think it's really this journey that we all kind of either sometimes do take or long to take and so therefore we get the best of both possible worlds in that there's a lot of people who would love to do it and don't have the courage, and so they see it through Mrs. Claus," says Hyslop.
The cast is made up of 12 actors, with seven principal characters.
"We have a tiny cast and you get to know all of the characters, they all have individual journeys," says Hyslop. "By the end of it I think we've all gone through quite a bit of an emotional sleigh ride."
The play, written by Bill Allman, Alan Mariott and Kevin O'Brien, is in its inaugural year and Hyslop hopes it becomes a holiday tradition.
"It's the first time this piece has been out of the gate, so it's a first time production and we're still working on all sorts of angles," says Hyslop. "We've got all the elements of a true family presentation and I think that's what's so special. We just literally show up, sing the songs and present the story and the rest is up to the audience to hop on the sleigh and enjoy the ride as it were."
The production has been in rehearsals for a solid month, with Hyslop balancing his directorial duties with his role of Uncle Billy in It's a Wonderful Life at the Chemainus Theatre Festival on Vancouver Island.
"It's been fantastic because the dates have all aligned and there's not been, other than the initial changes to rehearsal dates a month ahead, everything has worked out," says Hyslop. "It's very exciting. A lot of things have been accomplished in a very short amount of time for a brand new production. I'm really encouraged for the after life of Mrs. Claus because I think it's got the legs and the depth to sustain being put out there for different regional theatres to have in their Christmas seasons."
The play is set in the 1960s which Hyslop drew him into the story and could translate well with audiences today.
"We wanted a kind of a neutral place where we could all have perspective looking at it," he says. "It was kind of an uplifting time, there was a potential for a good life, a successful life and I think that's why we were drawn to that."
Hyslop says the '60s were a special time for him growing up, before the fastpaced world of technology.
"It's a very kind of interesting time period but mostly because it was I guess you could say the calm before the world erupted, that beautiful time of family," Hyslop says. "That's what the point of the story is, we just catch ourselves in time to hold onto memories-to hold onto the softness, to hold onto the smells of cookies baking in the kitchen - and have them have some kind of impact and remembrance and celebration that we forget about our history and we forget about our traditions. This is a little play that catches us just before we fall off the edge and we go 'yup, I remember that, wasn't it special and isn't it special.'"
Hyslop says he first read the script while travelling on the ferry and texted writer Bill Allman right away to say he would do it. He says he finds scripts appealing when he likes what they present on multiple levels.
"It just had a life about it that I responded to. Even in that fantastical world of elves and Santa and all of that, there's a reality base, there's a real life, people have real emotions, relatable emotions and feelings," says Hyslop. "I just liked all the characters. It was multilayered and I think that's the key to keeping all of our interest."
Hylsop's approach for tackling the well-known character of Mrs. Claus and her iconic husband, Santa was to stay true to tradition while bringing in a well-known theme.
"With Mrs. Claus, she's kind of been an unspoken heroine over the years because it's all about him," says Hyslop. "I think this was a chance to celebrate Mrs. Claus and the woman behind the success of the man and that theme has certainly been strong over the years, it just so happens that this is Mrs. Claus, she's married to Santa."
Balancing between being the director of Mrs. Claus' Kitchen and an actor in It's a Wonderful Life brings its own advantages. Acting has allowed Hyslop time to relax from his directorial duties.
"You quietly step aside and you relinquish your directorial helmet and you're not as outspoken necessarily, but it is that matter of, I liken it to a little bit of a rest where you give people, as director and choreographer, you're giving out ideas, you're suggesting, you're moving, it's pretty in your mind, you're always thinking and you're sometimes thinking on your feet when a situation presents itself," he says. "So the opposite is 'now I don't have to do that, I can be fed by this other director,' so it's like a little replenishment of all the energy you've put out for the past month."
Hyslop says each job offers something different but one complements the other.
"Obviously as a director and choreographer, you've got to come in with knowing, I think that's the key, is knowing what you want, knowing your goals as you do as an actor. As an actor, you're being guided by the director and this was amazing because I've just done both categories in the past two months," says Hyslop. "With Mrs. Claus I had a limited amount of time. The music, the script basically guided me and I'm pretty spontaneous so as far as choreo [sic] and staging, I have a really good eye for that. It was quite a fast-paced, intense rehearsal period but I think we had a real blast of a time as a cast because they trusted in me that I knew where I was taking them."
Mrs. Claus' Kitchen runs from Dec. 11th to 15th and the 19th to the 21st at the Presentation House Theatre, at 8 p.m. from Wednesday to Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. The play is suitable for children age seven and up and tickets range from $23 for students and seniors to $28 for adults.
Hyslop says he believes in the simplicity of the piece and that the audience will leave feeling something.
"You will go out humming a song, you will go out remembering a simple phrase that perhaps Mrs. Claus has spoken or one of the characters has spoken. And that's our job as artists, musicians, is to give you a rest. Come in for two hours and let go of the daily humdrum, craziness of your work and your life and just have a rest," says Hyslop. "I've always thought if you come into the theatre, the symphony, the dance hall, the anything, if you only take one little line of a song or one line of dialogue or you skip down to the bus stop after because you're feeling energized, then we've done our job as artists, as actors, as musicians, as whatever because we have (made an) impact."
