Jillian Robinson and Colm Sawyer in ‘Tommy Rhodes’, Photo by Jordan Cormier
Presented by Basement Productions
At the 2019 Toronto Fringe Festival, I was entirely won over by the earnest charms of an original musical about a boy navigating strained family dynamics and perceptions of masculinity. Boys Don’t Cry (my review) was a well-structured, intelligent and heartfelt work. It was particularly note-worthy to me because the creator was only nineteen.
Five years later, Mateo Chavez Lewis is premiering his new true crime musical, Tommy Rhodes. Inspired by a real life case from the early 20th century Southern US, it tells the tale of two young boys who go missing from a rural Louisiana community in the 1930s—Patrick Edwards and Tommy Rhodes. When one of them turns up again, mute and despondent, he is embraced by the community as Tommy. Not long after, Frances Edwards (Bella Wolder) bursts onto the scene claiming the boy (Colm Sawyer) is Patrick and she his rightful mother.
Lewis (book, music and lyrics) and Aveleigh Keller (story and book) frame the narrative with the current-day obsession of Tommy’s granddaughter, Charlotte Rhodes (Katie Crompton), to uncover the truth of her heritage. Her single-minded fixation on a DNA test, convinced it will tell her who she is, makes her neglectful and drives a disruptive wedge between her and her wife, Lisa (Anikka Hanson), who is pregnant with their child. Like the rest of the story’s pivotal characters, their relationship is rich and nuanced, with idiosyncrasies affectionately itemized in one of the show’s cutest numbers, “Little Quirks.”
Charlotte also serves as our narrator, introducing key scenes and lurking about the flashbacks as a deeply invested observer. The town is represented by a handful of charismatic ensemble players—Gregory Finney, Heidi Michelle Thomas, Marie Doucette, Aimee Tremblay-Woodman, Aiden Bushey and Christopher Wilson. Each is given endearing moments to shine, though a comic highlight is Finney’s manically ebullient mayor.
Jillian Robinson’s portrait of a passionate and devoted mother, Leslie Rhodes, is the emotional hub of this musical. When the town—including her own husband, Henry (Dante Toccacelli)—give up on him, she remains unwavering in her search for Tommy. During an empty-casket funeral, her deeply stirring “I’m Not Wearing Black” is a defiant and yearning anthem. Resonant and timeless; it already feels iconic, as if destined to be a fixture of the musical theatre canon.
“Everything In Between” is another favourite of mine, an ode to imperfect yet ardent motherhood that bridges the gap of almost a century between herself and the expectant, inquisitive Charlotte. Confronting her own choices, she’s an emblem of murky moral complexities and dubious motivations.
During a trial to decide The Boy’s home, we learn a bit about Frances Edwards’ struggle. A farm worker with scant resources to support a child, she is presented as a desperate and volatile underdog. She’s a sympathetic antagonist for Leslie Rhodes, and a poignant illustration of how a society can undermine someone’s worth based on their circumstances. And Wolder gives a charged, heart-wrenching portrayal.
Toccacelli’s Henry is an amiable presence, giving us the sense of a playful and attentive father. With “Somethin’ Ain’t Right,” he makes his doubts about The Boy’s true identity clear. Though less amplified than Robinson’s on-the-sleeve emotionality, his conflicted feelings and impulse to do the right thing is none-the-less touching. As The Boy’s kidnapper (with secretive ties to Edwards), Walter Cartwell Harrison, Mitch Bruce provides some intrigue and intensity. I’m also very fond of Thomas’s turn as Aunt Clara, supportive of Charlotte’s pursuit of the truth, but fiercely clinging to her own.
With some modest lighting and no set, Lewis’s direction and Julio Fuentes‘ choreography are persuasive enough to conjure a palpable sense of place and sustain theatrical immersion. You can almost feel the nearby bayou which figures so prominently in the text. Especially masterful is their negotiation of the extremely tiny playing area of the Red Sandcastle Theatre. There are times when the cozy stage is packed with all 13 cast members without it feeling too awkward or cramped, save for a handful of brief transitional fumblings.
The choice to have someone scamper about as a pony during a scene of revelry is questionable. It’s whimsical, I guess, and has some comic appeal, but seems incongruously goofy in the context of the show’s otherwise low-key style. It seems particularly jarring when juxtaposed with the show’s many understated yet piercing moments, like the final, heartbreaking look shared between The Boy and Frances Edwards.
As a contemporary musical, this is not particularly innovative in its concept or musical stylings. Within the tried and true conventions of the form, though, it tells its quaint story exceptionally well. Complex characters, insightful details and thematic integrity—interrogating notions of truth, love, goodness and the equivocal significance of blood in familial connection—make this a solid and sincere work that moved me to tears several times.
Though this is considered a world premiere, it isn’t a fully realized staging. With minimal production elements and simple piano accompaniment, it has some atmospheric challenges; though the strength of the material and the persuasive performances transcend these limitations. And the gorgeous period costumes help considerably, making this a real gem.
Tommy Rhodes
(previewed June 1, 2)
running June 18 to 22, 2024
Red Sandcastle Theatre (922 Queen Street East)
running time: 100 minutes (no intermission)
The company of ‘Tommy Rhodes’, Photo by Jordan Cormier