Going in, I assumed this theatrical experiment would live or die by its central stylistic choice: to recreate a silent-era film onstage. No dialogue, black and white props and costumes, Chaplinesque acting – the whole nine yards.

Yet even though the cast and crew nail the look, sound and feel of early cinema, the story doesn’t work. This is where adhering too closely to the silent era falters; the clichéd tale of saloon brothels and damsels in distress is too long and uninvolving.

Set in 1882 Winnipeg during an economic downturn, the play feels like a long train ride through the prairies: nice scenery, but not much of real interest. When the novelty of its antiquated style, revived in a unique way, wears off, its 90 minutes drag on.

That’s a shame, because there’s so much to like. Musical director/pianist David Atkinson almost steals the show, providing non-stop accompaniment that perfectly follows the action onstage.

Alvin Campana’s video work is also effective. Projected period photos or loops of old film constantly flicker, creating a great backdrop, while title cards with dialogue are cut to when needed.

Scott McCulloch is very creepy as the evil physician, and, as Belle, the naive runaway bride, Ginette Mohr conveys loads of emotion with physicality alone – no easy feat.

But no matter how creative and well-executed the production values, 90 minutes is too much for this weak, melodramatic plot. A collection of silent shorts would have worked better. 

stage@nowtoronto.com