Andrea Risk and Debra Hale play 14 characters in Theatre Orangeville’s World Premiere of the touching comedy Freedom 85. Contributed Photo When Freedom 85, currently showing at Theatre Orangeville, finished on Opening Night, the two ladies starring in it, Debra Hale (who is also the author) and Andrea Risk, came out for their curtain call. The audience gave them thundering applause but remained as a single unit in their seats. The ladies withdrew, the house lights went up but the audience remained, by full mutual consent, still sitting, still applauding. After some seconds, Ms Hale and Risk returned to the stage for further bows and then, the audience rose spontaneously to its feet for a standing ovation, such was the deep respect and appreciation we all felt for their remarkable performances.

Freedom 85 is a relatively simple story, one that most people can relate to one way or another. The characters are elderly or dysfunctional or stuck with their old ideas or grieving over old wounds.

It is a play about the hopes of any person to be respected and loved, of being allowed to live without guilt, of striking the balance between what is wished for and what works. There are many interesting angles to Ms. Hale’s writing, a strong comedic element and several themes dealt with in an intelligent way. On its own, the play is worthy of your spending an evening at the theatre.

What elevates this play to greatness, though, is the way in which Ms Hale and Risk present it: by, not only playing all the 14 characters called for by the script, but by their rapid fire changes, which render every minute of dialogue with every diverse character completely convincing.

At one point, Ms Risk conducts a conversation between two of her own roles: the elderly mother, Sybil, and her 30- something son. She does so with seeming ease and leaving the on-lookers with no confusion whatsoever: that was a conversation between an 85 year old lady and her bossy offspring.

Likewise, Ms Hale bounces between her eight roles, making it so easy for the audience to follow exactly what and who is happening. She delivers the young female Jamaican cafe owner in one breath and, with the other, Fred, the elderly gentleman friend of Sybil’s, with whom she always plays Euchre on Tuesdays at the cafe.

Ms Hale’s main character, Kate, stands at the centre of ‘Freedom’ with Sybil. In the course of their exchanges, Sybil tells something of her own past, complete with flash backs, which are also delivered with consummate skill.

Two of the flash backs return us to war time England, with incidents of fear and bravery. The consequence of one of those incidents delivers a charming twist in the story, a catch in the throat.

To be sure, there is constant demand on the imagination of the audience as with any good theatre. There is never a moment, though, that is muddled; the ladies keep their characters well separated with the clever dialogue and the even more clever acting and delivery.

When we want to be entertained, we go to the theatre for interest and challenge.

If we need it all laid on the line, we go to the movies.

As it is true that standing before an audience to deliver a play is an act of courage, it was never more true than with Ms. Hale and Risk in ‘Freedom’.

Don’t miss these exceptional performances.

‘Freedom 85’ runs from 18 February to 7 March. Tickets as always are available at the theatre box office or on line at www.theatreorangeville.ca