ABRAHAM MOSES KLEIN is a shining star in the Canadian literary canon. Published both here and the U.S. in the 1920s and 30s, Klein was a friend and peer of F.R. Scott and A.J.M Smith and Governor General’s Award winner (1948) for his acclaimed collection, The Rocking Chair and Other Poems. Yet today he is hardly remembered outside the worlds of poetry and academe. Besides writing poetry, Klein taught at McGill University, practiced law, engaged in politics and, as the editor of the Canadian Jewish Chronicle (1932-1955), was a prominent social commentator. Nearly twenty years before his death in 1972, he withdrew from public life and died in obscurity. It is this complex of man, poet, Jew and, above all, Montréalais, that Endre Farkas brings to the stage in Tableau D’Hôte Theatre’s production of Haunted House.
Inside the intimate space of the Segal Centre’s studio theatre, a melancholic world is created. Sombre piano music resonates over a set that feels like a museum exhibit: a small desk with a typewriter, a pedestal ash-tray, an ornate wooden chair centre stage. Six tall panes of frosted glass define the background. As lights and music fade, five figures appear framed behind the panes and in the chair, slightly hunched, sits the sixth.
This is the world of A.M. Klein. The forlorn atmosphere comes alive as the past and present of the poet’s life share space on stage. Poetry underwrites much of the action and select verses weave a thread through the entire evening. Many pivotal moments are narrated directly through the poetry while scripted dialogue plays a supporting role. The action revolves around the dichotomy of interiority and exteriority. Director Liz Valdez organizes this movement in a logical and interesting way. Lighting and costume (both designed by Noémi Poulin) clearly establish visual cues, which identify roles the supporting cast play. The poet’s memories and inner turmoil thus evolve in an uninterrupted flow of subtle costume, set and lighting changes, accompanied by audio-visual projections onto the panes of glass.
The five supporting cast members each take on multiple roles and play various ages. A story that spans from the early 1900s to the 1950s demands a great range of physical and emotional expression. Though successful for the most part, at times distinctions between the roles are muddled as cast members strive to keep pace with the scene changes. Eric Hausknost’s portrayal of Klein is subtle and evocative. Honourable mention also goes to Nem Jevtovic in the role of Klein’s long-time patron, Samuel Bronfman. Jevtovic shows great presence and expression in each of the roles he assumes.
It’s the subject matter itself that leaves one wanting. The metaphor of the haunted house—Klein’s inner turmoil—constitutes the central theme around which the play revolves. Too many tangents, however, disrupt this focus. Farkas wants to show the psychological complexity of A.M. Klein, yet he brings too many aspects of Klein’s biography to bear upon this quest. Though many compelling fragments hint at Klein’s political, literary and philosophical influences—as well as the social questions facing Jews in Quebec—none are explored in depth.
Ultimately, the playwright attempts too much in presenting such diverse avenues for exploration. The incessant question, “Who are you?” posed by Klein’s muse remains unanswered as the lights dim upon the final scene.
Haunted House continues through March 5 at the Segal Centre for the Performing Arts.
BOX OFFICE: 514.848.9696.
