Director Rebecca Russell's Toto Too Fun Home a triumph

Director Rebecca Russell’s Toto Too Theatre stage production of Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home, based on genius comic creator Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel of the same name, a bildungsroman about a queer kid growing up in a dysfunctional family whose father has a secret life,  is startlingly moving. It’s  a rousing success that I am so happy I caught at the Gladstone Theatre in Ottawa last weekend.

Steph Goodwin plays 43-year-old Alison. Jason Swan portrays father Bruce Bechdel. Together, they anchor the whole works much like Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen anchored the Bryan Singer X-Men films. Swan’s Bruce carries the discomfited, particular mannerisms of a young Giannetti, in the most flattering and adept ways. Goodwin, as the chorus, grown cartoonist Alison, flaunts the acting acumen and gravitas that becomes the line-through of all the different time periods which the play portrays. Goodwin’s admirable intensity, physicality and amazing pipes are a fascinating contrast to the almost minimal physical stature of cartoonist Alison Bechdel herself. And Goodwin knocks this one out of the park.

However, without a robust supporting cast, the whole enchilada wouldn’t work, and the supporters more than work. They sing, in all senses of the phrase. The fam’ is Jean-Luc Arun Mullin as Christian Bechdel, Luna Oancea as John Bechdel, Frances Winchester and Emilia Castro as Small Allison, and charming stand-out Kaylee Ross as Medium Alison finding herself at college. The kids do a great job of acting like kids, a fine trick to pull. That said, there’s no weakness in this bolstering chain of players. Naomi Miller beguiles as love interest Joan, while Howard Yung is the picture of discomfort in multiple roles, most notably as handyman Roy. Nicole Tishler also brings her A-game as long-suffering wife Helen Bechel.

Having read and admired Bechdel’s Fun Home, my only qualm was the lack of ambiguity surrounding Bruce Bechdel’s decisions. However, this is an adaptation issue, not that of cast and crew. Ultimately, I recognized much from Bechdel’s graphic novel. The players wooed me. Their rendering of Bechdel’s discovery of her queerness and OCD and cartoonist calling and the tragic story of her father is heart-wrenching. The musical numbers are bangers, the kids are surprisingly funny, and college-age Alison will steal your heart before you know it’s gone, then sing a naughty observation like a classical musical number. 

Anyways, if you see it,  have tissues close at hand. Toto Too has a triumphant show on their hands. I would see it again.