Pictured (Left to Right): Jenny Weisz, Arinea Hermans, and Adam Sanders. Photo by: Dahlia Katz
Grow, a new locally written musical which is currently hosting its world premiere at London’s Grand Theatre, is a welcomed return to the big show and the big stage.
The show, co-written by Sarnia’s Matt Murray with songs by Colleen Dauncey and Akiva Romer-Segal, has been years in the making and was originally scheduled to premiere just as the COVID lockdowns began – but the creators and the Grand did not give up. The show is now playing on the Spriet Stage of the Grand Theatre until April 30, 2022.
Grow is not the type of show that… ummm… grows on you, it actually hits you right from the start and starts pulling at the emotions, especially for audience members who struggle with religious family issues. It’s a fabulous production with emotion, style and just enough religious and cannabis humour to make the toughest of audiences laugh and smile.
The story tells of two nineteen-year-old twins, Hannah (Arinea Hermans) and Ruth (Jenny Weisz), who leave the comfort of their sheltered community to go on Rumspringa – a time when Amish teenagers are free to explore the modern world. After arriving in Toronto, their plans quickly go up in smoke and they team up with a down-on-his-luck cannabis dealer Skor (Adam Sanders) to help run his illegal grow-op.
Surprisingly, Hermans and Weisz aren’t real-life sisters. They look, act and certainly feel like they are sisters though. In the end we love them both for their desires to either carry on with big city life or return to Amish life at the farm. They are matched by the support of an outstanding ensemble that includes Ann Paula Bautista (Emma/Brenda), Izad Etemadi (Samuel/Owen), Adam Sanders (Skor/Jacob), Christina Gordon (Sarah/Gloria), Taran Kim (Moses/Kevin), Sweeney MacArthur (Father/Larry), Andrew McAllister (Ephraim/Alan), Clea McCaffrey (Martha/Janis), Masini McDermott (Mary/Alexis) and Jan Alexandra Smith (Miriam/Susan/police officer).
It’s an outstanding production and far surpasses what we see in the trailer. The video just doesn’t capture the actual aura of the production. The songs are catchy, uplifting and memorable and the cast is remarkably well cast. The sisters are delightful, as is Sanders as Skor. Sanders played the part so well; we could have sworn he was cast as another shady character a few years back. McDermott is simply scrumptious as entrepreneur Alexis, who opens a legal dispensary to compete with, and cause havoc for, Skor.
There’s even a very small nod to The Book of Mormon for those who enjoy quirky pop culture references.
There are only a few more chance to catch Grow – hopefully it comes back for a return engagement as the buzz about it spreads… or should we say seed. Grow is now playing at the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario until April 30, 2022. Tickets and more information is available online.
