Lois Lorimer on Hooked in House

By Lois Lorimer

Movers & Shakers: This compelling site-situ salon theatre performance by Hooked In House Productions is forged from the dramatic monologues in Hooked, a book of poetry by Carolyn Smart (Brick Books, 2009). The formidable women of Smart’s Hooked—Unity Mitford, Elizabeth Smart, Zelda Fitzgerald, Dora Carrington, Carson McCullers, Myra Hindley, and Jane Bowles—are all linked by the challenges of their various addictions and obsession. Professional actress Nicky Guadagni inhabits Smart’s poems based on these seven fascinating women and brings them to dramatic life under the tight direction of Layne Coleman. The whole performance is accompanied by food and drink as twelve or more guests move from room to room in a house.  

Brief history: Theatre in houses has been done before. Toronto audiences might remember Richard Rose's Tamara. But this magical literary tour feels more in the tradition of Wallace Shawn's The Fever, because of the intimacy of the experience in a private home. The company says they workshopped and worked with Carolyn Smart's poetry in a farmhouse north of Belleville. That exploratory weekend included the exquisite food offerings of Sandy Balcovske, and the idea for “Hooked In House” was born.

Highlights of venue: The iteration of “Hooked in House” I experienced took place at Toronto poet Ruth Roach Pierson’s High Park neighbourhood home. It is a bit of a breathless experience, having the minds and obsessions of these women opened up through the wonderful acting of Nicky Guadagni. The movement of the poems to different locations—the dining room, Ruth’s fabulous garden, the upstairs bedroom—lends an authenticity to this piece that’s beyond a stage set. The poetry comes alive, and we enter into Smart’s writing in a physically involving way. Imaginative food and drink accompany the journey. Visualize sipping a fresh lemon cocktail in the garden while Zelda charms you by dipping her bare toe into the pond. Or seeing Elizabeth Smart lounging on the deck with her gardening boots while you eat an appetizer.

Of special interest to poets: Carolyn Smart’s poetry moves seamlessly into the theatrical realm. It’s a very enjoyable experience to discuss the performance with other audience members in between scenes. How often do you get to discuss the writing life, poetry, Bloomsbury, George Barker, or serial murderers with a group of people who are sharing the immediacy of the poetry and the theatre experience? And of course poets enjoy good food and drink! “Hooked in House” as a cottage production is worth a visit. Go to www.hookedinhouse.com.