Playgoers of Lethbridge will be having a bit of fun in a hotel room for their October dinner theatre, Neil Simon’s “London Suite,”  which runs Oct. 17-20 at the Sandman Inn.
Rita Peterson directs the British comedy which features four unique scenes taking place in the same suite in the Connault Hotel in London.

“The first piece is about a writer and novelist who confronts his crooked and desperate agent who stole his life savings,” described stage manager Josh Hammerstedt. The scene stars Playgoers of Lethbridge veteran Jeff Graham and newcomer Mat Smerek, who played Lysander in this summer’s Shakespeare in the Park’s production of Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Smerek is glad to be back on stage. Before playing Lysander in Shakespeare in the Park, he hadn’t acted since graduating from Catholic Central High School in 2008.

“It feels like I ’m doing what I should be doing. I’m not even sure why I stopped,” Smerek said.

“I just love being on stage. It’s just such a rush like bungee jumping or skydiving, but this is more for me,” he said. He said he is enjoying rehearsing his scene in an intimate group with Jeff Graham, stage manager Josh Hammerstedt, costumer Shirley Kopitske and director Rita Peterson who saw him perform in Midsummer Night’s Drem and asked him to audition.

“It’s a small and very close group,” he said.

 While he wasn’t familiar with the play “London Suite,” he was familiar with Neil Simon’s work as he was in a high school production of Simon’s “Brighton Beach Memoirs.”

He is enjoying acting with Jeff Graham, who acts in a plethora of productions all over southern Alberta.
“Jeff is fantastic,” Smerek said.

Owen Sound born First World War Canadian Flying Ace Billy Bishop would be proud to see his story told by New West Theatre. So would Eric Peterson and John Gray who wrote the Canadian classic “Billy Bishop Goes To War,” which runs until Oct. 6 at the Sterndale Bennett Theatre.

 Actually the multi-talented Braden Griffiths, who stars as Bishop, reminds me of a young Eric Peterson who toured Billy Bishop Goes to war for years before reaching the public eye on Canadian drama Street Legal and most recently Corner Gas.

 And while one would think a one man show could seem overwhelmingly  long— just one guy talking non-stop— it is definitely not the case here. There is something for everyone here — music, dancing, comedy, drama and a lot of different accents and characters. Griffiths masterfully and effortlessly alternates between all of them.

 He’ll be the mischievous rascal Bishop one moment then the wealthy and uptight dowager the next, then switch to sultry French lounge singer Helene, then a petty military functionary the next moment, then back to Bishop. And he’ll barely blink when doing so.

And even though he could project his voice more, pianist Jesse Plessis makes a solid debut with New West Theatre by playing period piano, shooting out the odd one liner and even sings a couple songs solo while complementing Griffiths’ voice on others. My favourite Plessis moment is his portrayal of the King George V presenting medals to Billy Bishop.

Classic Canadian play “Billy Bishop Goes to War” is more than just a play about war— it’s  a play about people.
Artistic Director Jeremy Mason is excited to direct this John Gray and Eric Peterson penned one man show about First World War Canadian Flying Ace Billy Bishop, Sept. 27-Oct. 6 at the Sterndale Bennett Theatre.

It is more than just a war story though according to Calgary actor Braden Griffiths.
“When you picture a war play, you picture Patton in front of the flag saying rah, rah, rah war. People are going to die, but there will be glory,” Griffiths observed.

“There is some of that, but what you have here is a more human story — a more human rendition of war,” he continued.
“It’s one of those old chestnuts of Canadian theatre,” he said adding he wasn’t that familiar with the play, or of the legend of Billy Bishop other than hearing about them both in school.

However, once he jumped into rehearsals, he found the character quickly spoke to him.
“He’s very vibrant. At the very beginning of the play he’s a rascal, he almost doesn’t fit in. He gets into trouble, he gets drunk and his superiors don’t appreciate it, but he finds his place in the war as a fighter pilot,” he described.
 Griffiths hasn’t been part of a New West Theatre production before, but is very familiar with the company as he knows director Jeremy Mason very well and is also married to Allison Lynch, who is a big part of New West’s summer productions, so he is familiar with the theatre company.

He appears with permission of the Canadian Actors' Equity Association.

“ I’m just excited to share this story with people who don’t know it. It has been my room mate for close to two months,” he said.
 Lethbridge classical pianist Jesse Plessis is excited about being dragged out of his comfort zone by director Jeremy Mason. He plays the background music for Bishop and shares a few lines with him.