Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw is well-known for works like Pygmalion and Hearbreak House, among many. What many came to know later on was his intimate correspondence with Mrs. Patrick Campbell, the celebrated actress with whom he was “violently in love”.

This correspondence began in late-Victorian London in 1899 and ended with the death of “Mrs. Pat” in France in 1940. The two lovers wrote each other letters over the span of four decades, from the Boer Wars to the Second World War.

Cher Menteur (Dear Liar: A Comedy of Letters) is an adaptation by Jerome Kilty of this 41-year correspondence. The play was later translated into French by the famed poet Jean Cocteau. At times tender, at others spiteful, the letters between Shaw and Campbell evoke a sense of mutual admiration, respect, and love.

In this production by Théâtre Français de Toronto, the play stars two legends of the Québec stage, Louise Marleau and Albert Millaire. The one act show offers an intimate look at these two very strong personalities, their emotions, and their vulnerabilities. Millaire and Marleau embody Shaw and Campbell quite nicely and with grace. I found myself drawn to each of them almost equally throughout the performance.

Given that the show is based on letters, Millaire (who also directs the piece) chose to have himself and Marleau read from such letters while interacting with each other from time to time. At times, this took away from the performance. However, during the moments where Shaw and Campbell adress each other face-to-face, Millaire and Marleau held the audience’s attention fully.

My fluency in Spanish helps only so much in understanding parts of spoken French. For those of us who are not fluent in French, the surtitles assist in understanding the dialogue much more. There are aspects of the dialogue that I’m certain make better sense in French; however, this production has made me curious to find the English version and read it. There is humour, candour, and of course, some great lines. One such line that stood out for me came from a letter by Campbell. She wrote, “I’ve been thinking a great deal lately and I find that love sentiment…” Campbell goes on to describe how she admires Shaw’s ability to show sentiment through his words; his writing. This was a key point in my believing how ‘real’ their affection was.

Other aspects of the production I’d like to point out are the set and light desing by Jean-Bernard Hébert. These were minimal but used appropriately to evoke mood and time. At 75 minutes long, the play moves rapidly enough. As stated before, the minor drawback was having Millaire and Marleau read from the ‘letters’ the majority of the time. I’d have liked to see them interact with each other a bit more. Nonetheless, it is an enjoyable one-act show. One that leaves you with a sense of appreciation for those with whom we have a connection, but may not be able to interact with face-to-face. If you’re a ‘romantic’ person, like I am, go see this.

Albert Millaire and Louise Marleau Photo: Avital Zemmer