A heartwarming comedy

Mr. Elwood P. Dowd is a friendly, open-hearted man. With a smile, he strikes up conversations with everyone he meets. His best friend is at his side: an invisible, giant rabbit - a pooka, to be exact - named Harvey.

As the Prinsentheater fills with theatre lovers, I hear both Dutch and English being spoken. That is no surprise, as Solstice Theatre Productions creates English amateur theatre. I usually attend Dutch-speaking performances myself, but it is wonderful that English theatre is offered in Groningen too. It gives internationals the chance not only to enjoy live theatre, but to participate in it as well. After all, theatre is about creativity and connection: a place where everyone, regardless of language, should feel welcome.

© Anniek Mol. Harvey – Solstice Theatre Productions

Stepping into the venue, I am greeted by a charming vintage set: a red chaise longue, an elegant desk with chair, and partitions decorated with paintings. It immediately evokes the 1940s. As soft music plays, the show begins with Veta Simmons and her daughter Myrtle Mae entering the room. They are hosting a party and they are highly concerned with their reputation. They are talking about their brother and uncle Mr. Elwood and his companion ‘Harvey’. His name is clearly a taboo.

Veta and Myrtle Mae have to impress their friends. Elwood and Harvey seem to make that impossible. This becomes clear when Mrs. Chauvenet, Veta and Elwood’s aunt, flawlessly and hilariously played by a man, reacts in horror to Harvey’s invisible presence. But despite his odd ways, Elwood is clearly a gentle and joyful soul. He smiles, speaks kindly with those around him and marvels at the world around him. In this way he shows himself as a careless and loving man.

Veta, embarrassed by his behavior, takes her brother to Chumley’s Rest, a sanitarium. But when she confides to Dr. Sanderson that she occasionally sees Harvey herself, the doctor realizes what he should do. He promptly commits her in the sanitarium instead of Elwood, which sets off a classic 'comedy of errors'.

When the staff understands the mistake, they try to get Mr. Elwood to the sanitarium. Even Judge Gaffney gets involved. In a surprising turn, Dr. Chumley — the esteemed head of the institution — begins to believe in Harvey’s existence. Elwood is eventually offered an injection to make him “normal.” He’s ready to go through with it — until Veta has a change of heart. She realizes just how caring and happy her brother actually is and that she is not willing to change him.

The production is packed with small comedic moments. Mrs. Chauvenet’s entrance, for example, drew cheers — many audience members clearly knew the actor behind the costume. The budding romance between Myrtle Mae and Wilson (an orderly at Chumley’s Rest) was a joy to watch, as did the subtle tension between Nurse Kelly and Dr. Sanderson. Each character was brought to life with care, and together they formed a cohesive ensemble. The show was definitely a comedy, but for me, the highlight is the heartfelt hug between Veta and Elwood at the end of the play.

After the performance, I chatted with fellow audience members in the foyer about the performance. We discussed on whether Harvey might actually exist and about whether we would want to befriend a giant rabbit. But everyone agreed that the performance was heartening to watch. It felt good to be able to escape the bad news in the world and realize the kind people standing next to you. The message was clear: we should embrace the people next to us, even when they see the world a little differently.

One last thing I cannot leave unmentioned is that amateur theatre is also great because of the way actors do everything themselves. After greeting their friends and receiving compliments in the foyer, they were called back to help clean everything up. As I walked to my bike, the actors were standing side by side. They were placing the stage scenery on carts. Their collaboration on stage continued after the end of the play. Last but not least I called out 'Great show, guys!' and I already got excited to write about it.

^{Photography: © Anniek Mol. Harvey – Solstice Theatre Productions
Translation: ChatGPT}

Rina Copinga

13-05-2025