"Harvey" Enchants the Imagination at the Palace Theatre

Mistaken identities, a frantic family, and a six-foot-tall invisible rabbit! The Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, Harvey, has charmed audiences since 1944. The Palace Theatre’s visually striking production, directed by John Gerry, will enchant a new generation with its eclectic cast of characters. Get your tickets before the show vanishes on May 11!

Elwood (David Lamari) introduces Harvey to Ethel Chauvenet (Kelly Martin) while Myrtle May (Meg Buchanan-Lunn) and Veta Louise (Martha Zimmerman) watch in horror. Photo by Ross Davidson.

Elwood P. Dowd (David Lamari) is perfectly pleasant. The problem? His constant companion is a giant invisible rabbit named Harvey, much to the chagrin of his sister Veta Louise (Martha Zimmerman) and niece Myrtle May (Meg Buchanan-Lunn), since this quirk has devastating effects on their social lives. When Elwood introduces Harvey to their house full of guests, it’s the final straw. Veta sends her brother to the local sanatorium but finds herself committed instead!

The family collides with the staff at Chumley’s Rest, including the delightful Nurse Kelly (Chiedza Gondoza), the wiry Wilson (Phil Cal), and the esteemed doctors Sanderson (Derek Roberts) and Chumley (George Jolink). Soon, they’re all on a mission to track down Uncle Elwood (and Harvey!) and decide whether reality or imagination is worth hanging onto. 

Things get heated at Chumley's Rest! Chiedza Gondoza as Nurse Kelly, David Lamari as Elwood, Derek Roberts as Dr. Sanderson, and Phil Cal as Wilson. Photo by Ross Davidson.

The Palace’s production of Harvey sets itself apart with fantastical visuals. The set, designed by David Long, is stark and striking. Featuring little else besides a vast checkered floor, rolling doorways, and stunning suspended picture frames, the whimsical stage demands that, like Elwood, the audience take delight in imagining what can’t be seen. 

Laura Sepulveda’s lighting design elevates the story beyond reality. Each scene is lit in vivid colours, from lush purples and rich greens to shifting lighting changes that bring characters’ fantasies to life. Together, these visual choices add a beautiful strangeness to the world of Harvey.

David Lamari as Elwood P. Dowd. Photo by Ross Davidson.

Character work is another undeniable strength of this production. David Lamari perfectly captures the spirit of Elwood, charming the audience within moments with his pleasant manners, eccentric habits, and unflagging optimism. The frantic energy of Meg Buchanan-Lunn as Myrtle May and Martha Zimmerman as Veta can’t help but entertain as it bounces off of Elwood’s mild nature. 

The rich cast of side characters tangled in the story adds plenty of flavour, whether it’s Judge Omar Gaffney (Christopher Parker) helping sue the sanatorium or E.J. Lofgren (Bill Meaden), a blunt old taxi driver. Lots of laughs come from the roster of folks at Chumley’s Rest. Nurse Kelly (Chiedza Gondoza) and Dr. Sanderson (Derek Roberts) circle one another in a will-they-won't-they relationship, Dr. Chumley's (George Jolink) own sanity begins to slip, and the scrappy orderly Wilson (Phil Cal) provides some of the best moments of comedy.

Dr. Chumley (George Jolink) is swept up in Elwood's (David Lamari) view of reality. Photo by Ross Davidson.

Audiences, prepare to settle in for a full evening or afternoon at the theatre! Director John Gerry preserves the script’s three-act structure, resulting in a show that runs approximately three hours, including two intermissions. Attentive audiences will be rewarded with humour and heart as they grow irresistibly invested in the characters. 

Suspend your disbelief, gather some friends, and go see Harvey before it closes on May 11! Tickets are available on the Palace Theatre’s website.

The cast of "Harvey" takes a bow. Photo by Ross Davidson.