The Jupiter Theatre's Canadian Content and the Critics, 1951-1954

Abstract

The Jupiter Theatre (1951-54) was founded by actors Lorne Greene and John Drainie, and writer Len Peterson, who sought to establish a fully professional company in Toronto dedicated to the encouragement of Canadian playwrights, and the "emergence of a truly Canadian voice in the theatre." Their ideals were shared by the nationalist local radio critic Nathan Cohen. Of the fifteen plays produced during Jupiter's brief but significant lifetime four were Canadian-written: Socrates and The Blood Is Strong by Lister Sinclair, The Money Makers by Ted Allan and Blue Is for Mourning by Nathan Cohen. I will attempt to assess Jupiter's contribution to the development of that "Canadian voice" by looking at the plays themselves, their authors and, as far as can be deduced, their theatrical presentation by Jupiter. I shall measure my own response to the plays as texts against the responses of the contemporary Toronto critics, principally Herbert Whittaker of the Globe and Mail and Nathan Cohen on CJBC Views the Shows, a perusal of whose reviews formed the bulk of my investigation. Conversations with Jupiter alumni have helped to place these responses in a meaningful historic context. I shall also consider the subsequent contributions, if any, of the three playwrights to the Canadian theatre.