Third time's the charm for 'Room' at the Grand Theatre

Grand Theatre performers ready to hit the stage After being postponed twice due to the pandemic ‘Rom’ hits the stage. CTV London’s Nick Paparella reports.

After being postponed twice due to pandemic restrictions and protocols, the stage production of Room hit the Grand Theatre stage Tuesday night.

The North American premiere was cancelled in March 2020 and then again in January but the stage adaptation of Emma Donoghue’s best selling novel is finally a go with London’s Alexis Gordon playing the lead role of Ma.

Kidnapped as a teenager, Gordon’s character is locked up in a room by her captor with her five-year-old son Jack.

“It’s about a mom and her son and their love and their hope as they struggle to find their way,” says Gordon. “In the end, it’s uplifting.”

Emma Donoghue, also of London, saw her novel “Room” transformed onto the big screen winning Academy Awards and Golden Globes and now she loves what she sees on stage.

“I always imagined Room as a stage show because the premise of it couldn’t be more theatrical,” says Donoghue. “I think people are often nervous of the darkness of this story, but actually in it’s theatre version, Room is uplifting and the music contributes to that.”

The production is on the main stage at the Grand Theatre until March 19.

Donoghue adds, “It’s just thrilling to feel that we are undefeated by the pandemic and that it’s more relevant than ever because so many people know what it’s like to be stuck in a room.”