There was not one person in the audience who wasn’t enjoying themselves. Her show was more motivational but just as outrageous as one of her stand up routines. Amid the jokes and stories concerning her life there was great wisdom regarding grief and discouragement. The gist of it was to dust yourself off and keep on living, and never turn down an opportunity to try something new, because you never know where that door will lead to. She was dressed in straight legged pants and a sequinned covered light jacket, and the furniture on the set seem to compliment her sophisticated, glamorous look perfectly.
Manderley Manor, the home of Stickley, has been providing the series “Unique Lives and Experiences†at Roy Thomson Hall with staging sets for their guest speakers for two years. The backdrop for Joan Rivers was fantastic. The couch she sat down on to answer questions from the audience near the end of the show was a lustrous cream coloured Wheaton sofa with grey, beige, and black polka dots. This sofa is one of Stickley’s top three best selling sofas, up there with the Fargo and Essex. Two beautiful Calla Lilies were showcased on the floor flanking a beautiful solid wild black cherry Edinburgh Sofa table with a pierced heart motif. On this table, red roses were placed, which were thrown into the audience and given to the sign language translators at the end of the show. Naturally, the Eldorado Chair was present, a modern looking leather chair with interesting angles to it, that invites you to settle into it and lean back. A feminine but solid (like Joan) crystal lamp sat upon a Metro Tiered lamp table which complemented the lustrous finish on the couch and the sequin’s on Joan wonderfully. Two cherry Tabouret tables were also present, with the finish reflecting the richness of the sofa table (also cherry). Another table (Metro flower-stem round lamp table) was present, beside one of the two fan-back Metro dining arm chairs. The chairs had white upholstery which complimented the ivory arts and crafts rug, as well as the black. All in all, the set looked spectacular, and the essence of Joan; her femininity and independence, her glamour and compassion, seemed to seep out from Manderley manor’s pieces.
This Post have been written by Jacqueline Sublet
