Playwright: Peter Ormond
Review by: Gord Simmons
As another reviewer has noted, there was no programme, and so I have less information here to share with you about the cast than I might have liked to share. But, it is an ensemble piece, and I likely would not have been drawing attention to any one person over another….that said, given the nature of the content, I can completely understand not giving us programmes: handing out paper at a show that expresses concern for the environment would be silly.
This show has left me thinking (which is clearly the intention), and I was aware of some limited aspects of the issues addressed, but I have certainly gained some knowledge by being at this show.
The show is primarily a series of conversations, all placed in a way for us to meet characters that might be experiencing a state of environmental awareness that various audience members have experienced, or are experiencing. We see folks struggling through ignorance and trying to learn new things about their world, and trying to wrap their heads around the changes they could make in their lives to make the world a better place.
At the end of the show, the woman beside asked me if I had heard the majority of the words…I’ve a unfairly trained ear, but would suggest based on her question that sitting close to the stage is a good idea if you’re concerned about whether your hearing will catch everything that is shared onstage.
The question also led to an idea that I will use this review to share with the company: in that so many of these conversations are held in a cafe setting, or similar place…what about performing this work in a cafe? Perhaps having the audience in the centre of the room, and having the narrator figures participate by drawing the attention to particular conversations in a particular order as those conversations happen all around them?
I think changing the setting could help certain aspects of the show stand out, and that having waters and coffees in people’s hands while they take in the first conversation would help draw the audience into the play very immediately.
I’m interested to hear if the cast/crew consider remounting this show in a different setting; I think it would be interesting to see how it could grow with a different set of contextual bounds.
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