The Burden of Self-Awareness:The actors find their way around despite weaknesses in the text.
Johon Koensgen and Eric Coates. Photo Barb Gray
The Burden of Self-Awareness is a dark comedy about a dark time: ours. It questions our needs and wants and contradicts our moral values.
What we want, what we do and what we need is mainly shaped by a certain society at a certain moment in time. Of course, our nature plays a role as well and somehow, that nature always leans towards money. Whether it is a question of prestige, power or consumerism, everything starts and finishes at the same point: money.
Michael is a great success: wealthy beyond his dreams, well respected and happily married… Or, is he?
A close encounter with death changes his outlook and makes him re-examine his life and define his values. What he comes up with as a solution disturbs his wife and as a result there is mayhem in the household. Michael’s decision to give away all of his wealth leads to a chain of events through which the ugly truth is revealed.
George F. Walker examines the faults of our time in a comic and witty way. A quick exchange of short, funny and brutally honest observations sets the stage and presents the characters as they really are. This beginning is definitely the best part if the comedy. Walker drives us through the lives of five intermingled personalities, just to depict the vices of modern time and the price we pay for living up to its standards and demands: greed, selfishness, pretence, mental instability, inability to perform and madness. Unfortunately, the second act is not at the level of the first act. While the exaggerated character of Judy (Stan’s disturbed wife) is successfully portrayed, the drama itself takes a wrong turn somewhere in the middle. The clever exchanges of thoughts are less sharp, and the plot, leading to several intended or committed murders, becomes unbelievable without the brilliant elements of dark comedy that appear in the first act.
Fortunately, in a total chaos of events, and despite the weaknesses of the text, the actors manage to find their way around. Paul Rainville is a prefect picture of a lost man whose profession is to help others find their way out of a dark place. Everything, from his movements and facial expressions to his broken voice and slow pace, shows the state of surrendering of his mind and spirit. Samantha Madely is intriguing and convincing in her role as a high class escort. She gives life to her character, and meaning to the play: the message of the absurdity of the order of things in our society becomes loud and clear thanks to her interpretation of the call-girl Lianne. The subtle irony in her portrayal helps to underline a deeper meaning and elevates the role-playing to a higher, more substantial level.
All in all, it is an entertaining event. The audience enjoyed the opening night, and, regardless of a few imperfections, The Burden of Self-Awareness is well worth seeing.
The Burden of Self-Awareness
Production: Great Canadian Theatre Company
Written by: George F. Walker,
Directed by: Arthur Milner
Cast:
Michael: Eric Coates
Phil: John Koensgen
Lianne: Samantha Madely
Judy: Sarah Mcvie
Stan: Paul Rainville
The Burden of Self-Awareness plays at the Great Canadian Theatre Company
June 3, 2014 – June 22, 2014
Reviews coming soon…