The Hockey Sweater: A Musical. An enjoyable and heart-felt celebration of Canada’s sport

Few sports are as definitively associated with Canada as hockey is, and fittingly, no other one comes close to the significance of the former in the lives of both big and small-town Canadians. While the Montreal-based Segal Centre’s production of The Hockey Sweater: A Musical, in turn adapted from the well-known short story by Roch Carrier, takes place in the small community of Sainte-Justine, Quebec, the passion for hockey displayed in this setting is, I suspect, eminently relatable for many viewers. It is particularly interesting that this production is the first in the NAC’s line-up of English theatre for the 2018-19 season. The announcement by artistic director Jillian Keiley noting how rare it is to have fully-produced homegrown musicals before the play began did much to situate the importance of the Segal Centre’s work in the Canadian theatre landscape.

The Hockey Sweater: A Musical, under the direction of Donna Feore, is a success as a dramatic production in its own right as it is an evocation of the hockey spirit. With book by Emil Sher and music by Jonathan Monro, as well as lyrics by both, the musical excels in catchy and entertaining songs which also contain worthwhile messages about self-acceptance and following one’s dreams. Choreography by Feore does much to complement the song sequences, with the exhilarating movements of the young players on the ice and lively accompaniments that other actors provide to the main singer in various numbers. Moreover, the original story is appropriately adapted to meet the requirements of a full-length musical, ensuring an engaging time throughout.

Set in the year 1946, the musical introduces young Roch (Wyatt Moss), his mother Anna (Claire Lautier), and the other characters associated with Sainte-Justine’s local hockey team. Roch, an enthusiastic player who aspires to be like his jersey’s namesake Maurice ‘the Rocket’ Richard (#9), is often at odds with Anna, who unabashedly dislikes hockey. She nonetheless insists on ordering him a new jersey straight from the Eaton catalogue, as his old one is falling apart. A linguistic mix-up with the English form leads to a disastrous mistake (at least, in the eyes of Roch and his teammates): a Maple Leafs jersey is delivered instead of a Habs one. With Roch forced to wear enemy colours at practice until the mistake can be sorted, a valuable lesson about how one’s clothes does not change who they are on the inside is articulated through the rest of the musical; though, predictably, this lesson cannot occur without close introspection and heart to heart conversations with other characters. It is these interactions and expressed sentiments which give The Hockey Sweater its emotional heft alongside the entertainment value.

The performance of the collective cast is impressive and does much to contribute to the liveliness of the show. The young actors who portray Roch and his teammates are equally talented in singing and dancing, as they hold their own in their group-specific song “We Stick Together.” Notable performances from the adult cast include Claire Lautier as the caring yet tough-minded Anna, Ian Simpson as the energetic town priest and game referee Father Delisle, Scott Beaudin as the gung-ho team coach Gaétan, and Kate Blackburn as the players’ exasperated teacher Madame Therrien.

The efficient and easily mobile set by Michael Gianfrancesco is greatly enhanced by the imaginative projections of Montreal’s Normal Studio. From the wall of seemingly genuine and skate-scratched ice which greets the audience before the shows begins, to the detailed depictions of the team’s dressing room and the town proper, the projections provide a believable yet not over-elaborate sense of place with the modest number of set pieces onstage.

Although the production effectively articulates the importance of hockey to a community like Sainte-Justine, I found its attempt to convey the French culture of the town not as convincing. References to not understanding English by some characters, such as Roch’s decrying his mother’s inability to read it as leading to the wrong jersey being sent, feel a bit hollow given that the production is conducted in the same language. Even more troubling is the exaggerated French accent put on by Madame Therrien when she’s speaking to Mr. Eaton’s clerk in an effort to exchange Roch’s sweater. While it is, of course, understandable that the production’s language is English so as to reach a greater number of viewers, more could be done to provide a sense of the community’s linguistic character and how it informs the story.

Language caveat aside, The Hockey Sweater: A Musical is a fully engaging production which contains a good amount of both heart and laughter. The spirit of Canada’s sport is brought truly alive here.

The Hockey Sweater: A Musical continues at the Babs Asper Theatre in the NAC until Dec 23. For information and tickets, see https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/18794