The New Canadian Curling Club: Delightful immigration comedy with deeper aspirations

The New Canadian Curling Club    Photo  Randy deKlein-Stinson

In the context of these politically divisive times,  the message of Mark Crawford’s recent play, The New Canadian Curling Club, is undoubtedly well-intentioned. The story of four immigrants who take up curling for the first time and overcome the prejudice of their coach (who undergoes a conversion of his own) makes for a feel-good show overall which imparts valuable lessons about belonging and acceptance. This production at TIP, directed by Andrew Kushnir, also makes the most of the play’s many comedic moments, drawing plenty of laughs from the audience. There are moments, however, which occasionally took me out of the immediate action of the play and seemed to be awkwardly placed. While the main story of Crawford’s play is solid, certain subplots are handled clumsily.

The premise revolves around a learn to curl class that is specifically geared towards newcomers to Canada. The class, consisting of long-time Jamaican resident Charmaine, established Indian immigrant Anoopjeet, Syrian refugee Fatima, and Chinese medical student Mike, is met with a rude start when the instructor they’re supposed to have is replaced by the arena’s prejudiced ice maker, Stuart. His family’s long association with curling, combined with his displeasure at the news of Mike dating his granddaughter, makes for bitter interactions between him and the others throughout the first act and part of the second. These interactions, fraught as they are, serve to show the narrowness of Stuart’s thinking as well as the fallacy of the assumption that all immigrants have an easy time when they come over.

Each of the four amateur curlers are well-realized by the actors, who provide humanity to the diverse experiences they are meant to represent. Jenni Burke is appropriately sassy as stalwart Charmaine, whose long experience in Canada enables her to act as both a mentor to the others and a median between them and Stuart. Richard Young is similarly endearing as Anoopjeet, infusing humour and liveliness into all his interactions with the others. Yet there is also a serious side to his character, which comes out in his own story of struggling to find employment and adequate housing when he and his family first arrived in Canada. The quiet strength of Mike is effectively captured by Richard Lam, though his Chinese accent slips a bit at times. He ably holds his own in the tête-à-têtes his character has with Stuart.

Parmida Vand is credible as Fatima, whose shyness and confusion in navigating a new language and country are well expressed. Yet her character suffers from a lack of adequate narrative development, which leads one to wonder if more was meant to be included in the play. The subplots of her brother being temporarily missing in Syria (and subsequently prevented from being sponsored to immigrate) and her parents’ apparent disapproval of her playing curling are depicted only through repeated hints to other characters and are revealed in a rather blasé and undramatic manner. The inclusion of these subplots would suggest that the playwright may have thought to comment on the particular challenges facing Middle Eastern and Muslim refugees, though they are broached only in a superficial way.

Guy Bannerman gives a genuine effort as the elderly Stuart, though again the limits of the script are revealed in his character’s arc. Throughout the first act, he expresses only contempt for those he’s teaching and shows no signs of relenting in his prejudiced attitude (despite overtures that are made by his students). It is only in the second act that he begins to come around, though one can question whether his change of heart is adequately shown onstage so as to be plausible by the end.

On the technical front, the curling rink set designed by Steve Lucas is especially impressive; from the ice and curling props to the authentic-looking blue exit door and sign, the set is as realistic as it is convenient for plot purposes, given that much of the action takes place in the arena. The open-panelled ceiling is cleverly positioned at a sloped angle to allow both fluorescent and regular stage lights to seep through to the playing area. The red and white uniforms with each character’s name on them worn during the bonspiel matches are a nice touch in emphasizing their symbolic belonging as Canadians.

In its current form, The New Canadian Curling Club is a delightful show which rightfully pokes at certain assumptions held about immigrants and reminds us that not all circumstances for those who come here are the same. At the same time, the subplots around Fatima’s family could be integrated with the larger story and the transformation Stuart undergoes could be better explicated in order to provide more credibility to the message the show wants to send. Good intentions in this case would benefit from some narrative revision.

The New Canadian Curling Club runs until October 20 in the Springer Theatre at the 1000 Islands Playhouse in Gananoque, ON. For information and tickets, see http://www.1000islandsplayhouse.com/the-new-canadian-curling-club/

The New Canadian Curling Club by Mark Crawford

Cast

Guy Bannerman: Stuart
Jenni Burke: Charmaine
Richard Lam: Mike
Parmida Vand: Fatima
Richard Young: Anoopjeet

Crew

Andrew Kushnir: Director
Steve Lucas: Set & Lighting Designer
Victoria Wallace: Costume Designer
Verne Good: Sound Designer
Madison Henry: Stage Manager
Cole Vincent: Assistant Stage Manager